MAIJ\COLOGIA, 1996, 37(2): 163-332
ANATOMY AND SYSTEMATICS OF THE WESTERN ATLANTIC ELLOBIIDAE
(GASTROPODA: PULMONATA)
Antonio M. de Prias Martins
Departamento de Biología, Universidade dos Acores, P-9502 Ponta Delgada Codex,
Sao Miguel, Acores, Portugal
ABSTRACT
Various conchological, radular and anatomical characters of the 18 Western Atlantic species
of the pulmonate family Ellobiidae are evaluated and used in a systematic review of the family.
The conchological features, especially protoconch, resorption of inner whorls, apertural den-
tition and radular morphology, are useful at the specific and generic levels. Features of the
radula of the Melampinae change greatly with increasing age. The youngest individuals have
strongly cusped crowns. Although the cusps usually disappear with age, some species retain
various features of the juvenile radula. The reproductive and central nervous systems are most
useful in defining subfamilial relationships. The monaulic, entirely glandular condition of the
palliai gonoducts, and the greater width of the visceral nerve ring are hereby considered
primitive. Morton's (1955c) subfamilial division of the halophilic Ellobiidae is corroborated. The
Pythiinae have a monaulic, entirely glandular palliai gonoduct and a wide visceral nerve ring.
The Ellobiinae have a diaulic reproductive system with entirely glandular palliai gonoducts, and
a long visceral nerve ring. The Pedipedinae have a monaulic/incipient semidiaulic, partly glan-
dular palliai gonoduct, and a concentrated visceral nerve ring. The Melampinae are character-
ized by an advanced semidiaulic reproductive system with nonglandular palliai gonoducts, and
concentration of the ganglia of the visceral nerve ring.
The present work documents that Microtralia Dall, 1894, belongs in the Pedipedinae, not in
the Melampinae; that Laemodonta Philippi, 1846, belongs in the Pythiinae, not in the Pedipe-
dinae; that Leuconia succinea Pfeiffer, 1854, belongs in the Pedipedinae and in the new genus
Creedonia; that Apodosis Pilsbry & McGinty, 1949, is synonymous with Leuconopsis Hutton,
1 884; that Myosotelia Monterosato, 1 906, type species Myosotella payraudeaui "Shuttleworth"
Pfeiffer, 1856 [= Auricula myosotis Draparnaud, 1801], is removed from Ovatella Bivona, 1832,
and restored to generic rank; that Detracia Gray, 1840, as noted by Zilch (1959), is a subgenus
o^ Melampus Montfort, 1810; that Melampus monile (Bruguière, 1789) belongs in the subgenus
Detracia Gray, 1840; and that Detracia clarki Morrison, 1951, is a junior secondary homonym
and is herein renamed Melampus (Detracia) morhsoni. Leuconopsis manningi new species,
from Ascension Island, is described.
The phylogenetic relationships within the Ellobiidae are discussed, a tentative cladogram of
the family is presented, some distributional patterns are considered and reference is made to
the fossil record.
Key words: Archaeopulmonata, Ellobiidae, systematics, shell, radula, anatomy, genitalia,
nervous system. Western Atlantic, mangroves, salt marshes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction Ellobium (Auriculodes) dominicense
Materials and Methods (Férussac, 1821)
Abbreviations Used in Figures Genus Blauneria Shuttleworth, 1854
Taxonomic Characters Blauneria heteroclita (Montagu, 1808)
Classification Outline, Western Atlantic Ellobiidae Subfamily Pythiinae Odhner, 1925
Systematics Genus Myosotella Monterosato, 1906
Family Ellobiidae H. & A. Adams in Pfeiffer, Myosotella myosotis (Draparnaud, 1801)
1854 Genus Laemodonfa Philippi, 1846
Subfamily Ellobiinae H. & A. Adams in Pfeiffer, Laemodonta cubensis (Pfeiffer, 1854)
1854 Subfamily Pedipedinae Fischer & Crosse, 1880
Genus Ellobium Roding, 1798 Genus Pedipes Scopoli, 1777
Subgenus Auriculodes Strand, 1928 Pedipes mirabilis (Mühlfeld, 1816)
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