David P. Cilia - 29, Triq il-Palazz 1-Ahmar, Santa

Venera, Malta

John Abbas - 28, Jalan Demaga Bam, Muara Angke,

Jakarta Utara Pos 1 4450, Jakarta, Indonesia

Left: Amphidromus (Syndromus) sumatranus von Martens, 1864 - Sumatra,

Indonesia. Right: A.(S.) inconstans wetaranus Haas, 1912 - Nias, Indonesia;

Cover: A. (S.) Iatestrigatus Schepinan, 1 892 - Sumba, Indonesia.

The genus Amphidromus Albers, 1 850. The camaenid genus Amphidromus Albers, 1 850 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Camaenidae) is a highly

speciose genus of colourful-shelled, arboreal pulmonates with a range spanning from northern India to northern Australia, attaining its

greatest diversity in the Indonesian archipelago, with occurrences of Pliocene A. inversus and A. palaceus being known from Java. Variation

in shell colour and pattern is considerable, sometimes even intraspecifically, capturing the attention of early taxonomists and leading to a large

number of descriptions peaking in the 1 9th century. The list of over 300 specific epithets that had accumulated since then was consequently

reduced to less than its third in 20th century revisions, as faunistic studies made the range and scope of such variation clearer. Populations of

the vast majority of Amphidromus s. str. include both dextral and sinistral individuals, a rare but evolutionarily persistent phenomenon also

known in achatinellids and (rarely) clausiliids.

In such populations, mating between individuals of opposite

chirality seems to be preferred. Species assigned to

Amphidromus s. str. also have large shells (>30 mm) with

evident varices and genitalia with a long epiphallic caecum.

Rare observations of egg-laying reveal that some 1 00 eggs

are deposited in airtight egg-cases constructed of leaves

stuck together with mucus. The subgenus Syndromus

Pilsbry, 1 900, which is probably not monophyletic, contains

species with smaller shells (<30 mm), rarely exhibiting

varices, and genitalia with a short epiphallic caecum. It is

virtually composed of exclusively sinistral species. The

subgenus Goniodromus Billow, 1905 contains three poorly

known species, two Vietnamese and one Sumatran,

historically differentiated from Amphidromus s. str.

Through conchological criteria which some authors have

regarded as teratological features, jaws and radular teeth of

amphidromids and other camaenids such as the New Guinea

papuinids reflect adaptation to an arboreal habitat.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 99-106

First report on five species of genus Onthophagus Latreille,

1802 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from Madhya Pradesh,

India, and their description of external male genitalia

Kailash Chandra 1 & Devanshu Gupta 2

1 Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700053, West Bengal, India; e-mail: kailash611@rediffmail.com

Zoological Survey of India, Central Zone Regional Centre, Jabalpur - 482002, Madhya Pradesh, India

* Corresponding author, e-mail: devanshuguptagb4102@gmail.com

ABSTRACT Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti Boucomont, 1914, O. (O.) mopsus (Fabricius, 1792),

O. (O.) orissanus Arrow, 1931, O. (O.) truncaticornis (Schaller, 1783) and O. (Colobontho-

phagus) paliceps Arrow, 1 93 1 are recorded for the first time from Madhya Pradesh (India)

with their external male genitalia diagnosed for the first time. A checklist pertaining to Madhya

Pradesh including 34 species of Onthophagus distributed in six subgenera is also provided.

KEY WORDS Coleoptera; India; Madhya Pradesh; Onthophagus ; Scarabaeidae.

Received 24.11.2011; accepted 10.12.2011; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

The Subfamily Scarabaeinae currently includes

around 5700 valid species united in 227 genera

and 12 tribes. Of these, the tribe Onthophagini is

the most diverse and includes 2500 species, sli-

ghtly under half of the described species in the

entire Scarabaeinae (Davis et al., 2008). Ontho-

phagini have a worldwide distribution and include

about 30 genera, of which the sub-cosmopolitan

and mega-diverse genus Onthophagus Latreille,

1802 comprises 2300 described species (School-

meesters et al., 2008).

The majority of species of the genus are dung

feeders but few are also carrion feeder. The Fauna

of British India, including Ceylon and Burma vo-

lume III devoted to Coprinae (=Scarabaeinae) in-

cluded 17 species of Onthophagus from Madhya

Pradesh (Arrow, 1931). Balthasar (1963) listed

551 species of the genus belonging to 16 subgenera

from Oriental and Palaearctic region but did not

provide much information on the distribution of

Onthophagus in Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently,

Chandra & Ahirwar (2007) reported 23 species of

Onthophagus from Madhya Pradesh and Chhatti-

sgarh. Recently, Chandra & Gupta (2011a, 2011b,

2012) added seven species of the genus from Ma-

dhya Pradesh.

While further working on unidentified material

from Madhya Pradesh, five species of genus On-

thophagus , new for Madhya Pradesh i.e. Ontho-

phagus (Onthophagus) duporti Boucomont, 1914,

O. (O.) mopsus (Fabricius, 1792), O. (O.) orissanus

Arrow, 1931, O. (O.) truncaticornis (Schaller,

1783) and O. (Colob onthophagus) paliceps Arrow,

1931 were identified and their external male geni-

talia studied. Compiling all the published informa-

tion and current report regarding diversity and

distribution of Onthophagus in Madhya Pradesh, a

checklist constituting 34 species under six subge-

nera is also prepared (Table 1).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Specimens studied belong to the unidentified

collections of dung beetles present in Central Zone

Regional Station, in the Zoological Survey of India

100

Kailash Chandra & Devanshu Gupta

collection (ZSI), Jabalpur, from Singhori Wildlife

Sanctuary (Raisen), Morena, Pench Tiger Reserve

(Seoni) and Kanha National Park (Mandla) of Ma-

dhya Pradesh (India).

Specimens were cleaned and softened in a dish

of hot water, the abdomen was separated from the

body, and the aedeagus was extracted from the ab-

domen. The abdomen was then glued to the body

to keep the specimens intact.

The aedeagus was cleaned in a hot water solu-

tion of 10% KOH and washed in 95% ethanol and

after examination stored in a glass vial containing

70% alcohol. Genitalia and whole insects were stu-

died and photographed using Leica M 205 A Bino-

cular Microscope. The specimens were identified

with the help of available literature (Arrow, 1931)

and compared with reference collection present in

ZSI, Jabalpur. Classification adopted in the paper

is after Smith (2006).

RESULTS

Altogether five species of genus Onthophagus

viz. Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti Bouco-

mont, 1914, O. (O.) mopsus (Fabricius, 1792), O.

(O.) orissanus Arrow, 1931, O. (O.) truncaticornis

(Schaller, 1783) and O. (Colobonthophagus) pali-

ceps Arrow, 1931 were studied and reported for the

first time from Madhya Pradesh.

The species were distributed in two subgenera

viz. Onthophagus and Colobonthophagus. Thirty

four species of Onthophagus under 6 subgenera are

so far recorded from Madhya Pradesh (Table 1).

SYSTEMATICS

Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758

Suborder Polyphaga Emery, 1886

Family Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802

Subfamily Scarabaeinae Latreille, 1802

Tribe Onthophagini Burmeister, 1 846

Genus Onthophagus Latreille, 1802

Type species: Scarabaeus taurus Schreber, 1759

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti Boucomont,

1914

Onthophagus duporti - Boucomont, 1914: 228.

Onthophagus duporti - Arrow, 1931: 353.

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti (Balthasar,

1963: 337).

Examined material. Madhya Pradesh, Rai-

sen, Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary, Barna Dam,

04.IV.2011 (1 male, 1 female), leg. S. Sambath

and the partners (Reg. no. ZSI/CZRC/A- 16272).

Description (Fig. 1). Length 7.0 mm, maxi-

mum width 4.5 mm. Chestnut brown, oval and con-

vex. Elytra black with some yellow strips. Head

with its sides rounded and clypeus feebly produced

and truncate. A short, blunt and conical horn pre-

sent at the inner margin of each eye near frons. Pro-

notum bearing a small tubercle just behind front

margin in middle and a pair of tubercles present a

short distance apart midway between front and

hind margins. Male genitalia (Fig. 6). Phallobase

almost double in length as parameres. Parameres

broad at base, sharply and regularly tapered distally

and curved ventrally, tips pointed and with a broad

rounded membrane.

Distribution. India: Madhya Pradesh, Bihar

and South India (Arrow, 1931). Elsewhere: Myan-

mar (Arrow, 1931), Thailand, Vietnam and Laos

(Balthasar, 1963).

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) mopsus (Fabricius,

1792)

Scarabaeus mopsus - Fabricius, 1792: 58.

Onthophagus mopsus - Arrow, 1931: 328-329.

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) mopsus - Balthasar,

1963: 441.

Examined material. Madhya Pradesh, Morena,

Kheda, 27.IV.2011 (1 male), Sandeep and Devan-

shu (Reg. no. ZSI/CZRC/A- 16271).

Description (Fig. 2). Length 7.5 mm, maxi-

mum width 5.4mm. Oval, not very convex, blackish

brown with a slight metallic lustre but not very shi-

ning. Dorsally, clothed with fairly closely and very

minute greyish setae. Head bears an extremely long

and slender horn, arising in front of eyes and cur-

ving backward beyond hind margin of pronotum.

In middle, pronotum is smooth and unpunctured

and a little flattened, with a strong tubercle on each

side. Male genitalia (Fig. 7): phallobase a little lon-

ger than parameres. Parameres broad at base, sli-

ghtly tapered distally with apical part obliquely

placed ventrally, with tips pointed and a membra-

nous plate on dorsal side.

First report on five Onthophagus from Madhya Pradesh, India, and their description of external male genitalia

101

Figure 1. Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti , male. Figure 2. Onthophagus (O.) mopsus , male. Figure 3. Onthophagus

(O.) orissanus, male. Figure 4. Onthophagus (O.) truncaticornis, male.

102

Kailash Chandra & Devanshu Gupta

Figure 5. Onthophagus (Colobonthophagus) paliceps , male. Figures 6-10. External male genitalia of Onthophagus

(Onthophagus) duporti (Fig. 6), Onthophagus (O.) mopsus (Fig. 7), Onthophagus (O.) orissanus (Fig. 8), Onthophagus

(O.) truncaticornis (Fig. 9), O. (C.) paliceps (Fig. 10).

First report on five Onthophagus from Madhya Pradesh, India, and their description of external male genitalia

103

Distribution. India: Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir,

Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and

West Bengal. Elsewhere: Pakistan (Arrow, 1931).

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) oris s anus Arrow,

1931

Onthophagus orissanus - Arrow, 1931: 257.

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) orissanus - Balthasar,

1963: 464.

Examined material. Madhya Pradesh, Pencil

Tiger Reserve, Seoni, Baghdesh Bar., 27.VII.2001 (1

male), M.L. Koshta (Reg. no. ZSI/CZRC/A- 16270).

Description (Fig. 3). Length 6.50 mm, width

3.0 mm. Oval and moderately convex. Head, pro-

notum, pygidium and lower surface dark metallic

green. Each elytra decorated with a yellow spot

upon shoulder, one spot divided into two near su-

ture at base, one near middle of outer margin, and

two near posterior margin. Dorsal portion and py-

gidium closely clothed with long, erect and yellow

hairs. Clypeus produced, deeply notched and shar-

ply bilobed in front. Head bears a pair of backwar-

dly directed horns which are moderately broad at

base slender at the end and united by a curved Ca-

rina enclosing a half-circle at its posterior margin.

Male genitalia (Fig. 8): phallobase twice as long as

parameres. Parameres a little curved broad at base

and pointed apically at ventral portion.

Distribution. India: Madhya Pradesh, Bihar

(Balthasar, 1963), and Orissa (Arrow, 1931).

Remarks. The species can be differentiated

from O. kchatriya Boucomont, 1914 by the pre-

sence of following two characters; front angles of

pronotum pointed and deeply notched and sharply

bilobed clypeus in front.

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) truncaticornis

(Schaller, 1783)

Scarabaeus truncaticornis - Schaller, 1783: 238.

Onthophagus truncaticornis - Arrow, 1931: 322-323.

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) truncaticornis - Bal-

thasar, 1963: 568.

Examined material. Madhya Pradesh, Mandla,

Keolari, 13. VII. 2008 (8 males, 5 females), coll.

Akhilesh (Reg. no. ZSI/CZRC/A- 16279).

Description (Fig. 4). Length 8.0 mm, maximum

width 2.85 mm. Broadly oval and very convex. Dark

greenish- black, not very shining except upon head,

front part of pronotum and lower surface. Dorsally,

closely clothed with short reddish setae. Head with

clypeal margin strongly reflexed and separated from

smooth forehead by a feeble rounded carina. Vertex

produced backward as a nearly semicircular plate,

which curves upward and rises to a short erect horn

which bifurcates at the tip.

Male genitalia (Fig. 9): phallobase twice as long

as parameres. Parameres curved and strongly poin-

ted apically the distal end and with a broad plate.

Distribution. India: Madhya Pradesh, Kerala

(Balthasar, 1963), Karnataka, Maharashtra, and

Tamil Nadu (Arrow, 1931).

Onthophagus (Colobonthophagus) paliceps Arrow.

1931

Onthophagus paliceps - Arrow, 1931: 287.

Onthophagus (Colobonthophagus) paliceps - Bal-

thasar, 1963: 467.

Examined material. Madhya Pradesh, Mandla,

Keolari, 13.VII.2008 (1 male, 1 female), coll. Akhi-

lesh (Reg. no. ZSI/CZRC/A- 16273).

Description (Fig. 5). Length 10.5 mm, maxi-

mum width 6.0 mm. Oval, moderately convex and

black. Clypeus truncate, a little produced and feebly

notched at front margin and separated by a semicir-

cular carina from lightly punctured forehead. Head

bears a short, slender and upwardly-curved horn at

posterior margin. On each side at inner margin of

eye, there is a shorter, transversely placed and rec-

tangular erect process. Pronotum minutely and spar-

sely punctured, little hollowed transversely in front

and bears, two blunt angulations placed rather far

apart at upper margin of declivity.

Male genitalia (Fig. 10): phallobase almost

twice as long as parameres. Parameres a little flat-

tened and not broad with its pointed and curving

ventral portion.

Distribution. India: Madhya Pradesh and Utta-

rakhand (Arrow, 1931; Balthasar, 1963).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are thankful to Dr. K. Venkatara-

man. Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kol-

kata for providing necessary facilities and

encouragement.

104

Kailash Chandra & Devanshu Gupta

S. No.

Species name

District wise distribution in

Madhya Pradesh

References

Onthophagus (C.) bengalen-

sis Harold, 1886

Damoh

Chandra & Gupta, 2011a

Onthophagus (C.) hindu

Arrow, 1931

Damoh, Floshangabad, Jabalpur

Chandra & Gupta, 2011b; Chandra et al.,

2011,2012

Onthophagus (C.) paJiceps

Arrow, 1931

Mandla

new record from Madhya Pradesh

Onthophagus (C.) tragus

(Fabricius, 1792)

Mandla

Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005b

Onthophagus (D.) bonasus

(Fabricius, 1775)

Betul, Balaghat, Hoshangabad, Uma-

ria, Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007; Chandra et al., 2011

Onthophagus (D.) gazella

(Fabricius, 1787)

Indore, Betul, Balaghat, Damoh,

Seoni, Hoshangabad, Jabalpur, Uma-

ria, Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra, 2002; Chandra &

Ahirwar, 2005a, 2005b, 2007; Chandra &

Gupta, 2011a; Chandra et al., 2011, 2012

Onthophagus (M.) hystrix

Boucomont, 1914

Mandla, Balaghat

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus ( 0 .) a gnus

Gillet, 1925

Indore, Seoni

Arrow, 1931; Chandra, 2002; Chandra &

Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (O.) abacus

Boucomont, 1921

Seoni

Chandra & Gupta, 2012

Onthophagus (O.) abreui

Arrow, 1931

Betul, Seoni

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (O.) brevicollis

Arrow, 1931

Balaghat, Raigarh

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (O.) centricor

nis (Fabricius, 1798)

Balaghat, Raigarh

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (0.) cervus

(Fabricius, 1798)

Balaghat, Riwa, Umaria, Jabalpur,

Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a &

b, 2007; Chandra et al., 2012

Onthophagus (0.) dama

(Fabricius, 1798)

Balaghat, Hoshangabad, Jabalpur,

Umaria, Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007; Chandra et al., 2011, 2012

Onthophagus (0.) duporti

Boucomont, 1914

Raisen

new record from Madhya Pradesh

Onthophagus (O.) fas ci at us

Boucomont, 1914

Riwa, Shahdol, Umaria

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a;

Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (0.) grains

Arrow, 1931

Mandla

Chandra & Gupta, 2012

Onthophagus (0.) griseose-

tosus Arrow, 1931

Mandla, Balaghat, Raigarh, Hoshan-

gabad, Jabalpur

Arrow, 1931; Newton & Malcolm, 1985;

Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005b, 2007; Chandra

et al., 2011, 2012

Onthophagus (O.) labor ans

Arrow, 1931

M. P.

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (O.) mopsus

(Fabricius, 1792)

Morena

new record from Madhya Pradesh

Onthophagus (O.) oriental is

Flarold, 1868

Balaghat, Raigarh

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (0.) orissanus

Arrow, 1931

Seoni

new record from Madhya Pradesh

Onthophagus (O.) ram os us

(Wiedmann, 1823)

Indore, Jabalpur, Sidhi, Damoh, Man-

dla, Bhopal, Umaria, Hoshangabad

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007; Chandra & Gupta, 2011a;

Chandra et al., 2011, 2012

Onthophagus (0.) ramosel-

lus Bates, 1891

Betul, Hoshangabad,

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007;

Chandra et al., 2011

First report on five Onthophagus from Madhya Pradesh, India, and their description of external male genitalia

105

S. No.

Species name

District wise distribution in

Madhya Pradesh

References

Onthophagus (O.) rudis

Sharp, 1875

Jabalpur

Chandra & Gupta, 2012; Chandra et al.,

2012

Onthophagus (O.) quadri-

dentatus (Fabricius, 1798)

Damoh, Riwa, Umaria, Hoshangabad,

Jabalpur

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005,a

2007; Chandra & Gupta, 2011a; Chandra et

al., 2011, 2012

Onthophagus (O.) spinifex

(Fabricius, 1781)

Mandla, Seoni

Chandra & Gupta, 2011b

Onthophagus (O.) tarandus

(Fabricius, 1792)

Umaria, Seoni, Sidhi, Hoshangabad,

Balaghat, Riwa, Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007

Onthophagus (O.) truncati-

cornis (Schaller, 1783)

Mandla

new record from Madhya Pradesh

Onthophagus (O.) unifascia-

tus (Schall., 1783)

Jabalpur

Chandra et al., 2012

Onthophagus (O.) zebra

Arrow, 1931

Indore

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2007

Onthophagus (P.) amplexus

Sharp, 1875

Jabalpur

Chandra & Gupta, 2012; Chandra et al.,

2012

Onthophagus (P.) pactolus

(Fabricius, 1787)

Damoh, Hoshangabad, Umaria, In-

dore, Mandla, Seoni

Arrow, 1931; Newton & Malcolm, 1985;

Chandra, 2002; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007; Chandra & Singh, 2004; Chan-

dra & Gupta, 2011a; Chandra et al., 2011.

Onthophagus (S.) Sagittarius

(Fabricius, 1775)

Riwa, Umaria, Hoshangabad, Mandla

Arrow, 1931; Chandra & Ahirwar, 2005a,

2005b, 2007; Chandra et al., 2011;

Table 1 . Checklist of Onthophagus from Madhya Pradesh.

REFERENCES

Arrow G. J., 1931. The Fauna of British India including

Ceylon and Burma. Col. Lamell. Ill, (Coprinae). Tay-

lor & Francis, London, 428 pp.

Balthasar V., 1963. Monographic der Scarabaeidae und

Aphodiidae der palaearktischen und orientalischen

Region, Coleoptera:Lamellicornia, Verlag der Tsche-

choslowakischenAkademie der Wissenschaften Prag,

Vol. 2, 627 pp.

Boucomont, A. 1914. Onthophagus asiatiques nouveaux

o peu connus. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Na-

turale di Genova, 46: 210-243.

Chandra K., 2002. On a collection of Scarabaeid beetles

from Pench Tiger Reserve (Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.

Journal of Tropical Forestry, 18: 104-107.

Chandra K. & Ahirwar S.C., 2005a. Scarabaeid Beetles

of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

Zoos’ Print Journal, 20: 1961-1964.

Chandra K. & Ahirwar S.C., 2005b. Scarabaeid Beetles

(Coleoptera) of Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh.

Records Zoological Survey of India, 105: 147-155.

Chandra K. & Ahirwar S.C., 2007. Insecta: Coleoptera:

Scarabaeidae, p. 273-300. In Chandra K. (eds),

Fauna of Madhya Pradesh (including Chhattisgarh).

State Fauna Series, 15, Zoological Survey of India,

p. 1-564.

Chandra K. & Gupta D., 20 1 1 a. Study of Scarabaeid Bee-

tles (Coleoptera) of Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife

Sanctuary, Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, India, Deccan.

Current Science, 5: 272-278.

Chandra K. & Gupta, D., 2011b. Two New Records of

genus Onthophagus Latreille, 1 802 (Coleoptera: Sca-

rabaeidae) from Madhya Pradesh, India. Uttar Pra-

desh Journal of Zoology, 31: 253-255.

Chandra K. & GuptaD., 2012. New Distributional Record

of Five Species of Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scara-

baeidae: Scarabaeinae) from Central India. Scholarly

Journal of Agricultural Science, 2: 8-12.

Chandra K. & Singh R. K., 2004. On a collection of Sca-

rabaeid beetles (Coleoptera) from Pachmarhi bio-

sphere reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Records Zoological

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Chandra K., Khan, S. & Gupta D., 2012. New Records

to the Species Diversity of Family Scarabaeidae and

Hybosoridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of Jabal-

pur, Madhya Pradesh (India). Academic Journal of

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Chandra K., Khan, S., Gupta D. & Singh, S. P., 2011.

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Scarabaeidae) of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Ma-

dhya Pradesh, India. National Journal of Life Scien-

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Davis A.L.D., Frolov A. V. & Scholtz C.FL, 2008. The

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Newton P. N. & Malcolm J.C., 1985. Dung and Dung

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Hallischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 1: 217-328.

Schoolmeesters P, Davis A.L.D., Edmonds W.D., Gill

B., Mann D., Moretto P, Price D., Reid C., Spector

S. & Vaz-De-Mello F., 2008. ScarabNet Global

Taxon Database, available at: http://216.73.243.70/

scarabnet/results.htm (last access 30.05.2012).

Smith A. B. T. 2006. A review of the family-group names

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cation. Coleopterists Society Monograph, 5:144-204.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 107-110

Nomendatural observations on the Erctella Monterosato,

1 894 species (Gastropoda, Helicidae) from the “Rocca” of

Cefalu (Italy, Sicily)

Riccardo Giannuzzi-Savelli 1 , IgnazioSparacio 2 & Nunzia Oliva 3

'Via Mater Dolorosa 54 - 90146 Palermo, Italy; e-mail: malakos@tin.it

2 Via E. Notarbartolo, 54 - 90145 Palermo, Italy; e-mail: isparacio@inwind.it

3 Via Cimbali, 47 - 90142 Palermo, Italy; e-mail: oliva.ina@gmail.com

ABSTRACT The taxon “ cephalaeditana ” was introduced in 1986 by the authors to indicate a endemic

species from the “Rocca” of Cefalu; this species was discovered, named, but never described

by E. Pirajno Sicilian naturalist (1809-1864). The unusual description was accepted under Ar-

ticles lid and 13a of the ICZN Code edition in use at that time, but not to create nomen-

clatural uncertainties that would be obviously aggravated by the possible introduction of

other names, different from the one Pirajno wanted to use for this discovery, we proceed

here to a formal (re-)description of the taxon in question.

KEY WORDS Helicidae; Erctella ; cephalaeditana ; ICZN; Cefalu.

Received 08.03.2012; accepted 28.04.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

During the restoration of Enrico Pirajno of Man-

dralisca’s collection, carried out around 1980, we

found the types of species of terrestrial molluscs de-

scribed by this Sicilian naturalist.

In the paper we later published on this topic

(Giannuzzi-Savelli et al., 1986), we introduced the

new taxon Helix cephalaeditana using a name that

Pirajno had not published but that he had intended

to use, as demonstrated by the original labels found

in his collection, to an endemic rupicolous species

of the “Rocca” of Cefalu. This species was already

mentioned by Pirajno (1840), without describing it,

as "Helix mazzulli var. (3

In our work (Giannuzzi-Savelli et al., 1986) it is

clearly shown that we are dealing with a distinct

species and that this was also the evident intention

of Pirajno, in fact we wrote (p. 205): "Appare evi-

dente che il Pirajno ...abbia elevato a rango di

buona specie la sua varieta dell’Helix mazzullii

Sharing Pirajno’s taxonomic approach, we con-

ducted a detailed differential analysis between

Helix cephalaeditana and the similar H. mazzullii

(De Cristofori & Jan, 1832) showing the morpho-

logical differences between the two taxa (’’Infatti i

caratteri conchiliari ... dei materiali tipici e topoti-

pici sono peculiari e costanti e non si ritrovano in

nessun’altra popolazione da noi esaminata.”). Mo-

reover, talking about its ecology, we characterized

Helix cephalaeditana as "specie rupicola", thus

confirming once again our assessment of the taxon

in question as a good species.

In the same work (Giannuzzi-Savelli et al., 1986)

we designated the type material that we intended to

present indeed as holotype and paratypes, respecti-

vely, but at that time, acting somewhat like perfecting

a taxonomic choice already made by Pirajno and

using his original material, we designed thos speci-

mens improperly as lectotype and paralectotypes.

We put no condition to the recognition of H.

cephalaeditana as valid taxon of species group.

108

R. Giannuzzi Savelli, I. Sparacio & N. Oliva

Figures 1-3. Flolotypus of Erctella cephalaeditana from “Rocca” of Cefalu. Figure 4. Original label from the Pirajno

collection. Figures 5-7. E. mazzulii from Monte Pellegrino 500 m. s.l.m., 11.V111.2007, leg. F. Liberto (H: 31 mm,

D: 24,6 mm).). Figures 8-10. E. insolida from Custonaci, RoccaRumena, 4.11.2012, leg. F. Liberto (H: 37,4 mm, D: 34,7 mm).

Nomenclatural observations of Erctella Monte rosato, 1 893 species from the “Rocca”of Cefalu

109

leaving only a margin of uncertainty in the choice

between considering this taxon as a distinct spe-

cies or a subspecies of H mazzullii.

Subsequently, Manganelli et al. (1995) reco-

gnized in our work of 1986 the formal extremes

for the description of a new species, in accordance

with Articles lid and 13a of the ICZN Code edi-

tion in use at that time. Manganelli et al. (1995)

regarded “cephalaeditana” as a junior synonym of

Cantareus mazzullii.

This taxon was later quoted as valid by Cossi-

gnani & Cossignani (1995 sub Helix mazzullii ce-

phalaeditana ), Piazza (2003, sub Helix mazzullii

cephalaeditana var. piazzensis ), Colomba et al.

(2008, sub Cornu mazzullii cephalaeditanum), Li-

berto et al. (2010, sub Erctella cephalaeditana),

and Giglio (2002). In this papers, the taxon cepha-

laeditana is only mentioned with reference at Gian-

nuzzi-Savelli et al. (1985); the “var. piazzenzis ”

(see Piazza, 2003) has no taxonomic value: it is in-

frasubspecific rank and the author has expressly

used the term "variety".

In the broad debate on the Internet after the pu-

blication of this monograph, where this group of

endemic and rupicolous terrestrial molluscs from

North-Western Sicily is re-evaluated, some collea-

gues have proposed that the taxon “cephalaedi-

tana” should not be considered valid under Article

15.1 of the ICZN Code.

The description of " cephalaeditana" in Giannuzzi

Savelli et al. (1986), as reported by Manganelli et al.

(1995), was certainly unusual, but, surely as well, we

placed no condition ("... proposed conditionally ...")

on the specific merits of this taxon of whose validity

we, like Pirajno, were convinced. As mentioned

above, from all the work (Giannuzzi- Savelli et al.,

1986) it emerges clearly that we were treating it as a

distinct species, without any doubt.

However, to avoid to create nomenclatural un-

certainties that would be obviously aggravated by

the possible introduction of other names, different

from the one Pirajno wanted to use for this disco-

very, we proceed here to a formal (re- description

of the taxon in question.

Contextually, we are applying to the Interna-

tional Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

in order to have all previous uses of cephalaedi-

tana for this taxon being suppressed for the pur-

poses of both the Principle of Priority and the

Principle of Homonymy.

Erctella cephalaeditana n. sp.

Examined Material. Holotypus (Lectotipo n.

571/B in Giannuzzi- Savelli et al., 1986) (Figs. 1-

3) and 10 paratypi (Paralectotipi n. 571/A, C, D,

E e n. 572/A, B, C, D, E, F see Giannuzzi-Savelli

et al., 1986).

This material is kept in the malacological collec-

tion of the Mandralisca Museum of Cefalu; it is kept

in two containers where there are also two labels, re-

ferring to Enrico Pirajno, bearing the inscrition: "H.

Cephalaeditana Mandralisca/Cefahi” (Fig. 4).

Description of holotypus. Shell globose-co-

nical; height 28.3 mm; maximum diameter 25.3

mm; aperture height 20 mm; aperture maximum

diameter 22 mm; uniformly yellowish; spire eleva-

ted; external surface of last two whorls, strongly

wrinkled and irregularly reticulated; peristome thic-

kened and well reflected; aperture oval.

Variability. Paratypes do not show substantial

differences from the described holotypus. The

length of the shells is between 25 mm and 29.4

mm, the width is between 22.3 mm and 27 mm,

the surface of the shell can be more wrinkled and

reticulated.

Etymology. From the name found on the labels

assigned to this species by Enrico Pirajno and re-

ferring to the latin name of Cefalu (Cephalaedium

or Cephaloedium), locus typicus of this species.

Biology and Distribution. Saxicavous and ru-

picolous species, endemic of the “Rocca” of Cefalu

(North Sicily).

Comparative notes. E. mazzullii from the

mountains of Palermo (Figs. 5-7) differs fromE. ce-

phalaeditana for the external surface of the shell,

especially in the last two whorls, with thin, uniform,

and axial wrinkles (more wrinkled, raised and reti-

culated in E. cephalaeditana) and for the peristome

simple, little thickened and little reflected.

Another related species, E. insolida (Montero-

sato, 1892) occurs in some localities in the surroun-

dings of Trapani (Figs. 8-10), is characterized by

larger shell (height 33-40 mm; maximum diameter

29-35 mm) spire less elevated, external surface

with very thin growth lines, peristome thickened,

simple or little reflected, and different anatomical

and molecular characters. E. mazzullii and E. inso-

lida differ, also, from E. cephalaeditana for other

anatomical and molecular characters.

110

R.Giannuzzi Savelli, I. Sparacio & N. Oliva

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, as maintained by Pirajno, E. ce-

phalaeditana appears clearly differentiated from E.

mazzullii , from which is also geographically well

isolated. A detailed analysis of the species of the

genus Erctella Monterosato, 1894 in Sicily by Li-

berto et al. (2010) and Colomba et al. (2011) offers

additional anatomical features and molecular data

for E. cephalaeditana.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank M.S. Colomba (Urbino, Italy) , F. Li-

berto and S. Giglio (Cefalu, Italy). In particular,

prof. A. Minelli (Padova, Italy) for his help during

the preparation of this work.

REFERENCES

Colomba M.S. , Gregorini A., Liberto F., Reitano A., Gi-

glio S. & Sparacio I., 2011. Monographic revision of

the endemic Helix mazzullii De Cristofori & Jan,

1832 complex from Sicily and re-introduction of the

genus Erctella Monterosato, 1 894 (Pulmonata, Sty-

lommatophora, Helicidae). Zootaxa3134: 1-42.

Colomba M.S., Liberto F., Reitano A., Gregorini A., Gi-

glio S. & Sparacio I., 2008. Le popolazioni di Cornu

mazzullii (De Cristofori & Jan, 1832) in Sicilia. (Ga-

stropoda Pulmonata Helicidae). 37 Congresso Na-

zionale della Societa Italiana di Biogeografia,

Catania, 7-10 ottobre 2008, 90.

Cossignani T. & Cossignani V. 1995. Atlante delle con-

chiglie terrestri e dulciacquicole italiane. L'lnforma-

tore Piceno, Ancona, 208 pp.

Giannuzzi- Savelli, R., Sparacio, I. & Oliva, N., 1986. I

tipi di molluschi terrestri della collezione Pirajno del

Museo Mandralisca di Cefalu. Lavori della Societa

Italiana di Malacologia, 22: 195-208.

Giglio S., 2012. Peculiari molluschi della Rocca di Ce-

falu. In: Kephalphil 2012. La fotografia a Cefalu nel

50° anniversario di Angelo Varzi: 14-17.

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

(ICZN) 1985. International code of zoological no-

menclature, third edition. The International Trust for

Zoological Nomenclature, London, xx+338 pp.

Liberto F., Giglio S., Reitano A., Colomba M.S. & Spa-

racio I., 2010. I Molluschi terrestri e dulciacquicoli

di Sicilia della collezione F. Mina Palumbo di Ca-

stelbuono. Monografie Natural istiche 2. Edizioni Da-

naus, Palermo, 136 pp.

Manganelli G., Bodon M., Favilli L. & Giusti F., 1995.

Gastropoda Pulmonata. In: Minelli, A., Ruffo, S., La

Posta, S. (Eds. ), Checklist delle specie della fauna ita-

liana, 16. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna, 60 pp.

Piazza I., 2003. Note storiche sulla rara Helix mazzulli

cephalaeditana e il suo "Locus Typicus" (Rocca di

Cefalu). Cefalu, 46 pp.

Pirajno E., 1840. Catalogo dei Molluschi terrestri e flu-

viatili delle Madonie e luoghi adiacenti. Stamperia

Oretea, Palermo, 40 pp.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 111-118

Conserving Biodiversity ofYerramalais of Kurnool District,

Andhra Pradesh, India, through People’s Biodiversity Registers

Program

Shaik Khaleel Basha 1 *, Gudivada Sudarsanam 2 , Dalazak Parveen 3 & Ammnish Verma 4

'Associate Professor of Botany, Osmania Degree and PG college, 518001 - Kurnool, India

2 Professor, Head of the Department of Botany, S.V University, Tirupati, A.P India

3 Assistant Professor of Botany, Osmania college for Women, Kurnool. A.P India

4 Technical Consultant (WHO) Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India

’Corresponding author, e-mail: khaleelbasha24@gmail.com

ABSTRACT Ecological degradation and its corollary -biodiversity loss- pose a serious threat to develop-

ment. The program of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) is an attempt to promote folk

ecological knowledge and wisdom. A program "PBR" for in-situ conservation of biological

diversity involving local communities has been initiated in recent years. PBR helps in building

an open and transparent information system on biodiversity resources from village level up-

wards. The register contains comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of

local biological resources, their medicinal and other traditional knowledge associated with

them. The main objective of this paper is to create awareness in villagers regarding how to

preserve, protect biodiversity and equitably make use of TDK of medicinal plants. The process

of preparation of PBRs, as well as the resultant documents, could serve a significant role in

promoting more sustainable, flexible, participatory systems of management and in ensuring

a better flow of benefits from economic use of the living resources to the local communities.

Indigenous people (Sugalis) are playing an important role in conservation of TDK ofYerra-

malais. Knowledge about 38 different types of medicinal plants used by indigenous people

for various diseases like leucoderma, snake bite, scorpion sting, jaundice, wounds, rheumatism

are recorded.

KEY WORDS People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR); Traditional knowledge (TDK); Yerramalais; Sugali.

Received 11.03.2012; accepted 12.05.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

India is known for its rich heritage of biodiver-

sity. Conserving biodiversity is basic to our survival

and well-being and using it sustainably, forms part

of the Indian culture and lifestyle. The Earth's bio-

logical resources are vital to humanity's economic

and social development.

As a result, there is a growing recognition that

biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous

value to present and future generations. At the same

time, the threat to species and ecosystems has never

been as great as it is today. Species extinction caused

by human activities continues at an alarming rate.

Regrettably, much of this heritage is being rapidly

eroded today. We live in exciting times, with techno-

logical developments transforming the world around

us as never before. Communication has become

easy; information in large measures is becoming rea-

dily accessible. Yet, in the midst of all these develop-

ments, we remain a biomass-based civilization.

Many Indians continue to lead lives as ecosy-

stem people, tied closely to the resources of their

environment to fulfill many of their requirements.

112

S. Khaleel Basha, G. Sudarsanam, D. Parveen & A.Verma

India’s ecological resource base is under threat,

with extensive destruction of natural habitats, wi-

despread degradation of agro-ecosystems and a gro-

wing burden of air and water pollution.

Simultaneously, India's knowledge base of uses of

biodiversity is also being eroded, with the younger

generation becoming increasingly alienated from

the natural world. This calls for a committed scien-

tific and technical effort, an effort in which all seg-

ments of India's population must participate

actively. Finally, we need to ensure that the fruits

of this progress reach all our people. Ecological

problems coupled with unequal access to resources

results in human ill-being and threats to the liveli-

hood security of the world's poorest (Pandey, 1996;

Balvanera et al., 2001).

The development of modern science and techno-

logies notably biotechnology and information te-

chnologies have increased the value of biodiversity

and associated knowledge including traditional

knowledge (TDK). The growing importance of bio-

diversity, bio-resources and associated knowledge

is fairly well understood. Scientific research on

human-environmental interactions is now a budding

sustainability science (Kates et al., 2001). The con-

cept recognises that the well-being of human so-

ciety is closely related to the well-being of natural

ecosystems. The intellectual resources on which the

sustainability science is building on need to take

into account the knowledge of local people as well.

Local knowledge helps in scenario analysis, data

collection, management planning, designing of the

adaptive strategies to learn and get feedback, and

institutional support to put policies into practice

(Getz et al., 1999). Traditional knowledge on bio-

diversity conservation in India is as diverse as 2753

communities (Joshi et al., 1993) and their geogra-

phical distribution, farming strategies, food habits,

subsistence strategies and cultural traditions.

In spite of the value of traditional knowledge for

biodiversity conservation and natural resource ma-

nagement there still is a need to further the cause.

The following consideration may be useful in this

respect. People's biodiversity registers are a case in

point (Gadgil, 1994, 1996; Gadgil et al., 2000). The

program of People's Biodiversity Registers promo-

tes folk ecological knowledge and wisdom by de-

vising a formal means for their maintenance and by

creating new contexts for their continued practice.

PBRs document traditional ecological knowledge

and practices on use of natural resources, with the

help of local educational institutions, teachers, stu-

dents and NGOs working in collaboration with

local institutions.

Such a process and the resulting documents

could serve a significant role in "promoting more

sustainable, flexible, participatory systems of ma-

nagement and in ensuring a better flow of benefits

from economic use of the living resources to the

local communities" (Gadgil et al., 2000).

People's Biodiversity Register

The “People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR)”, a

program now mandated by the Biological Diversity

Act 2002, was initiated in India in 1995. Prepara-

tion of the People’s Biodiversity Registers is a novel

activity that will involve people at the grass roots

in a scientific enterprise.

The Register shall contain comprehensive infor-

mation on availability and knowledge of local bio-

logical resources, their medicinal or any other use

or any other traditional knowledge associated with

them, along with data about the local people and

practitioners using the biological resources. PBR is

envisioned as a tool that will facilitate the local bo-

dies in conservation related decision-making.

The process of PBR development itself lets the

people explore the biodiversity and related kno-

wledge. This it self helps in imparting 'resource li-

teracy', much needed for the conservation process.

Most importantly, the PBR is also a tool for educa-

ting the younger mind on conservation education

and ethics and the rich heritage. Through the PBR

local knowledge only partially disclosed, for in-

stance, a claim that a particular medicine woman

knows of a cure for asthma.

It also helps in motivating the community in

preparing the community Biodiversity registers for

their hamlet, awares of medicinal plants among

people, prepares action plan regarding cultivation

of endangered and threatened medicinal plants in

restricted, protected lands, creates a park exclusi-

vely of medicinal plants close to the village.

It also develops local body, to act like a wat-

chdog, to prevent smuggling, excess cutting or col-

lection of medicinal plants. It also passed a

resolution that people should take permission and

clearance from Gram Panchayat when collecting

medicinal plants and also when cutting trees.

Conserving Biodiversity ofYerramalais of Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India, through People’s Biodiversity Registers Program 113

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area for PBR. Gummitham thanda

(Fig. 1) is located in North-Eastern part of Kurnool

district. The study area has an undulating and de-

graded topography. Gummitham thanda is a tribal

village present at the foot-hill zone of the Gani re-

serve forest of Eastern Ghats in Oravakal mandal

of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Gani RF is evergreen forests including rivers,

streams and lakes. The village consists of dominant

Sugali tribes and other tribal people (languages for

primary education: Telugu; spoken languages: Su-

gali). This thanda is also a hotspot for medicinal

plants and home to several traditional healers.

Methodology. After study areas were selected,

field investigators were chosen from among degree

college science teachers. Many of these people are

from nearby localities, and have considerable pre-

vious familiarity with the study sites. PBR of Gum-

mitham thanda was established in December 2008.

The preparation of People’s Biodiversity Registers

(PBRs) involves the active support and cooperation

of a large number of people who need to share their

common as well as specialized knowledge. One of

the first steps for preparing a PBR is to organize a

group meeting to explain the objectives and purpose

of the exercise.

Different social groups in the village need to be

identified for purpose of data collection from those

groups. The documentation process includes infor-

mation gathered from individuals through detailed

questionnaire, focused group discussion with per-

sons having knowledge. The field investigating

teams worked closely with, and often included,

some of the local residents.

Collecting information on biodiversity and its

uses from the local people in this area is a task that

needs the person carrying out the documentation to

be in the field for a long duration. This is required

to win the complete confidence of the local people.

Even the most knowledgeable local informant

would not be able to explain half his information

unless one is out in the field with him and able to

see things first hand.

Documentation of Traditional Knowledge

(TK) related to biodiversity. Documentation of

knowledge of individuals with regard to biodiver-

sity and its uses is an important part of PBR.

Andhra Pradesh

Kurnool

■Project site

Figure 1. Gummitham thanda (project site), North-Eastern part of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India.

114

S. Khaleel Basha, G. Sudarsanam, D. Parveen & A.Verma

List of Knowledgeable individuals: Local

Name

Age group

Sex

User Group

Expertise -related to Biodiversity

D.Gangu Naik

51-60

Agriculturist

Agriculture

E.Bharthi Bai

31-50

Agriculturist

Folk-Medicine

S.Ramesh Naik

31-50

Agricultural labour

Basket weaving

D.Srinivas

51-60

Trader

Fish Trading

Smt.Parvathi

51-60

Craftsman

Folk-Medicine

Smt. Malathi Bai

31-50

Horticultural labour

Basket weaving

List of Knowledgeable Individuals: External

Name

Age group

Sex

User Group

Expertise -related to Biodiversity

N.Gangu Naik

60 above

Researcher

Ecological history

R.Raja Goapl

31-50

Researcher

Zoologist

N.Karanakar Reddy

31-50

Social Worker

Ecological history

T.Anjaiah

31-50

Researcher

Plant specialist

Vara Lakshmi

31-50

Researcher

Fish specialist

Sarala Devi

31-50

Social Worker

Plant specialist

Table 1. List of Knowledgeable individuals: local and external.

Name of the occupation

12-20 years age

20-50 years age

Pastoralism

Agriculture

Fiquor-selling

Fire wood collection

Casual labour

Attached agricultural

Honey -collection

Table 2. Occupations of the villagers of Gummitham thanda.

Every effort should be made to identify the

persons with proven knowledge of local biodiver-

sity; special attention should be given to the el-

derly persons who can also provide information

on the biodiversity which was available in the past

but no longer seen at present. In some cases focus

group discussion may be held for the purpose of

documentation.

It is important to keep in mind some of the is-

sues related to PBR. It is to be undertaken in a

participatory mode involving varying sections of

village society. While documenting, the kno-

wledge and views of both genders are to be recor-

ded. Information provided by people need to be

collected, analysed and crosschecked by the

members. The document should be endorsed by

the Biodiversity management committee and later

publicized in the Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat.

The document is periodically updated with addi-

tional and new information.

The study team (2008-2011) consists of 5 prin-

cipal investigators two were college teachers, and

three school teachers: S. Khaleel Basha (Project Co-

ordinator), C. Santanna (Project Assistant), S. Satis

Conserving Biodiversity ofYerramalais of Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India, through Peoples Biodiversity Registers Program 115

Naik (Field Assistant), N. Gangadar (Science Tea-

cher), G. Naga Maddeleti (Social Worker).

List of local knowledgeable individuals (six

people), List of external knowledgeable indivi-

duals (six), external occupational mobility of the

villagers and background information of the vil-

lage are recorded (Tables 1-2). This preparation of

PBR has followed the method of Srishtigyan ma-

nual (Chhatre et al., 1998).

RESULTS

Many widespread trends are observed in the pre-

paration of Gummitham thanda village PBR, repre-

senting the entire spectrum of ecoclimatic and

socioeconomic conditions of this diverse village.

Socio-economic Profile of the Village and its

people. Gummitham thanda is a small village of 100

households. The population is approximately 380

out of which more than 80% are Sugalis and 20%

other castes. The study team is headed by Project

coordinator and other members. The local knowled-

geable group consists of agriculturists, traders,

craftsmen etc. The external knowledgeable group

consists of research scholars of different branches,

social workers. Occupational mobility like Pastora-

lism is highest between age range 12-20.

The main background information of the village

are as follows: total area 4703 hectares, irrigated

agricultural area 136 hectares, rainfed agriculture

area 500 hectares, total agricultural area 600 hec-

tares, streams (10), roads (100), total forest area

1456 hectares, no. of wells (4), no. of bore wells

(6), no of houses (100), total population (380) and

total domestic animals like cattle (120), buffaloes

(50) and chikens (more than 200).

The total number of plants used for different

purpose as fuel wood (80) is highest and least for

fencing (2). Knowledge about thirty-eight diffe-

rent types of medicinal plants for various diseases

like skin diseases, leucoderma, anti- diabetes,

snake bite, jaundice, chronic fevers, rheumatism,

cough and cold is recorded.

The medicinal plant species are listed alphabeti-

cally along with the scientific and local names, part

used, purpose for which they are used (Table 3). The

document can also be a very useful teaching tool

for teaching environmental studies at schools, col-

leges and university level.

DISCUSSION

The PBR exercise will have to be an enterprise

bringing together knowledge of the local people

with scientific knowledge. This knowledge base

would undoubtedly enhance our abilities to con-

serve, sustainably use and equitably share the be-

nefits from our rich heritage of biodiversity

resources and associated knowledge, at all levels

from individual villages to districts, states and the

country as a whole.

Along with science, local technologies (Gandhi,

1982) and people's knowledge systems such as

ethno-forestry have an important role to play for

biodiversity conservation and sustainability. Village

communities and other small-scale societies resi-

ding continuously over a territory create, transmit

and apply comprehensive knowledge about the re-

sources contained in the territory. In villages where

women take active part in natural resource mana-

gement including agriculture and forestry they de-

velop repositories of local knowledge that is

continuously applied, tested and improved over

time (Harding, 1998).

By acknowledging and making use of peoples'

knowledge we shall also promote the principle of

equity of knowledge (Pandey, 1998). Equity of

knowledge between local and formal sciences re-

sults in empowerment, security and opportunity

for local people. If the state and formal institutions

incorporate people's knowledge into the resource

management decisions, it reduces the social bar-

riers to participation and enhances the capacity of

the local people to make choices to solve the pro-

blem. Collective wisdom can help in the planning

and implementation of suitable programs for ma-

naging the agro forests. This results in ecological,

economic, and social security.

CONCLUSIONS

Traditional societies have accumulated a wealth

of local knowledge, transmitted from generation to

generation. Experience has taught them how the

water, trees, and other natural resources should be

used and managed to last a long time.

Equity of knowledge can also enhance the secu-

rity in its broadest sense. By capitalizing on the col-

lective wisdom of formal and traditional sciences, we

116

S. Khaleel Basha, G. Sudarsanam, D. Parveen & A.Verma

SNO

SCIENTIFIC NAME

VERY NAME

FAMILY

PART USED

MEDICINAL USE

Abutilon indicum

tutturu benda

Malvaceae

Leaves

demulcent, rheumatism

Althaea rosea

japali theetham

Malvaceae

Root

astingent

Abrus precatorius

guriginja

Fabaceae

Root

cough, cold

Aristolochia indica

Nall eswari

Aristolocaceae

Root

sorpion bite, moggotted

wounds

A m mania buccifer

agnijawal

Lythraceae

Whole plant

snake bite

Andrographis paniculata

nelavemu

Acanthaceae

Whole plant

fever, cough, bronchitis, diabe-

tic

Argyreia nervosa

samudra pala

Convolvulaceae

Root

rhematism

Bauhinia variegata

madapaku

Fabaceae

Flowers

luxative, leucoderma, vaginal

discarge

Butea monosperma

Moduga

Fabaceae

Seed

anthelminitc, herpis, aphrodia-

siac

Cassia italica

nelavemu

Caesalpinaceae

Whole plant

jaundice, allergy, measles

Caesalpinia bonduc

gaccha

Caesalpinaceae

Seed

diabetics, spleen and blood di-

soders

Costus speciosus

Koingi

Costaceae

Rhizome

antiinflamatory, antiarthritic ac-

tivity

Cissampelos pareira

advibanka

teega

Menispermaceae

Root

antiperiodic, purgative, snake-

bite

Cardiosperm um halicacab um

buddha kakara

Sapindaceae

Root

laxative, rheumatism, piles

Calotropis gigantea

Telia gilledu

Asclepiadaceae

Root

wound healing

Capparis sepiaria

nail uppi

Capparaceae

Stem bark

tuberculosis

Cassia fistula

rela

Caesalpinaceae

Leaves

bone fracture

Cissus vitiginea

adavi draksha

Vitaceae

Stem

repellent

Cadaba fruticosa

sekurirhi

Capparaceae

Leaves

oral cortaseptice, antifertility

Corallocarpus epigaeus

pamudonda

Cucurbitaceae

Root tuber

smake bite

Coldenia procumbens

papavinasanam

Boraginaceae

Leaves

rhematic swellings

Decalepis hamiltonii

nannari

Asclepiadaceae

Root powder

antidiabetic, blood purofier, ap-

petizer

Gyrocarpus americana

tella poliki

Hernandiaceae

Stem bark

cancer

Gymnema sylvestre

podapatri

Asclepiadaceae

Leaves

antidiabetic, livertonic, cardio-

tonic

Flower

diuretic, rheumatism

Leaves

hoarseness, aphrodisiac

Conserving Biodiversity ofYerramalais of Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India, through Peoples Biodiversity Registers Program 117

SNO

SCIENTIFIC NAME

VERY NOME

FAMILY

PART USED

MEDICINAL USED

Hyptis suaveolens

danti tulasi

Lamiaceae

Leaves

antispasmodic, anti-rheumatic

Helicteres isora

gubada

Sterculiaceae

Seed, Root

diabetic,

Leonotis nepetifolia

ranaberi

Lamiaceae

Whole plant

febrifuge

Justicea adhatoda

addasaram

Acanthaceae

Leaf

antispasmodic, asthama

Rhinacanthus nasutus

nagamalle

Acanthaceae

Root

anti tumour

Physalis minima

buddha bhusha

Solanaceae

Fruit

diuretic

Pterocarpus marsupium

yegi

Fabaceae

Heart wood

leucoderma, urine astingent

Strychnos ma-vomica

Mushti

Loganiaceae

Wood, Root

fever, rhematism

Tiliacora acuminata

kappa theega

Menispermaceae

Root

scorpion bite

Tragea plukenetii

duradagendaku

Euphorbiaceae

Root

scorpion bite

Tinospora cordifolia

tippa teega

Menispermaceae

Stem

jaundice, chonic fever

Wrightia tinctoria

palkodisa

Apocynaceae

Stem bark

skin diseases

Wattakaka volubilis

peddagurja

Asclepiadaceae

Leaf

snake bite

Waltheria indica

nallbenda

Sterculiaceae

Root

internal haemorrhage, thirst

Xanthium indicum

shankeswari

Asteraceae

Whole plant

diabetes

Table 3. List of medicinal plants used by Sugalis of Yerramalis forest.

shall be able to help people address the problem of

global warming as well as to manage the risks they

face because of the destruction of the local resources.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

People’s Biodiversity Registers has been an ex-

tensive, cooperative effort; we are therefore grateful

for numerous contributions of a very large number

of colleagues from academic institutions and the re-

sidents of the Gummitham thanda village. We thank

Secretary and Correspondent of Osmania college

Madam Azra Javeed for permitting us to carry on

this exploration work. We thank the forest person-

nel for accompanying us in the field.

REFERENCES

Balvanera P, Daily G.C., Ehrlich P.R., Ricketts T.H., Bai-

ley S.A., Kark S., Kremen C. & Pereira EL, 2001.

Conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Science, 291: 2047.

Chhatre A., Rao P.R.S., Utkarsh G., Pramod P, Ganguly A.

& Gadgil M., 1998. Srishtigyaan: a methodology ma-

nual for people’s biodiversity registers. Centre for Eco-

logical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Gandhi I., 1982. Scientific endeavor in India. Science,

217: 1008-1009.

Gadgil M., 1994. Inventorying, monitoring and conser-

ving India’s biological diversity. Current Science,

66: 401-406.

Gadgil M., 1996. Deploying student power to monitor

India's lifescape. Current Science, 71: 688-697.

Gadgil M, Seshagiri Rao PR., Utkarsh G., Pramod P,

Chhatre A., 2000. New meanings for old knowledge:

the people's biodiversity registers program. Ecologi-

cal Applications, 10: 1307-1317.

Getz W.M., Fortmann L., Cumming D., To it J. du, Hilty

J., Martin R., Murphree M., Owen-Smith N., Star-

field A.M. & Westphal M.I., 1999. Sustaining natural

and human capital: villagers and scientists. Science,

283: 1855-1856.

118

S. Khaleel Basha, G. Sudarsanam, D. Parveen & A.Verma

Harding S., 1998. Women, science, and society. Science,

281: 1599-1600.

JoshiN.V., Gadgil M. & Patil S., 1993. Exploring cultu-

ral-diversity of the people of India. Current Science,

64: 10-17.

Kates R.W., Clark W.C., Corell R., Hall J.M., Jaeger

C.C., Lowe I., McCarthy J.J., Schellnhuber H.J.,

Bolin B., Dickson N.M., Faucheux S., GallopinG.C.,

Grubler A., Huntley B., Jager J., JodhaN.S., Kasper-

son R.E., Mabogunje A., Matson R, Mooney H.,

Moore B., O’Riordan T., Svedin U., 2001. Environ-

ment and development: sustainability science.

Science, 292: 641-642.

Pandey D.N., 1996. Beyond vanishing woods: participa-

tory survival options for wildlife, forests and people.

CSD and Himanshu, New Delhi, 222 pp.

Pandey D.N., 1998. Ethnoforestry: local knowledge for

sustainable forestry and livelihood security. Asia Fo-

rest Network, New Delhi, 91 pp.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 119-122

Two new records of freshwater fishes (Cypriniformes, Balito-

ridae and Atheriniformes, Phallostethidae) from Thailand

Sawika Kunlapapuk 1 *, Sitthi Kulabtong 2 & Chirachai Nonpa/om 3

’Aquatic Animal Production Technology Program, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Technology, Silpakorn University,

Phetchaburi IT campus, Sampraya, Cha-am, Petchaburi, 76120 Thailand; e-mail: sawika@su.ac.th

2 Save wildlife volunteer Thailand, Wangnoi District, Ayuttaya Province 13170, Thailand; e-mail: Kulabtong2011@hotmail.com

3 534/26 Soi Phaholyothin 58 Phaholyothin Rd. Sai Mai, Bangkok, Thailand; e-mail: sornl33@hotmail.com

* Corresponding author, e-mail: sawika@su.ac.th

ABSTRACT A balitorid fish, Hemimyzon nanensis Doi et Kottelat, 1998 (Cypriniformes, Balitoridae) is

newly recorded from Ngim River, Yom Basin, North Thailand and a priapium fish, Neostethus

lankesteri Regan, 1916 (Atheriniformes, Phallostethidae) is newly recorded from the estuary

of Petburi Basin, West Thailand. Description and distribution data of the two freshwater fish

are provided here.

KEY WORDS Neostethus lankesteri ; Hemimyzon nanensis ; Balitoridae; Phallostethidae; Thailand.

Received 23.03.2012; accepted 18.05.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

Freshwater fish genera Hemimyzon Regan, 1911

and Neostethus Regan, 1916 are scarcely distributed

in Thailand. The balitorid fish genus Hemimyzon

has been reported for China, Taiwan and Indo-

china archipelago (Doi & Kottelat, 1998). Accor-

ding to the current taxonomic status of this genus,

it comprises 14 valid species, H. macroptera Zheng,

1982, H. megalopseos Li et Chen, 1985, H. pengi

(Huang, 1982), H. pumilicorpora Zheng et Zhang,

1987, H. sheni Chen et Fang, 2009, H. taitungensis

Tzeng et Shen, 1982, H. yaotanensis (Fang, 1931)

from China and Taiwan, H. confluens Kottelat,

2000, H. khonensis Kottelat, 2000, H. papilio Kot-

telat, 1998 from Laos, H. ecdyonuroides Freyhof et

Herder, 2002, H. songamensis Nguyen, 2005 from

Vietnam and Thailand, H. formosanus (Boulenger,

1894) from Thaungyin River, Salween Basin, at the

boundary between Thailand and Myanmar and H.

nanensis Doi et Kottelat 1998, reported only from

Nan Basin in Nan Province, North Thailand (Doi &

Kottelat, 1998).

The priapium fish genus Neostethus is distribu-

ted in Southeast Asia only (Myers, 1928; Parenti,

1984). First record of Neostethus in Thailand was

reported by Myers (1937) under the name N. sia-

mensis (Siam refers to the old name of Thailand)

from the estuary of Chantaburi River, Southeast

Basin, Thailand, field collection by Dr. Hugh M.

Smith. In 1989, this species was considered a ju-

nior synonym of N. lankesteri Regan, 1916 (Pa-

renti, 1989). Currently, in Thailand, the genus

Neostethus comprises only one species, N. lanke-

steri Regan, 1916.

In a survey project involving first and second

authors (K.S. and K.S.) in Petburi River, West Thai-

land during 21-25 April 2012, we found several

specimens of N lankesteri Regan, 1916 in the

estuary of Petburi River, Banlam District, Petburi

Province, West Thailand. This is a new record of N.

lankesteri Regan, 1916 in Petburi Basin, Thailand.

Moreover, during a survey project, carried out

from February to July 2011 on Ngim River, the tri-

butary of Yom Basin, North Thailand, involving the

second author (K.S.), it was found one specimen of

120

S. Kunlapapuk, S. Kulabtong & C. Nonpayom

Figure 1. Hemimyzon nanensis, 31 mm SL from Ngim River, Yom Basin, Thailand.

Figure 2. Neostethus lankesteri, 23 mm SL (male) from Petburi Basin, Thailand.

Figure 3. Mangrove area, estuary of Petburi River, West Thailand.

Two new records of freshwater fishes (Cypriniformes, Balitoridae and Atheriniformes, Phallostethidae) from Thailand

121

H. nanensis in Ngim River, Ngim Sub-district,

Pong District, Phayao Province.

This specimen is a new record of H. nanensis in

Yom Basin. Currently, the specimens of N. lanke-

steri and H. nanensis are deposited into the Refe-

rence Collection of Aquatic Ecology, Silpakorn

University, Phetchaburi IT campus (RAESUP).

RESULTS

Order Cypriniformes Bleeker, 1859

Family Balitoridae Swainson, 1839

Hemimyzon nanensis Doi & Kottelat 1998

Examined material. RAESUP 001, 1 speci-

men, 31 mm Standard length (SL), Ngim River,

Yom Basin, Thailand, 26.11.2011, legit Sitthi Ku-

labtong and the partners (Fig. 1).

Description. H. nanensis is compressed, body

depth is 11.3 %SL and body width is 18.1 %SL.

Pelvic fin extends nearly to pelvic fin origin. Broad

head, head length is 21.6 %SL and head width is

20.6 %SL. Interorbital length is 9.4 %SL, snout

length is 11.3 %SL. Dorsal fin origin is close to the

anterior pelvic fin origin, predorsal length is

45.8 %SL, prepectoral length is 16.1 %SL and pre-

pelvic length is 42 %SL. Pectoral fin is very large,

with 9 simple and 12 branched rays. Anal fin with

4 simple and 8 branched rays. Lateral line com-

plete, with 62 scales.

Biology and Distribution. H. nanensis was

found at a small stream in the mountain. The stream

is transparent, running slowly, average depth about

less than 1 foot, stream ground is made of rough

sand and large stones. This species is known only

from Yom Basin and Nan Basin, Chaophaya River

System, Thailand.

Order Atheriniformes Rosen, 1966

Family Phallostethidae Regan, 1913

Neostethus lankesteri Regan, 1916

Examined material. RAESUP 002, 10 speci-

mens, 21.4-25.4 mm Standard length (SL),

estuary of Petburi River, Bangkrok Subdistrict,

Banlam District, Petburi Province, West Thailand,

23.IV.2012, legit Sawika Kunlapapuk, Sitthi Ku-

labtong (Fig. 2).

Description. N lankesteri is compressed, body

depth is 18.5-22.0 %SL, body width is 5.6-

7.1 %SL. Scales in lateral series are medium to

large, but scales are very thin and fall easily. Head

length (HL) is 28.7-30.4 %SL, head depth (HD) is

13.3-16.8 % SL or 44.8-55.4 % HL. The eye is

large, eye diameter is 22.2-27.4 % HL (46.7-

58.8 % HD or 6. 5-7. 9 %SL). Post orbital length

is 40.3-54.8 %HL (11.9-15.8 %SL), snout length

is short, with 14.9-22.2 HL (4. 4-6. 5 %SL) and in-

terorbital width is 30.0-32.3 % HL (8. 7-9. 8 %SL),

postorbital width is 35.6-41.3 % HL. Prepelvic fin

length is 22.1-25.7 % SL and preanal fin length is

51.2-59.3 % SL. Anal fin is long, with 13-17 bran-

ched fin rays. One spine on first dorsal fin and

4-5 branched rays in second dorsal fin. The dorsal

fin base length is 4. 7-7. 5 % SL and the anal fin

base length is 16.8-20.8 % SL.

Variability. Priapium, the reproductive organ,

was found in males only.

Biology and Distribution. In this study all

specimens of N. lankesteri were found in a blackish

canal (salinity, 20 ppt; depth about 20-150 cm,

width about 5 m, current is running slowly, mud on

the bottom) in mangrove area. This canal is a tribu-

tary of Peburi River (nearly estuary) and the canal

is nearly a marine shrimp farm (Fig. 3). This spe-

cies is known only from estuary of Chantaburi

River, Southeast Basin and estuary of Petburi Basin,

Thailand.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to reviewers for revie-

wing this manuscript. We would like to thank the

Aquatic Animal Production Technology Program,

Faculty of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Te-

chnology, Silpakorn University, Phetchaburi IT

campus for financial support. Finally, a special

thanks to all partners for supporting this survey.

REFERENCES

Doi A. & Kottelat M., 1998. Hemimyzon nanensis , a new

balitorid fish from the Chao Phraya basin, Thailand.

Ichthyological Research, 45: 7-11.

122

S. Kunlapapuk, S. Kulabtong & C. Nonpayom

Myers G.S., 1928. The systematic position of the phal-

lostethid fishes, with diagnosis of a new genus from

Siam. American Museum Novitates, 295: 1-12.

Myers G.S., 1937. Notes on phallostethid fishes. Pro-

ceedings of the United States National Museum, 84:

137-143.

Parenti L.R., 1984. On the relationships of phallostethid

fishes (Atherinomorpha), with notes on the anatomy

of Phallostethus dunckeri Regan, 1913. American

Museum Novitates, 2779: 1-12.

Parenti L.R., 1989. A phylogenetic revision of the phal-

lostethid fishes (Atherinomorpha, Phallostethidae).

Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences,

46: 243-277.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 123-128

A new species of Petaloconchus Lea, 1 843 from the Mediter-

ranean Sea (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Vermetidae)

Danilo Scuderi

Dipartimento di Biologia Animate, Laboratorio di Biologia Marina, Universita di Catania, Via Androne, 81 - 95124 Catania, Italy;

e-mail: danscu@tin.it

ABSTRACT Petaloconchus ( Macrophragma ) laurae n. sp. is a vermetid here described as new. It is very

similar in shell characters to both the species reported for the Mediterranean sea, the fossil

Petaloconchus intortus (Lamarck, 1818) and the recent Petaloconchus ( Macrophragma )

glomeratus (Linnaeus, 1758), but the peculiar structure of the internal keels and the proto-

conch distinguish the new species from all the congeners; the external morphology of the

soft parts add a new item in the discrimination of the recent species. The holotype of P. glo-

meratus is housed in BMNH and it is here compared with the new species.

KEY WORDS Vermetidae, new species, Petaloconchus n. sp., taxonomy, Mediterranean Sea.

Received 18.04.2012; accepted 19.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

The species of the genus Petaloconchus Lea,

1843 are characterised by the presence in the colu-

mellar zone of a series of structures, i.e. internal

keels, whose number and arrangement is a character

for the first time described and utilised by Carpenter

(1856) as a species-specific character. Petalocon-

chus is well represented in tropical waters by nu-

merous species, but in the Mediterranean sea only

one recent species is known, P. {Macrophragma)

glomeratus (Linnaeus, 1758).

The validity of this peculiar character, proper

to Petaloconchus , and the development and mor-

phology of the earlier tele-whorls in vermetids is

here reported as a good species-specific discrimi-

nating character on the basis of the study on 10 of

the 25 extant species of Petaloconchus and is di-

scussed in conclusions.

A second unknown Mediterranean species of

Petaloconchus is here described as new: the mor-

phology of shell, protoconch and external soft

parts are described in detail and compared with the

holotype of P. glomeratus and with P. intortus (La-

marck, 1818), a fossil congener of the plio-plei-

stocenic Mediterranean area.

The new species is here distinguished by any

other species of Petaloconchus mainly on the

basis of the internal keel arrangement and the

shape of protoconch: additional characters useful

to distinguish the new species are here reported.

The close related tropical species are here com-

pared to the new species.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dry and living materials of both the new species

of Petaloconchus and P glomeratus were collected

by undermining the shells from hard substrates at a

depth of 0 to -18 m; empty shells were found among

residuals of fishing nets at a depth of 50 to 150 m.

Protoconchs of both species were collected by

digging them with a needle from the base of speci-

mens and by extracting them from the brooding fe-

males; further empty material was collected

124

DaniloScuderi

among the shell grit collected handily with ARA.

Drawings of the external soft parts were obtained

observing the living animals in aquarium. Fossil

materials of both P. glomeratus and P. intortus were

studied and compared to the new species.

Acronyms. Australian Museum, Sydney, New

South Wales, Australia (AMS); Danilo Scuderi

collection, Catania, Italy (DSC); Angelo Lugli col-

lection, Carpi, Modena, Italy (ALC); Moscow

State University, Moscow, Russia (ZMUM);

Museo Civico di Zoologia, Roma, Italy (MCZR);

Museo di Zoologia dell'Universita, Bologna, Italy

(MZUB); Museo del Dipartimento di Biologia

Animate dell'Universita, Catania, Italy (MBAC);

Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid,

Spain (MNMS); Museum National d’Histoire Na-

turelle, Paris, France (MNHN); Naturhistorisches

Museum Mainz, Mainz, Germany (NHMM); Ste-

fano Palazzi collection, Modena, Italy (SPC); The

Natural History Museum, London, UK (BMNH);

Alberto Villari malacological collection, Messina,

Italy (AVC); Zoologische Staatssammlung, Mu-

nich, Germany (ZSMC).

Petaloconclius (Macrophragma) laurae n. sp.

Examined material. Holotypus, Catania, E-Si-

cily, Italy: S. Giovanni Li Cuti, in shallow water, on

lava stones. Paratypi, same data oh holotypus, 118

empty shells and 20 little cluster (3-10 shells each);

Capo Mulini village, in shallow water, on lava sto-

nes, 3 empty shell; Acitrezza village, in shallow

water, on lava stones, 6 empty shells. Messina,

N-E Sicily, Italy: Ganzirri village, in shallow water,

on stones, 2 empty shells; Siracusa, S-Sicily, Italy:

Vendicari, from beached shell-grit, 6 empty shells.

Agrigento, S-Sicily, Italy: Pelagie Is., Lampedusa,

from beached shell-grit, 2 empty shells. Palermo,

N-W Sicily, Italy: Ustica Is., from shell-grit, 25 m

depth, 1 empty shell, AVC. Kosl jun, Croatia: Pag

otok, in shallow water, on stones, 5 specimens and

a single little cluster with living animals, SPC; Bo-

drum Harbour, Turkey: in shallow water, on stones,

2 empty shells, ALC.

Holotype, 2 paratypes and a protoconch from the

locus typicus in MNHN, (with no reg. number); 1 pa-

ratype in AMS, C. 474 169; 1 paratype in MNMS, n.

34393; 1 paratype in MZUB, MZB45413; 1 para-

type in ZMUM, n. Lc 24964; 1 paratype in ZSMC,

n. 20021768; 1 paratype in MBAC, n. MBLMC-CT-

78. Other paratypes in DSC.

Description of holotypus. Shell cylindrical,

16 mm in length in adult regularly coiled speci-

mens, composed by 14 rounded, squeeze shaped

whorls (Figs. 1-4). The sculpture is regular: 9 spiral

lines cross numerous and equally thicked (or sli-

ghtly stronger) axial ribs, which form rounded and

not marked tubercles at the intersection.

True columellar keels are lacking, while a single

faint central plait (Fig. 6) is present on the columella,

from earlier to the 12- 13th tele-whorls of an adult

specimen: this columellar chord is not visible in the

last whorls. The diameter of the aperture is about 2

mm. Clusters of several specimens were found, even

if true vermetid trottoir, like that of some tropical

species of the same genus, are not known.

The living animal (Fig. 7) is pale cream in co-

lour in the lower part of the metapodium, the an-

terior part of the mouth and the cephalic tentacles,

the remaining part being dark brown; the podalic

tentacles are almost black; the operculum (Fig. 8)

is thin, smooth downward, with an internal spiral

keel upward: it is wide 2/3 of the total opertural

diameter of the tube, and allows to see a darker

upper zone of the foot.

Variability. The shape of the whole shell de-

pends on the morphology of substrate, i.e. stones

and their crevices, so specimens may vary from

long tricky shaped to more rounded coiled forms.

Shell has the length between 12-20 mm, and shows

13-15 whorls; the shell sculpture include from 8 to

1 1 spiral lines cross. The color of the shell could be

dark to amber brown, paler in empty shells. The co-

lumellar plait could vary in thickness depending on

the shell whorls, as previously reported.

Etymology. The specific name of the species is

dedicated to my wife Laura.

Biology and Distribution. As other congene-

rics, the new species inhabits hard substrata of

shallow waters. It was never recorded in intertidal

zone. The new species has been recorded from Si-

cily to for the Jonic and Adriatic sea, but its distri-

bution range could be wider.

Comparative notes. Numerous species of Pe-

taloconchus are close similar in morphological

characters of the shell as well as of the external

soft parts. A good character to separate them is re-

presented by the arrangement of the columellar

A new species of Petaloconchus Lea, 1 843 from the Mediterranean Sea (Mollusca, Gastropoda,Vermetidae)

125

Figures 1-4, 6-11: P laurae n. sp. Fig. 1: holotype. Fig. 2: paratype, Pag otok. Figs. 3-4: paratypes, S. Giovanni Li Cuti. Scale bar

5 mm. Fig. 6: drawing of columellar arrangement. Fig. 7: external morphology of the soft parts. Fig. 8: upward view of operculum.

Scale bar 0,5 mm. Figs. 9,10: protoconchs (0,7x0,75 mm); the black arrow indicates the basal chord. Fig. 1 1 : protoconch sculpture.

Figures 5, 12, 13. P glomeratus. Fig. 5: drawing of columellar arrangement. Fig. 12: protoconch (1, 1x0,7 mm). Fig. 13: protoconch

sculpture. Fig. 14: sketches of columellar keels in different species, from the wall of tube (a), the columella (b), and the central

fold (c). Fig. 15: drawing of the columellar keels variation from earlier (c) to middle (b) and older (a) whorls in P. intortus.

126

Danilo Scuderi

structures, i.e. the columellar keels, originated

from a layer of the upper/lower wall of the tube

(Fig. 14a) or from a layer of the columella (Fig.

14b), and the central fold, which seem to originate

from another distinct layer (Fig. 14c).

The columellar structures, were proposed by

Carpenter (1856) as a species-specific discrimina-

ting character for Petaloconchus. Subsequently

Morch (1861) utilised this character to distinguish

Petaloconchus from the morphologically close re-

lated Thylaeodus Morch, 1860, currently conside-

red a subgenus of Vermetus Cuvier, 1800, which

bear a cancellated sculpture of the shell but lack in-

ternal structures, as confirmed by Scuderi (1999)

for the Mediterranean Vermetus (Thylaeodus) gra-

nulatus (Gravenhorst, 1831).

The study here conducted on original descrip-

tions of the 25 extant known species of this genus

and directly on material of 10 of them confirmed as

good the species-specific discriminating character

of the columellar keels: no one of these known spe-

cies show a single columellar plait alone.

Moreover, internal structures in a single speci-

men of Petaloconchus are here observed to vary

along the whole length of the tube (Fig. 15), from

earlier tele-whorls (Fig. 15c), where they become

to grow, being slightly variable (Figs. 15cl, 15c2)

the middle trait (fig. 15b), where they are characte-

ristic of the species in number and arrangement, to

the last whorl (Fig. 15a), becoming less numerous,

more faint or totally absent.

This could cause misunderstandings on the ta-

xonomy of species and on the real taxonomic value

of this character: Monterosato (1892), for example,

following Morch (1861), placed “ Serpula ” glome-

rataL. in Petaloconchus, but stated: “...this subdi-

vision was founded on species which present

longitudinal internal keels, which absolutely lack

in all our (Mediterranean) vermetids”. The study

of the material of the Monterosato collection

(MCZR), which was carried out along with the pre-

sent investigation, revealed on the contrary that all

the specimens of P. glomeratus had keels in the

middle trait of the shell. Pillai & Hove (1994) uti-

lised the presence/absence, number and shape of in-

ternal keels as discriminating character for the

taxonomy of Spiraserpula, a genus of marine se-

dentary Annelida, which presents analogies with

Petaloconchus in shell morphology.

P. laurae n. sp. is described as new on the basis

of a series of morphological characters, among

which the presence of a single columellar plait: no

species of Petaloconchus are known wanting the

columellar keels. The record of Schiaparelli (1995)

for the Ligurian sea of P. glomeratus with a single

internal keel is probably a not complete shell of the

Linnean species, not referable to the new species.

The presence of a single columellar keel and the

shape and sculpture of protoconch allowed the

discrimination of P. laurae n. sp. from the two

morphologically closest species: the recent Medi-

terranean P. glomeratus , whose holotype housed in

Characters/species

Petaloconchus laurae

Petaloconchus glomeratus

Petaloconchus intortus

TELEOCONCH

number of whorls

13-15

up to 30

20-22

sculpture

radial equal to the spiral

radial less marked than the spiral

columellar keels

opening of tube

rounded

squared

PROTOCONCH

shape

rather globose

pupoid

dimensions (mm)

0,7x0,75

1,1 xO, 7

0,65 x 0,4

number of whorls

1 1/2

2 1/2

basal chord

present

absent

present

Table I. Distinguishing characters in Petaloconchus laurae , P. glomeratus and the fossil P. intortus.

A new species of Petaloconchus Lea, 1 843 from the Mediterranean Sea (Mollusca, Gastropoda,Vermetidae)

127

BMNH is here compared with the new species, and

the fossil P. intortus'. all the others characteristics

are summarised in Table I.

P. glomeratus has a very characteristic proto-

conch (Fig. 12), never reported before in litera-

ture, constituted by 2 A whorls, the apical very

inflated, measuring 1,1 x 0,7 mm, with a faint

sculpture on the entire surface of few spiral and

more numerous axial threads which form a reti-

culation detectable only after SEM magnifications

(Fig. 13). The fossil P. intortus has a smaller pro-

toconch, measuring 0,65 x 0,40, with 2!4 whorls,

the second of which higher than the previous

ones: they are almost smooth and bear a single

basal chord, similar to that of P. laurae n. sp.

P. myrakeenae (Absalao & De Carvalho Rios,

1987), from South-Eastern Brazil, is morphologi-

cally related to P. laurae n. sp., but shows two inter-

nal laminae, even if the original description is not

complete, lacking further important characters, i.e.

the protoconch and the external soft part morpho-

logy. P. macrophragma Carpenter, 1857 from Me-

xico could resemble P. laurae n. sp., but shows three

columellar structures and a different protoconch.

The protoconch of the Indopacific P. cereus Car-

penter, 1857 presents a basal chord similar to that

of the new species, but is constituted by 2 Z> whorls,

is bigger (0,73 x 0,54 mm) and has a pupoid shape;

the adult shell is quite different, being flat, almost

smooth except for some very faint spiral lines on

the upper zone of the tube, crossed by thin and often

dark coloured axial threads.

Two oblivious taxa could be linked to the new

species: Vermetus jonicus Danilo et Sandri, 1856

is reported as a polychaete by Monterosato

(1892), who observed the syntype in the NHMM;

Petaloconchus (Macrophragma) flavescens (Car-

penter, 1857) was reported from Sicily in the ori-

ginal description and Nordsieck (1968) and

Parenzan (1970) listed this species among the Me-

diterranean Vermetidae, although firstly Morch

(1861) and later Keen (1961 e 1971), both having

observed the syntype in BMNH (reg. n. 195918),

reported the true Mexican distribution of this spe-

cies, which is extended from Bahia San Luis Gon-

zaga to Mazatlan, being the Sicilian citation a

mistake. Moreover, as could be argued by the ori-

ginal description and figures, this species, unlike

P. laurae n. sp., have two internal laminae, lac-

king the central fold.

Further two new species of Petaloconchus were

recently described from Philippines (Kelly, 2007):

P. apakadikike Kelly, 2007 and P. lilandikike Kelly,

2007 compared to P. laurae n. sp. both have two

well-developed internal keel and a different proto-

conch. P. laurae n. sp. seems to be distributed from

East to West Mediterranean, including the eastern

part of the Adriatic sea.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am indebted to Ms. Kathie Way (BMNH) who

kindly sent photographs of Drinker's type material,

photographed by Phil Hurst. Stefano Palazzi (Mo-

dena) and Alberto Villari (Messina) loaned biologi-

cal and bibliographic material. Stefano Schiaparelli

(Dip.Te.Ris., University of Genoa) is thanked for

interesting comments and suggestions. Philippe

Bouchet (MNHN), Yuri Kantor (ZMUM), Enrico

Schwabe (ZSMC), Marco Taviani (MZUB), Jose

Templado (MNMS) and Mandy Reid (AMS) are

acknowledged for the allocation of the type material

ofP laurae n. sp., bibliographic, material and sug-

gestions. Many thanks are due to Dr. Francesco Cri-

scione (AMS) for both the English text and the

bliographic assistance.

REFERENCES

Absalao R.S. & De Carvalho Rios E., 1987. Petalocon-

chus myrakeenae , a new species of Vermetidae from

brazilian waters (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Revista

Brasileira de Biologia, 47: 415-418.

Carpenter P., 1857. First steps toward a monograph of

the recent species of Petaloconchus , a genus of Ver-

metidae. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of

London, 24(1856): 313-317.

Keen A.M., 1 96 1 . A proposed reclassification of the Ga-

stropod family Vermetidae. Bulletin of the British

Museum Natural History (Zoology), 7: 181-213.

Keen A. M., 1971. Sea shells of tropical west America.

Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1064 pp.

Kelly III W. C., 2007. Three new vennetid gastropod spe-

cies from Guam. Micronesica, 39: 117-140.

Monterosato T. di Maria di, 1892. Monografia dei Ver-

meti del Mediterraneo. Bullettino della Societa ma-

lacologica italiana, 17: 7-48.

Morch O.A.L., 1859. Etudes sur la famille des vermets.

Journal de Conchiliologie, 7: 342-360.

128

Danilo Scuderi

Morch O.A.L., 1860. Etudes sur la famille des vermets.

Journal de Conchiliologie, 8: 27-48.

Morch O.A.L., 1861-62. Review of the Vermetidae

(Part I-II-III), Proceedings of the Zoological So-

ciety of London, 28 (1861): 145-181; 28 (1861):

326-365; 28 (1862): 54-83.

Nordsieck, F. 1968. Die europaischen Meeres-Gehau-

seschnecken (Prosobranchia). Vom Eismeer bis

Kapverden und Mittelmeer. Gustav Fischer Verlag,

Stuttgart, 273 pp.

Parenzan P, 1970. Carta d'identita delle conchiglie del

Mediterraneo, vol. I. Bios Taras, Taranto, 283 pp.

Pillai T.G. & Hove H.A. ten, 1994. On recent species of

Spiraserpula Regenhardt, 1961, a serpulid polychaete

genus hitherto known only from Cretaceous and Ter-

tiary fossils. Bulletin of the British Museum Natural

History (Zoology), 60: 39-104.

Schiaparelli S. 1995. Contributions to the knowledge of

Vermetidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from the Ligurian

Sea. Bollettino Malacologico, 31: 267-276.

Scuderi D., 1999. Contributo alia conoscenza dei Ver-

metidae mediterranei: Vermetus granulatus (Graven-

horst, 1831) e suoi principali morfotipi. Bollettino

Malacologico, 35: 45-48.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 129-131

Second record of Pseudimares aphrodite H. Aspock et U.

Aspock, 2009 (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae)

Roberto A. Pantaleoni 1,2 , Gabriel Martinez del Marmol Mar n 3 & Raul LeonVigara 4

’Dipartimento di Agraria, Entomologia, Universita degli Studi di Sassari, Via Enrico de Nicola, 07100 Sassari, Italy; e- mail:

pantaleo@uniss.it

2 Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISE-CNR), Traversa la Crucca 3, Regione Baldinca,

07100 Li Punti (SS), Italy; e-mail: r.pantaleoni@ise.cnr.it

3 c/ Pedro Antonio de Alarcon n° 34, 5° A, CPI 8002 Granada, Spain; e-mail: gabrimtnezmarmol@yahoo.es

4 c/ Estanislao Cabanillas n° 43, piso 2°, CP13400 Almaden (Ciudad Real), Spain; e-mail:ofidiofobia.inversa@gmail.com

ABSTRACT Some adults of Pseudimares aphrodite H. Aspock et U. Aspock, 2009 were observed and

photographed while attracted by light in Southern Morocco, in August 2009 and 2011.

Only the typus of this species, a male, was known previously from South Morocco too.

Moreover the genus Pseudimares Kimmins, 1933 is perhaps the most enigmatic taxon

among Neuroptera Myrmeleontidae. Its second species Pseudimares iris Kimmins, 1933

from Southern Iran is known also only in the type series, a male and a female. What little

information we know about Pseudimares is reported.

KEY WORDS Neuroptera; Palparinae; Morocco; Pseudimares iris.

Received 17.04.2012; accepted 04.05.2012; printed 30.06.2012

During a herpetological field survey in Sou-

thern Morocco, on August 23rd 2009, two of the

Authors (GMMM and RLV), just before the mid-

night, observed an adult of a spectacular species of

antiion with very characteristic eye-spotted wings

(Figs. 1-3). The specimen was attracted by the lights

of a house (Fig. 4) located 6 km North of Aouinet

Torkoz (also called Aouinet Lahna) (Assa-Zag,

Guelmim-Es Semara, Morocco).

Two years later, during a further herpetological

trip in the same place on August 25th 2011, one of

the authors (GMMM) observed other adults (3-4 or

perhaps more). Despite the fact that no specimen

was collected, the identification of the antiion as the

recently described species Pseudimares aphrodite

H. Aspock et U. Aspock, 2009 is absolutely sure.

The genus Pseudimares Kimmins, 1933 is per-

haps the most enigmatic taxon among Neuroptera

Myrmeleontidae. Until now only three specimens

were known, two of Pseudimares iris Kimmins,

1933 from Southern Iran and one of P. aphrodite

from Morocco. Its aspect is so unusual that, when

D. E. Kimmins, at the British Museum, received the

first specimen of P. iris , he thought it was an artifact

(FT Aspock & U. Aspock, 2009). Only after recei-

ving a second specimen he decided to describe the

new genus and new species.

Currently Pseudimares would belong to the tribe

Pseudimarini in the subfamily Palparinae but its

phylogenetic position is uncertain (Markl, 1954;

Stange, 2004). The two species are easily distingui-

shed by the color pattern of the wings.

The specimens of P. iris were from “Masjid-i-

Sulaimaniah” [Masjed Soleyman, also Masjed-e

Soleyman, Masjid-i-Sulaiman, and other translite-

rations] the capital of Masjed Soleyman County,

Khuzestan Province, Iran.

The male was collected with a light by Dr. Ja-

mieson on August 1929, while the female was

found dead on a verandah by Dr. S. V. P. Pill on

September 7th 1932 (Kimmins, 1933).

130

R.A. Pantaleoni, G. M. del MArmol Marin & R. LVigara

Figures 1-3. Specimen of Pseudimares aphrodite H. Aspock et U. Aspock, 2009 by light 6 km North

of Aouinet Torkoz (Assa-Zag, Guelmim-Es Semara, Morocco) August 23rd 2009.

Figure 4. Landscape at the same locality (ah photos by Gabriel Martinez del Marmol Marin).

Second record of Pseudimares aphrodite H.Aspdck et U. Aspock, 2009 (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae)

131

Figure 5. Type of Pseudimares iris Kimmins, 1933. Photo by original paper (Kimmins, 1933).

The only known male of P. aphrodite is from the

Coastal Mountains about 20 miles north of Agadir

(Souss-Massa-Draa, Morocco) (the authors do not

provide the exact locality in order to protect a spe-

cies which is potentially vulnerable).

The collectors, Axel Steiner & Rolf Blasius,

found the specimen with a light, at around 10 pm,

on August 6th 2008. The small-scale biotope, 230

m asl, is characterized by relatively lush vegetation,

but it is limited by dry, rocky slopes (H. Aspock &

U. Aspock, 2009).

In light of the discovery of a second locality 200

km South from the locus typicus, our record slightly

broadens our knowledge about the genus Pseudi-

mares. More important are some common traits in

all available data that permit us to put forward some

hypotheses. The adults of both species fly in Au-

gust and are nocturnal or, at least, attracted by

light. Also the dead female was found on a date

compatible with this statement (beginning of Sep-

tember) and probably, having been found on a ve-

randah, was attracted by light.

Both habitats recorded for the Moroccan species

are characterized by relatively rich vegetation bioto-

pes like oases or gardens. There is no information

about the habitat of P. iris, but the presence of a ve-

randah gives evidence of the presence of a garden. At

least in South Morocco oases surrounded by xerophi-

lous slopes seem to host very interesting Neuroptera

fauna, see for example Badano & Pantaleoni (2012).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are very grateful to Davide Badano

(ISE-CNR) who discovered the photo of Pseudi-

mares aphrodite on the web. They therefore had

the opportunity to share their respective data and

competences.

REFERENCES

Aspock H. & Aspock U., 2009. Wiederentdeckung des

mysteriosen Genus Pseudimares Kimmins, 1933, und

Beschreibung einer neuen Art aus Marokko, Pseudi-

mares aphrodite n. sp. (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae).

Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte, 53: 41-46.

Badano D. & Pantaleoni R. A., 2012. Agadirius trojani

gen. et sp. nov.: a new owlfly (Neuroptera: Ascala-

phidae) from Morocco. Zootaxa, 3270: 51-57.

Kimmins D. E., 1933. Anew genus and species of the fa-

mily Myrmeleonidae. Annals and Magazine of Natu-

ral History, (10)1 1 : 244-246 + pi. VI.

Markl W., 1954. Vergleichend-morphologische Studien

zur Systematik und Klassifikation der Myrmeleoni-

den (Insecta, Neuroptera). Verhandlungen der Natur-

forschenden Gesellschaft in Basel, 65: 178-263.

Stange L. A., 2004. A systematic catalog, bibliography

and classification of the world antlions (Insecta: Neu-

roptera: Myrmeleontidae). Memoirs of the American

Entomological Institute, 74: 1-565.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 132-136

Zephyr’s wings: Tiepolo’s imagination or the antiion Pseudima-

res Kimmins, 1 933 (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) as his model?

Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini 1 & Roberto A. Pantaleoni 2,3

Tstituto di Entomologia e Patologia vegetale, Facolta di Agraria, Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, via Emilia Parmense 84,

29122 Piacenza, Italy; e-mail: rinaldo.nicoli@unicatt.it

2 Dipartimento di Agraria, Entomologia, Universita degli Studi di Sassari, Via Enrico de Nicola, 07100 Sassari, Italy; e-mail:

pantaleo@uniss.it

3 Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISE-CNR), Traversa la Crucca 3, Regione Baldinca,

07100 Li Punti (SS), Italy; e-mail: r.pantaleoni@ise.cnr.it

ABSTRACT When Giambattista Tiepolo, in his painting ‘Triumph of Zephyr and Flora’, gave Zephyr dra-

gonfly-like wings with eyespots, was he inspired by pure imagination or did he have an insect

he had previously seen in mind: the rare and astonishing Pseudimaresl It is impossible to be

sure. The authors of the present note point out the innovatory characteristic of the pictorial

arrangement adopted by Tiepolo for the wings, compared with stylistic elements which were

fashionable before and during his epoch, and suggest the reasons why we cannot rule out that

the artist could have been inspired by a model, a specimen of Pseudimares , two centuries be-

fore the scientific discovery of this very rare antiion, at present only known from Iran and

Morocco. A short account is provided on the bio-ecological significance of the eyespots found

on insect wings.

KEY WORDS Giambattista Tiepolo; XVIII century; fine arts; science; Neuroptera; antiions; eyespots.

Received 24.05.2012; accepted 26.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

By “wonder ” I mean the power of the object di-

splayed to stop the viewer in his tracks, to convey

an arresting sense of uniqueness, to evoke an exal-

ted attention (Greenblatt, 1990: 20).

INTRODUCTION

In the third decade of the XVIII century, Giam-

battista Tiepolo (Venice, March 5, 1696 - Madrid,

March 27, 1770) painted his ‘Triumph of Zephyr

and Flora’ (Fig. 1), a large (225 x 395 cm) oil pain-

ting nowadays housed at the Ca’ Rezzonico Mu-

seum, Venice. In this work the artist did not adopt a

canonical representation of Zephyr.

Indeed, he did not paint Zephyr with the tradi-

tional bird wings found in the reference iconological

manual of his epoch, the Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia

(published in a great many editions; as examples we

cite the second edition, which was the first to be il-

lustrated, and a late posthumous edition in German:

Ripa, 1603, 1704) (Fig. 2) (Ashton, 1978).

Tiepolo did not even use butterfly wings, the

other symbolic image had been adopted since

antiquity for certain winged personifications

(Ronchetti, 1922: 986) (1).

(1) It seems fitting to mention Psyche, a mythical character, but first and foremost a word which in ancient Greek indi-

cated both the spirit of life, the soul, and the butterfly (or moth), which recalls the first meaning, with its metamorphosis

and flying away.

Zephyr’s wings: Tiepolos imagination or the antiion Pseudimares as his model?

133

Figure 1. Giambattista Tiepolo, ‘Triumph of Zephyr and Flora’ (Ca’ Rezzonico Museum, Venice, Italy).

Figure 2. Some stylistic canons from a posthumous Iconologia by C. Ripa (1704). Zephyr, the West Wind, is represented

(with bird wings) in picture no. 12. The other three Winds are to be found in pictures no. 11 (East), 13 (South) and 14

(North). Figure 3. The nymphalid Inachis io (Linnaeus, 1758) offers one of the most common examples of eyespots on the

dorsal surface of the wings (left figure) whilst the ventral surface (right figure), uniformly blackish-brown, disguises the

butterfly settled with folded wings on tree-bark and rock (photos by Paolo Mazzei).

134

Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini & Roberto A. Pantaleoni

Figure 4. Tiepolo’s Zephyr and a Pseudimares. a close-up comparison of their wings; actual length of the antiion wing ap-

prox. 5 cm (the photo of anti ion by Gabriel Martinez del Marmol Marin).

A late example of this is to be found in ‘Flora

and Zephyr’ (1875) painted by the French William-

Adolphe Bouguereau.

Eyespots and sense of wonder

The Venetian artist made his choice in order to

foment a sense of wonder in the observer, giving

Zephyr four dragonfly-like wings, each with a very

large apical eyespot (2).

Barcham (1996), one of the principal Tiepolo

scholars, outlines the pictorial enchantment of the

wings but he does not relate this to biological con-

siderations, which would almost certainly have

been alien to him. Eyespots, particularly on the

wings, are widespread mainly among Lepidoptera.

(2) The idea of painting Zephyr with delicate, membranous dragonfly-like wings seemed to be the most suitable pictorial

arrangement to evoke a light breeze, harbinger of Spring. Probably for this reason the choice of dragonfly wings was followed

also in the nineteenth century by a painter from Cremona, Gallo Gallina; this artist, when he frescoed ‘Zephyr abducts Flora’

(1832) in the Ala-Ponzone palace of his native town, gave Zephyr graceful, uniformly dark-bluish damselfly- wings (see

Magri, 2004), clearly inspired by a common calopterygid.

Zephyr’s wings: Tiepolos imagination or the antiion Pseudimares as his model?

135

Such spots signal astonishment, amazement, in-

stinct to flee. One of the main hypothesized fun-

ctions of eyespots is that they deter predators

(particularly insectivorous birds) by intimidation,

preventing the latter from initiating an attack.

Most discussions of eyespots functioning as in-

timidation devices generally argue that they fun-

ction by resembling the eyes of the predators’

enemies (Fig. 3), although some recent investiga-

tions also present other aspects (Stevens, 2005; Val-

lin et al., 2005; Stevens et al., 2008a, b). On the

other hand, neither dragonflies (Anisoptera) nor

damselflies (Zygoptera) with eyespots on their

wings seem to exist (A. Tabarroni, in litteris).

Zephyr’s wings are, therefore, astonishing and

peculiar, corresponding perfectly to the definition

of “wonder” as proposed by Greenblatt (1990).

Imagination or inspiration?

We do not know what guided Tiepolo’s genius

when he created such a daring hybrid between a

butterfly (or moth), and a dragonfly (or damselfly).

Certain commentators assert it was pure imagina-

tion (Chiappini & Veneziani, 2003), another (Magri,

2004) thinks that the wings were simply ‘stolen’

from a dragonfly, but this is not what the neuropte-

rologist Monserrat (2010) believes: he finds a “sur-

prising or casual” similarity with the adult antiion

Pseudimares (Neuroptera Myrmeleontidae). Only

two very rare species are presently known as belon-

ging to this spectacular genus, one found in sou-

thern Iran (Kimmins, 1933), the other in Morocco

(Aspock & Aspock, 2009). The very limited infor-

mation available on both species, probably living

in oases, is summarized by Pantaleoni et al. (2012).

The similarity between the pattern of Zephyr’s

wings and that of Pseudimares is not superficial,

as the close-up comparison demonstrates (Fig. 4).

If Tiepolo drew only on his imagination for his re-

presentation of Zephyr’s wings, we are confronted

with a very surprising coincidence. But is the hy-

pothesis that the Venetian artist could have observed

a Pseudimares at all feasible?

Giambattista Tiepolo spent his life principally

in the Venice Republic, a seafaring state with a

dense network of mercantile exchanges throughout

the Mediterranean Sea. He himself was the son of

a “mercante di negozi da nave” [merchant trading

by ship] (Pallucchini, 1968).

In the late sixteenth century and through the se-

venteenth century Europe witnessed the spread of

the ‘Wunderkammern’ rich in exotic finds, the fo-

rerunners of natural history museums (Westerhoff,

2001). Furthermore, of the European towns, Ve-

nice, together with for instance Amsterdam, during

his epoch was characterized by a high patrician cul-

ture, with a strong interest in art and science

(Burke, 1973). We therefore cannot exclude that the

Master had the opportunity, for one reason or ano-

ther, to see a specimen of this remarkable antiion,

later being inspired by it.

There is no sure proof in favour of either of the

two hypotheses: that of a fortuitous resemblance or

that of an inspiring model, in the latter case simply

recalled from memory by Tiepolo. However, both

hypotheses contain an element of the extraordinary,

thus exciting a sense of wonder, at least on the part

of the authors of this note.

The former because it would indicate a nearly

perfect coincidence between the imagery of a

great painter and the true world. The latter be-

cause of the amazing trace an unusual and won-

derful living being could have left behind, two

hundred years before its official discovery and

first description.

REFERENCES

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battista Tiepolo's Four Continents in Wurz-burg. The

Art Bulletin, 60: 109-125.

Aspock, H. & Aspock, U., 2009. Wiederentdeckung des

mysteriosen Genus Pseudimares Kimmins, 1933,

und Beschreibung einer neuen Art aus Marokko,

Pseudimares aphrodite n. sp. (Neuroptera, Myrme-

leontidae). Entomologische Nachrichten und Beri-

chte, 53: 41-46.

Barcham W. L., 1996. 13. Trionfo di Zefiro e Flora. In:

AA. VV, 1996. Giambattista Tiepolo 1696-1996.

Skira Editore, Milano, 118-121.

Burke R, 1973. Patrician Culture: Venice and Amster-

dam in the Seventeenth Century. Transactions of

the Royal Historical Society, Fifth Series,

23: 135-152.

Chiappini E. & Veneziani M., 2003. Gli insetti nell’arte

figurativa italiana. In: Chiappini E. & Cravedi R,

2003. Insetti e patrimonio artistico. [Atti della Gior-

nata di studio tenutasi a Piacenza il 24 ottobre 2003.

Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Sede di Pia-

cenza-Cremona], Tipolito Farnese, Piacenza, 9-43.

136

Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini & Roberto A. Pantaleoni

Greenblatt S., 1990. Resonance and Wonder. Bulletin

of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,

43: 11-34.

Kimmins D. E., 1933. A new genus and species of the fa-

mily Myrmeleonidae. Annals and Magazine of Natu-

ral History, (10)1 1 : 244-246 + pi. VI.

Magri F., 2004. L’arte di essere insetto, ovvero: gli in-

setti nelfarte. Una chiacchierata sull’arte di rappre-

sentare gli insetti. Chi sono e cosa ci raccontano gli

insetti nel linguaggio degli artisti cremonesi, italiani

e stranieri di ogni epoca. Tipografia Fantigrafica,

Cremona, 223 pp.

Monserrat V., 2010. Los Neuropteros (Insecta: Neurop-

tera) en el arte. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomologica

Aragonesa, 46: 635-660.

Pallucchini A., 1968. Analisi dell’ opera pittorica di

Giambattista Tiepolo. In: Piovene G. & Pallucchini

A., 1968. L’ opera completa di Giambattista Tiepolo.

Rizzoli Editore, Milano, 81-139.

Pantaleoni R. A., del Marmol Marin G. M. & Vigara R.

L., 2012. Second record of Pseudimares aphrodite H.

Aspock et U. Aspock, 2009 (Neuroptera, Myrmele-

ontidae). Biodiversity Journal, 3: 129-131.

Ripa C., 1603. Iconologia overo descrittione di diverse

imagini cavate dall'antichita et di propria inventione.

Trovate et dichiarate da Cesare Ripa perugino, Cava-

liere de Santi Mauritio et Lazaro. Di nuovo revista et

dal medesimo ampliata di 400 et piii Imagini. et di fi-

gure d 1 intaglio adornata. Opera non meno utile che

necessaria a Poeti, Pittori, Scultori et altri, per rap-

presentare le Virtu, Vitii, Affetti, et Passioni humane.

Appresso Lepido Facii, Roma, 545 pp.

Ripa C., 1 704. Der Kunst-Gottin Minerva Liebreiche En-

tdeckung Wie die Virtuosi alle Tugenden und Laster

und was die vier Elementa begreiffen sambt alien

Kiinsten und Wissenschafften der Welt Kunst-massig

und Hieroglyphisch vorstellen sollen damit die bi-

Bherige ignorante Fehler verhiitet und die Zeichen-

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bracht werden. Aus Unkosten Kroniger und Gobels

Erben, Augsburg, 298 pp.

Ronchetti G., 1922. Dizionario illustrate dei Simboli. Ul-

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Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 137-144

A new species of Hemiplecta Albers, 1 850 (Gastropoda, Pul-

monata, Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

David P. Cilia 1 & John Abbas 2

1 29, Triq il-Palazz 1-Ahmar, Santa Venera, Malta

2 8, Jalan Demaga Baru, Muara Angke, Jakarta Utara Pos 14450, Jakarta, Indonesia

’Corresponding author, e-mail: dpcilia@gmail.com

ABSTRACT The ariophantid Hemiplecta belerang sp. nov. from South Sumatra is described in this paper.

It is compared with its closest congeners, from which it is geographically and reproductively

isolated.

KEY WORDS Ariophantidae; Hemiplecta belerang n. sp.; Sumatra; Indonesia.

Received 03.06.2012; accepted 21.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

The family Ariophantidae Godwin-Austen,

1888 is nested within the limacoid clade of pulmo-

nates and is native to south-east Asia and India

(Hausdorf, 2000).

The family includes the genus Hemiplecta Al-

bers, 1850, a group of medium to large-sized

ground- inhabiting snails (Boonngam et al., 2008;

Schilthuizen, 2008), and the Sumatran representa-

tives include H. abbasi Maassen, 2009, H. goliath

van Benthem Jutting, 1959, H. Humphrey siana

(Lea, 1840), H. obliquata (Reeve, 1852) and H.

obliqueundulata van Benthem Jutting, 1959 (see

van Benthem Jutting, 1959; Dharma, 2005; Maas-

sen, 2009).

A new species belonging to the genus collected

from a forest boundary west of Mount Sekincau in

Lampung (Sumatra) is described in this paper.

Acronyms. Depositories: collection of Barna

Pall-Gergely, Mosonmagyarovar, Hungary (BP);

collection of David P. Cilia, Santa Venera, Malta

(DC); Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago,

Illinois (FMNH); Hebrew University of Jerusa-

lem, Israel (HUJ); collection of John Abbas, Ja-

karta, Indonesia (JA); Museum National

d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France (MNHN); Na-

tural History Museum, London, United Kingdom

(NHMUK); National Museum of Natural History,

Mdina, Malta (NMNH); Zoological Department

of Tel Aviv University, Israel (TAU); Institut fiir

Evolutionsbiologie und Umweltwissenschaften/

Zoologisches Museum Universitat Ziirich-Irchel,

Switzerland (ZMZ).

Morphology and anatomy. DG = dart gland;

DGR = dart gland retractor muscle; D = diameter;

E = epiphallus; EC = epiphallic caecum; F = fla-

gellum; GA = genital atrium; H = height; lit = ho-

lotype; P = penis; PRM = penial retractor muscle;

S = spermatheca; sd = standard deviation; U = um-

bilicus; V = vagina; VD = was deferens; x = mean

value.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

1 1 specimens of the new species were analyzed

for key morphological and biometric features of

shells and animals.

The mean value of two readings for height, dia-

meter and umbilical width for adult specimens was

taken using a dial caliper of a resolution of 50 pm.

138

David P. Cilia & John Abbas

Results were rounded off to the nearest 0. 1 mm; the

umbilical width was measured by inserting the ca-

liper inside the umbilicus and taking into account

only the ultimate whorl. Whorls were counted, in-

cluding the nucleus.

Statistical data was used and compared with

peculiar morphological characteristics of other

Hemiplecta species to allow for differential ana-

lysis. Alcohol-preserved specimens were dissected

to allow examination of genitalia; for this, the no-

menclature of reproductive anatomical structures

follows Maassen (2009) and Schileyko (2003).

Systematics in the present paper follow Bouchet

& Rocroi (2005).

RESULTS

SYSTEMATICS

Superfamily Helicarionoidea Bourguignat, 1877

Family Ariophantidae Godwin- Austen, 1888

Subfamily Ariophantinae God win- Austen, 1888

Genus Hemiplecta Albers, 1850

Type species Helix Humphrey siana Lea, 1 840

Hemiplecta belerang n. sp.

Examined material. Holotypus, limits of forest

on Mount Sekincau, north Lampung, south Suma-

tra, Indonesia (-05°01T5"N, 104°15'37"E), at an al-

titude of c. 1000m above sea level, leg. J. Abbas

(NHMUK 20120045). Paratypi (10 specimens),

same data as holotype: DC RG1828 (1 specimen);

HUJ 53491 (1 specimen); JAunreg. (1 specimen);

NHMUK 20120046 (2 specimens); MNHN 25050

(2 specimens); NMNH unreg. (1 specimen); FMNH

328341 (1 specimen); BP unreg. (1 specimen).

Description of Holotypus. Shell dextral, 38

mm wide, 26 mm high, well-rounded and thin shell,

more wide than tall (Fig. 1). Pale yellow-brown

base colour with a beige periostracum, with three

narrow dark brown spiral stripes, the middle of

which lies at the periphery of the whorls. The upper

boundary of the central band coincides with a very

slight thickening on the shell, and is concealed wi-

thin the shell from the penultimate whorl inwards;

the uppermost band is only evident on the outer

couple of whorls, beyond which it fades into the

base colouration. The lowermost band is the faintest

of the three. Whorl number is 5.5, and microscul-

pture consisting of intricate rugose malleation with

a slight emphasis on concentric furrows characteri-

zes the outermost 1.5 whorls. Towards the aperture,

especially on the ventral side, faintly impressed

growth striae with highly irregular spacing and pro-

minence become more evident than these spiral fur-

rows. Low-profile apex and moderately convex

whorls, the suture between which is delineated by

a very thin dark brown band mostly discernible on

the final whorl. Very small umbilicus, about 4% of

the maximum diameter of the shell, containing an

insertion of the columellar side of the peristome,

flushed with a dark brown that abruptly fades out

onto the ventral side. Aperture an oblique oblong

except for its columellar attachment, which in aper-

tural view departs in a diagonal straight line from

the umbilicus before rounding off sharply. Peri-

stome interrupted, thin, non-reflected and with very

slight, homogenous thickening. Internal aspect

white with a pearly lustre, the three main brown

bands showing through.

Animal. Orange-brown body with dark brown

foot, and grey to black tentacles with a very pale

pink-orange tip.

Genitalia (Figs. 5-8). The right ommatophoral

retractor crosses the genitalia, running between the

male and female genital tracts. The penis is cylin-

drical and much shorter than the epiphallus, with its

inner wall featuring several tubercles (Fig. 6).

The penial papilla is very short (Fig. 7). At the

distal part of the penis, just before the penial papilla,

the tuberculated inner surface is crinkled (Fig. 7).

This crinkled structure is not visible from the out-

side, and the penial sheath remains smooth. The pe-

nial retractor inserts at a slender and rather long

caecum halfway along the epiphallus. The retractor

is about 2.5 times longer than the epiphallic caecum.

There are high parallel folds running on the inner

wall of the epiphallus, with lower folds in between

(Figs. 7, 8). The flagellum is short and conical. The

linear folds of the inner surface of the epiphallus be-

came rather irregularly wrinkled in the flagellum

(Fig. 8). There is a slender axial thread in the lumen

of the flagellum attached at the end of the flagellum

(Fig. 8). The vas deferens enters the epiphallus late-

rally. The vagina is about as long as the penis.

A new species of Hemiplecta Albers, 1 850 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata.Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

139

Figures 1-4. Shell of Hemiplecta belerang sp. nov., limits of forest on Mount Sekincau, north Lampung, south Sumatra, In-

donesia (-05°01'15"N, 104°15'37"E). Fig. 1: holotype (NHMUK 20120045). Fig. 2: paratype 1 (FMNH 328341). Fig. 3:

paratype 4 (DC RG1828). Fig. 4: paratype 7 (MNHN 25050).

140

David P. Cilia & John Abbas

The spermatheca is long and thin, not conspi-

cuous compared to the rest of the structure, while

the dart gland is extremely long and thick, with a

short retractor muscle attached at its end.

Radula (Figs. 9-11). Teeth packed in neat, sli-

ghtly undulating rows. The central teeth are flat and

ovate, ending in a blunt “V”-shape, and about 75

pm tall and 25 pm wide (Fig. 10). Marginal teeth

are about half as wide and somewhat more pointed,

in profile vaguely resembling a very flattened

“W”-shape (Fig. 11). Transitional lateral teeth are

present in between the two.

Variability. The specimens examined are 36-

41 mm wide and 25-28 mm high (see Tab. 1 for de-

tails; Figs 2-4). The lowermost band on the shell

may feature blurred edges, in some instances almost

extending to and blending with the central band; ho-

wever, a colour gradient between the two is present

without exception. The shade of colour contained

in the umbilicus is not a consistent feature, howe-

ver, it is always darker than the base colour.

Etymology. The name is derived from the Be-

lirang-Beriti volcanic complex, within which the

known range of the species occurs. ‘Belerang’ also

means ‘sulphur’ in Indonesian, reminding one of

the pale yellow-brown base colour of the shell.

Distribution and Biology. This species is hi-

therto only known from the type locality, where it

is found around or at the base of small bushes in

humid and mossy areas. No individuals occur in the

more densely forested parts. Similar to congeners

(Mienis, 2010), H. belerang is a herbivore and a fa-

cultative detritivore.

Comparative notes. The shell of the new spe-

cies is typical Hemiplecta , but smaller than all other

species yet known from Sumatra. The largest,

which is Hemiplecta goliath van Benthem Jutting,

1959, together with Hemiplecta humphreysiana

(Lea, 1840) have smoother surfaces, more obvious

carinae and rather flat whorls, not to mention com-

pletely different forms. From Collinge (1902) it can

also be seen that the vagina and oviduct of H. hum-

phreysiana are very long, as are the penis, the epi-

phallus and the vas deferens. H. abbasi Maassen,

2009 is darker-coloured with a larger umbilicus (6%

of maximum shell diameter in five topotypes stu-

died); anatomically, the new species has longer epi-

phallic caecum and vas deferens, thinner

spermatheca, a narrower spermoviduct and a rela-

tively larger dart sac. Both shell and genital charac-

ters make it clear that H. belerang and H. abbasi

are more closely related to each other than any of

them is to H. humphreysiana.

H. obliqueundulata van Benthem Jutting, 1959

has two very wide dark brown spiral bands, with

the upper one fading towards the suture and lacking

clear delineation.

plO

26.2

27.5

27.0

24.1

25.0

27.8

27.7

24.7

27.3

25.7

27.2

26.4

38.4

39.3

39.0

37.3

37.4

38.7

41.1

37.0

38.9

36.0

39.2

38.4

1.7

1.8

1.3

1.6

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.5

I I/I)

0.68

0.70

0.68

0.65

0.67

0.72

0.67

0.70

0.71

0.69

U/D

0.04

0.05

0.03

0.04

4.43

4.33

4.56

3.49

4.28

3.88

3.65

4.32

4.37

4.17

3.83

4.12

Table 1. Dimensions of the type specimens of Hemiplecta belerang sp. nov. H, D and U are measured in millimetres.

A new species of Hemiplecta Albers, 1 850 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata,Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

141

Figure 5. Genital structure of Hemiplecta belerang n. sp., arrow indicates of the border between the penis and epiphallus

(scale bar represents 10 mm). Figure 6. Inner structure of the penis. Figure 7. Inner structure of the male genital tract at the

transition of epiphallus (A) and penis (B), arrow shows the penial papilla. Figure 8. Inner structure of the distal part of the

epiphallus and the flagellum, arrow A indicates the border between the two organs, arrow B shows the axial thread. Figures

9-11. Radula of Hemiplecta belerang n. sp. Fig. 9. Central teeth and marginal teeth, showing transitional elements. Fig. 10.

Central teeth. Fig. 11. Marginal teeth.

142

David P. Cilia & John Abbas

1 7M7 Micoc

Indonesien, Sumatra, PALEMBANG, TEYSSMAN, 1859,

MOUSSON

Figure 12. Shell of Hemiplecta obliquata (Reeve, 1854), Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia: the larger specimen from Mous-

son’s collection, collected by Teyssman in 1859 (ZMZ 501595) and (Fig. 13) original and current labels for the specimen.

In this species, the umbilicus is larger (6% of

maximum shell diameter in six specimens studied),

the apical whorls have a dark colour, and the surface

is highly uneven and rough.

The aperture is clearly more elongated laterally

than in the new species. H. belercmg and H. abbasi

are not sympatric, with H. obliqueundulata’s range

commencing 200 km towards the northwest in the

same mountain range.

A species with affinities to H. obliqueundulata

is H. obliquata (Reeve, 1854). H. obliquata was ori-

ginally described from Borneo in the genus Helix

A new species ofHemiplectaA/bers, 1850 ( Gastropoda, Pulmonata,Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

143

(Reeve, 1854: pi. 74, fig. 384). The single figure,

reproduced by Pilsbry (1886: p.76, pi. 21, fig. 16),

shows a pale whitish specimen with a periphery

“encircled by a chestnut band pale-edged along the

upper side” and a very faint trace of a wide, pale

brown band above it, though this is not mentioned

in the accompanying text.

Martens (1867: p. 235; 1881: p. 1, pi. 1, figs.

1-3) reiterates this (“flavido-alba, fascia peripherica

sat angusta obscure castanea”) and also mentions

the pale brown band, from bleached specimens

(“Beide Exemplare in Mousson's Sammlung sind

etwas verbleicht”) collected from Palembang (Su-

matra) by Teysmann in 1859 to be deposited in

Mousson’s collection.

In the latter work he also illustrates three aspects

of one shell - off-white, with regular ribbing, and a

relatively wide umbilicus. These two specimens are

to be nowadays found in Mousson’s collection at

the Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich;

their maximum diameters are of 50.3 mm and 53.8

mm and their heights are of 33.6 mm and 34.2 mm

respectively (Figs. 12-13).

A taxon described from a single specimen from

Hujung, in south Sumatra at an altitude of 2 km, is

H. hoodjongensis (Smith, 1887). This species is

about as large as H. obliquata (10 mm larger than

H. belerang in any direction) and similarly globose,

but with a higher spire and two very-well defined

brown peripheral striae, central and adapical. The

picture in Kobelt (1905: pi. 261, fig. 1) shows this

altogether more globose shell as having regularly

spaced axial striae. In any case, van Benthem Jut-

ting (1959) regards this specimen as a synonym of

H. obliquata.

In the authors’ opinion, H. abbasi , H. belerang ,

H. hoodjongensis , H. obliquata and H. obliqueun-

dulata may represent a lineage now restricted to

high altitudes as relict populations, descended from

a common ancestor that inhabited the Sumatran

mountain chain when different abiotic conditions

were predominant.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Fred Naggs, Jo-

nathan Ablett (NHMUK), Jochen Gerber (FMNH),

Philippe Bouchet, Virginie Heros (MNHN), John

J. Borg (NMHM), and Henk Mienis (HUJ) for their

technical assistance. Barna Pall-Gergely (Shinshu

University, Japan) produced the drawing, photos

and description of the genital structure.

Eike Neubert (Naturhistorisches Museum der

Burgergemeinde Bern, Switzerland), Barbara

Oberholzer and Jiirg Stauffer (ZMZ) were of great

help with the tracing and photography of Mous-

son’s H. obliquata specimens. Fast but not least,

the authors would like to thank Fabio Fiberto (Ce-

falu, Italy) and anonymous reviewers for their

suggestions.

REFERENCES

Benthem Jutting W. S. S. van, 1959. Catalogue of the

non-marine Mollusca of Sumatra and of its satellite

islands. Beaufortia, 7: 41-191.

Boonngam R, Dumrongrojwattana P. & Matchacheep S.,

2008. The Diversity of Fand Snail Fauna in Chonburi

Province, Eastern Thailand. Kasetsart Journal (Natu-

ral Science), 42: 256-263.

Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P, 2005. Classification and nomen-

clator of gastropod families. Malacologia, 47: 1-397.

Collinge W. E., 1902. On the non-operculate land and

freshwater Molluscs collected by the Members of the

‘Skeat-Expedition’ in the Malay Peninsula, 1899-

1900. The Journal of Malacology, 9: 71-95.

Dharma B., 2005. Recent and fossil Indonesian shells.

Conchbooks, Hackenheim, pp. 1-124 + pis. 1-150.

Hausdorf B., 2000. Biogeography of the Fimacoidea

sensu lato (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora): vica-

riance events and long-distance dispersal. Journal of

Biogeography, 27: 379-390.

Kobelt, W., 1905. Die familien der heliceen. Systemati-

sches conchylien-cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz,

5: 1-1225.

Maassen W. J. M., 2009. A new Hemiplecta species

from a remote mountain in south-east Sumatra, In-

donesia (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Ariophantidae). Ba-

steria, 73: 77-80.

Martens, E. von, 1867. Die Fandschnecken. Die Preus-

sische Expedition nach Ost-Asien. Nach amtlichen

Quellen. Zoologischer Theil, Vol. 2. Decker, Berlin,

XII + 447 pp.

Martens E. von, 1881. Erster Band. Conchologische

Mittheilungen als Fortsetzung der Novitates con-

chologicae, 1: i-viii + i-iv + 1-101.

Pilsbry H. A., 1886. Zonitidae. Manual of Conchology,

structural and systematic, with illustrations of the spe-

cies. 2 (2): 1-265 + 64 pi.

Reeve L. A., 1 854. Monograph of the genus Helix. Con-

chologia iconica or illustrations of the shells of mol-

luscous animals. 7: 1-408 + 210 pi. + i-xx.

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David P. Cilia & John Abbas

Schileyko A. A., 2003. Treatise on recent ter-

restrial pulmonate mollusks. 10. Ario-

phantidae, Ostracolethaidae, Ryssotidae,

Milacidae, Dyakiidae, Staffordiidae, Ga-

strodontidae, Zonitidae, Daudebardiidae, Parmacell idae.

Ruthenica, Supplement 2: 1309-1466.

Schilthuizen M., 2008. The loom of life: unravelling ecosy-

stems. Springer, 184 pp.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 145-150

New records of Heteroptera (Hemiptera) from Campania,

Southern Italy

Ivano Adamo 1 , Francesco Carandente 1 , Camillo Pignataro 1 , Paolo Crovato 2 & Nicola Maio 1 *

'Fondazione I.RI.DI.A. - Museo Naturalistico, Via Forese 16 - 84020 Corleto Monforte (SA), Italy

2 Via S. Liborio, 1 - 80134 Napoli, Italy

* Corresponding author, e-mail: nicomaio@unina.it

ABSTRACT During a two-year faunistic research (2010 and 2011) carried out in three different areas of

Campania (the Crater of Astroni, the Matese Mountains, and the Albumi Mountains: Site of

Community Importance, SCI, - Special Protection Area, SPA) eight species of Heteroptera that

are new records for the region were collected.

KEY WORDS Heteroptera; Campania; Southern Italy; faunistics.

Received 20.06.2012; accepted 26.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

The level of knowledge of the Heteroptera of

Campania (489 species; 13,595 sq Km) is far below

that of other regions of Southern Italy, such as Ba-

silicata and Calabria.

This is even more evident when comparing the

number of heteropteran species known so far with

the surfaces of the respective regions: according to

Tamanini (1981) for Basilicata and Calabria, in fact,

422 and 564 species are known on 9,992 and 15,079

sq Km, respectively. The purpose of this paper is,

therefore, to help bridge this gap by increasing the

knowledge of this group in Campania.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The field survey was conducted in three diffe-

rent areas of Campania between February 2010 and

May 2011, namely: the Crater of Astroni, the Ma-

tese Mountain, and the Alburni Mountains.

The Crater of Astroni (SIC-ZPS IT8030007) is

a WWF oasis, nature reserve of the state, located

between Naples and Pozzuoli and is the biggest cra-

ter among thirty craters in Campi Flegrei area.

The Matese Regional Park (33,326.5 ha) was

established in 2002 to protect the Matese Mountain

(ZPS-SIC IT 722228) range, which marks the bor-

der between Campania and Molise, and whose ter-

ritory, in the former region, includes four provinces

(Campobasso, Isernia, Benevento and Caserta).

Alburni Mountains (SIC IT8050033 and ZPS

IT8050055) are included in National Park of Ci-

lento and Vallo di Diano. This park is the second

largest park in Italy. It stretches from the Tyrrhenian

coast to the foot of the Apennines in Campania and

Basilicata. All insects from Alburni Mountains were

captured through sweep net, vacuum, or dropping

them into a large mouth glass containers. The spe-

cimens from the Crater of Astroni and from Matese

mountain have been temporarily captured for spe-

cific determination, photographed and released.

The list of reported species follows the taxono-

mic order of the Italian Checklist (Faraci & Riz-

zottiVlach, 1995).

For each species details of the finding are shown

along with a brief note on chorology and biology;

moreover, description of the finding station with re-

gard to environmental types to which it relates, ac-

cording to the classification system of habitats

CORINE Biotopes (employed for either Charter of

146

I. Adamo, F. Carandente, C. Pignataro, P. Crovato & N. Maio

Nature or EUNIS information system designed to

support the “Rete Natura” 2000) is reported. When

it was possible to make a parallel between the two

systems both of them have been submitted

(AA.VV., 1991; APAT, 2003).

If it was not possible to refer to older systems,

the Natura 2000 code which is found in “Alle-

gato I”, 92/43/EEC directive, was used.

RESULTS

Family Miridae Hahn, 1831

Oncotylus (Oncotylus) viridiflavus viridiflavus

(Goeze, 1778)

Chorotype and distribution. Turano-Euro-

pean. It is a rather rare and local species, wide-

spread from Europe, Asia Minor and Caucasus to

Western Siberia; the subspecies O. viridiflavus

longipes Wagner, 1954 is restricted to Southern

Anatolia. In Italy it was previously reported only

for Abruzzo, Apulia (Gargano) and Sicily (Ser-

vadei, 1967), but the records for the latter region

are considered erroneous (Faraci & Rizzotti

Vlach, 1995).

Biology and host plants. Its host plant is the

cornflower (Centaur ea spp.). The adults can be ob-

served from July to September.

Materials. Alburni (SA), Sant’ Angelo a Fasa-

nella, “Tempa di Don Giovanni”, 760 m a.s.l,

21. VII. 2011, 2 specimens, I. Adamo legit.

Remarks. The site is located in an area with

fragmented cropland and fallow (EUNIS code 11.5,

Bare tilled, fallow or recently abandoned arable

land) surrounded by the shrubberies Prunetalia spi-

nosae related to the edges of deciduous forests

(code EUNIS F3.1, temperate thickets and scrub;

code CORINE Biotopes 31.81, Medio-European

rich-soil thickets) and forest stands dominated by

oaks (Ouercus pubescens and O. cerris ) (EUNIS

code G1.71, woods of Ouercus pubescens).

Family Coreidae Leach, 1815

Ceraleptus lividus Stein, 1858

Chorotype and distribution. Turano-Euro-

pean. The species, present in much of the European

continent, is more common in central and nor-

thern regions. In Italy it is common in all regions

of the Apennine peninsular regions and reaches

some xerothermic oases of the Alps (Servadei,

1967; Tamanini, 1981).

Biology and host plants. It is found on gras-

ses in dry and open lands and is mainly related to

some Fabaceae ( Trifolium , Lotus).

Materials. Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 1, Ottati,

“Pozzo della Lavandaia”, 900 m a.s.l., 22.V.2011,

1 specimen, I. Adamo legit (Fig. 1).

Remarks. The Plot “Alburni 1” is a wet mea-

dow characterized by the presence of wells and

springs and by a small portion of riparian vegeta-

tion (code EUNIS El. 3, Mediterranean xeric gra-

ssland; cod. Nature 2000 6210, Semi-natural dry

grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous sub-

strates, Festuco-Brometalia).

Family Lygaeidae Schilling, 1819

Xanthochilus saturnius (Rossi, 1790)

Chorotype and distribution. Turanian-Medi-

terranean. Widespread throughout the Mediterra-

nean countries and extending eastwards to

Tadzhikistan. In Italy it is present in all regions south

of the Po river, including islands (Servadei, 1967)

and quite frequent especially in the center-south.

Biology and host plants. The species is

mainly found either on sandy or gravelly soils in

dry areas.

Materials. Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 2, Ca-

stelcivita, Celadonna, 405 m a.s.l., 16.X.2010, 1

specimen, I. Adamo legit.

Remarks. The Plot “Alburni 2” is located at the

base of a limestone slope along the road margin

and is characterized by sclerophyllous vegetation

(code EUNIS F5.5, Thermo-Mediterranean scrub)

with typical Mediterranean vegetation formations

to Ampelodesmus mauritanicus (cod. EUNIS

F5.53, with garrigue Ampelodesmus mauritanicus

dominant. Corine Biotopes 32.23, Ampelodesmus

mauritanicus garrigue) replaced, where significant

events of disturbance occurred, by communities

dominated by therophytes (code EUNIS El. 3, Me-

diterranean xeric grassland, cod. Nature 2000

6220, Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of

the Thero-Brachypodietea).

New records of Heteroptera (Hemiptera) from Campania, Southern Italy

147

Figure 1. Ceraleptus lividus from Alburni Mountains (photo by I. Adamo). Figure 2. Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale from

“Lago del Matese” (photo by I. Adamo). Figure 3. Tritomegas rotundipennis from Crater of Astroni (photo by I. Adamo).

Figure 4. Carpocoris purpureipennis from Alburni Mountains (photo by I. Adamo).

148

I. Adamo, F. Carandente, C. Pignataro, P. Crovato & N. Maio

Family Acanthosomatidae Signoret, 1836

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale haemorrhoidale

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Chorotype and distribution. Asian-European.

Reported in all regions of northern Italy to Lazio and

Abrazzo (Servadei, 1967), in Sicily and Sardinia.

Biology and host plants. Species mainly

mountainous and widespread in mixed woods and

clearings where it is linked to various hardwoods

such as Ouercus, Crataegus , Sorbus, Corylus,

Carpinus and Betula. It is often harmful to the

crops of hazel.

Materials. Matese (CE), San Gregorio Matese,

“Lago del Matese”, 1015 m a.s.l., 07.VII.2010, 1

specimen observed on Crataegus laevigata , I.

Adamo det. (Fig. 2).

Remarks. This station is located along the sou-

thern shore of Matese Lake and at the base of

beech trees that stretch along the esplanade south

of the basin. The vegetation is typical of popula-

tions of hilly-mountain shrub related to the series

or the edges of deciduous forests ( Prunetalia spi-

nosae ), with wild species such as hawthorn ( Cra-

taegus laevigata ), wild rose ( Rosa spp.), privet

( Ligustrum vulgare) and common laburnum ( La-

burnum anagymoides ) (code EUNIS F3.1, tempe-

rate thickets and scrub; cod. CORINE Biotopes

31.81, Medio-European rich-soil thickets).

Family Cydnidae Billberg, 1820

Canthophorus melanopterus melanopterus

(Herrich- Schaffer, 1835)

Chorotype and distribution. Turanian-medi-

terranean. Species widespread in central Asia and

the Mediterranean region. It is present in all Italian

regions (Servadei, 1967).

Biology and host plants. The species is related

to Santalaceae of the genera Thesium and Osyris.

Materials. Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 3, Ottati,

Vuccolo della Forca, 875 m a.s.l., 22.V.2011, 2 spe-

cimens, I. Adamo legit.

Remarks. The Plot “Alburni 3” is located in a

mesomediterranean mountain shrubland characte-

rized by scattered pulvini of Euphorbia spinosa

(EUNIS code F6.14, western garrigues to Euphor-

bia sp.; Cod. CORINE biotopes 32.44, Spurge gar-

rigues, Shrubby formations of the western Mediter-

ranean basin dominated by bushy or robust

perennial Euphorbia).

Tritomegas rotundipennis (Dohrn, 1862)

Chorotype and distribution. S-European. Wi-

despread but not very common in various regions

of Italy; in the southern part of the peninsula the

species was previously known only for Lazio,

Abruzzo and Calabria (Servadei, 1967).

Biology and host plants. Pest. The host plant

is Lamium album (Lamiaceae).

Materials. Crater of Astroni (NA), Pozzuoli,

“Stradone di Caccia” near the “Lago Grande”, 25 m

a.s.l., 21.11.2010, 2 specimens observed near the edge

of the road on Lamium sp., I. Adamo det. (Fig. 3).

Remarks. This station is located on the bottom

of the Crater of Astroni, in a clearing along the

main highway. The surrounding vegetation is cha-

racterized by mixed deciduous subtermophylous

forest with prevalence of English oak ( Ouercus

robur ) and oak (0. petraea) and other mesophy-

lous species of submontane type such as hornbeam

( Ostrya carpinifolia ), chestnut ( Castanea sativa

Miller), and approaching to the stretches of water,

elm ( Uhnus minor) (code CORINE Biotopes 41.2,

oak-hornbeam forests).

Family Pentatomidae Leach, 1815

Carpocoris (Carpocoris) purpureipennis (De

Geer, 1773)

Chorotype and distribution. Siberian-Euro-

pean -Anatolian. In Italy it is present in all regions

of northern and central Apennines up to Abruzzo

(Dioli, 1995). The records reported in Servadei

(1967) for Southern Italy regions and Sardinia are

not correct according to Tamanini (1958).

Biology and host plants. Pest. Polyphagous

species linked to various herbaceous plants such as

Cirsium spp., Cardaria draba and Asphodelus spp.

It is a xenocoenic and eurytopic element (Rizzotti

Vlach & Zerbini, 1989).

Materials. Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 3, Ottati,

Vuccolo della Forca, 875 m a.s.l., 22.V.2011, 1 spe-

cimen, I. Adamo leg.; Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 4,

New records of Heteroptera (Hemiptera) from Campania, Southern Italy

149

Ottati, between “Tempa del Tesoro” and “II Lago”,

track n. 315, 925 m a.s.l.,. 22.V.2011, 7 specimens

on leaves of Asphodelus ramosus L., I. Adamo leg.,

(Fig. 4); Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 5, Ottati, Tempa

Pozzillo, track n. 315, 975-978 m a.s.l., 22.V.2011,

1 specimen, I. Adamo leg.

Remarks. For Plot “Alburni 3” see above. The

“Alburni 4” and “Alburni 5” Plot belong to the

same type of environment: code EUNIS El. 3, Me-

diterranean xeric grassland; cod. Nature 2000 6210,

Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on

calcareous substrates ( Festuco-Brometalia ).

Family Scutelleridae Leach, 1815

Eurygaster testu din aria (Geoffroy, 1785)

Chorotype and distribution. Asiatic-Euro-

pean-Mediterranean. Widespread in Italy, the spe-

cies is present in almost all regions of the peninsula

(Servadei, 1967). The historical reports for Sardinia

need confirmation.

Biology and host plants. Pest, it is on Carex

(Cyperaceae), Juncus (Juncaceae) but also on wild

and cultivated Poaceae. It is related to wet meadows

with tall grass. In Southern Italy it is a mountain

species and is found in the plans up to 1500 m a.s.l.

Materials. Alburni (SA), Plot Alburni 1, Ottati,

“Pozzo della Lavandaia”, 900 m a.s.l., 22.V.2011,

1 specimen, I. Adamo leg.

Remarks. For Plot “Alburni 1” see above.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Up to now, 489 heteropterans species were

known in Campania (Cirillo, 1787; O.G. Costa,

1834; Costa A., 1841, 1843, 1846, 1847a, 1847b,

1847c, 1853, 1862, 1874, Filippi, 1947; Tamanini,

1981; Carapezza et al., 1995; Carapezza & Faraci,

2005; Carapezza, 2007), to which we add the eight

new species listed in this paper.

Canthophorus melanopterus , Tritomegcis rotim-

dipennis , Eurygaster testudinaria, Xantochilus sa-

turnius and Oncotylus viridiflavus viridiflavus are

species fairly common in Italy, whose absence in the

literature for Campania was probably only due to a

lack of research. Ceraleptus lividus is a predominan-

tly northern species, hence Campania may be part

of the southern limit of its distribution range. Also

the report of Carpocoris purpureipennis could re-

present the southern limit of the distribution range

of the species in Italy (Tamanini, 1959).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was funded with the support from the

National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano

(PNCVD).

Authors wish to thank: The Regional Park of

Campi Flegrei, the Matese Regional Park Authority

and the National Park Authority of the Cilento and

Vallo di Diano. In particular for the National Park

of Cilento and Vallo di Diano: Amilcare Troiano

(President), Corrado Matera (Vice-President) and

Angelo De Vita (Director). A special thanks goes

to Laura De Riso (Technical Area) for collabora-

tion as well as advising on technical and admini-

strative aspects. We want to thank Giuseppe

Capozzolo for administrative cooperation (Fonda-

zione I.RI.DI.A. - Museo Naturalistico) and Attilio

Carapezza (Palermo).

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AA.VV., 1991. CORINE biotopes manual. Habitats of

European Community. EUR 12587/3 EN. Office for

Official Pubblications of the European Communities,

Luxembourg: 300 pp.

APAT, 2003. Gli habitat secondo la nomenclatura

Eunis: manuale di classificazione per la realta ita-

liana. Rapporti, 39. 1.G.E.R., Roma, 160 pp.

Carapezza A., 2007. Gli Eterotteri (Heteroptera). In:

Nardi G. & Vomero V. (eds.), Artropodi del Parco Na-

zionale del Vesuvio: ricerche preliminari. Conserva-

zione Habitat Invertebrati, 4: 87-97.

Carapezza A. & Faraci F., 2005. Insecta Heteroptera Lep-

topodidae, Saldidae, Miridae (partim), Tingidae, pp.

151-153. In: Ruffo S. & Stoch F. (eds.), Checklist e

distribuzione della fauna italiana. 10.000 specie ter-

restri e dele acque interne. Memorie del Museo Ci-

vico di Storia Naturale di Verona, 2a serie, Sezione

Scienze della Vita, 16: 1-307 + CD-ROM.

Carapezza A., Faraci F. & Pericart J., 1995. Designation

of lectotypes and paralectotypes of Palaearctic Hete-

roptera in the collection of Achille Costa (Museo di

Zoologia dell’Universita di Napoli). II Naturalista si-

ciliano, 19: 279-294.

Cirillo D., 1787. Entomologiae Neapolitanae specimen

primum. Napoli, 13 pp., 12 taw.

150

I. Adamo, F. Carandente, C. Pignataro, P. Crovato & N. Maio

Costa A., 1841. Memoire pour servir a l'histoire des He-

mipteres Heteropteres de Deux-Siciles. Annales de la

Societe Entomologique de France, 10: 279-308.

Costa A., 1843. Cimicum Regni Neapoltani Centuria.

Napoli, 76 pp.

Costa A., 1846. Osservazioni intorno la entomologia del

Matese da servire alia geografia entomologica del

Regno. Annali dell'Accademia degli Aspiranti Natu-

ralisti, 3: 81-94.

Costa A., 1847a. Cimicum Regni Neapolitani. Centuria

secunda. Decas prima, secunda, tertia, quarta et

quinta. Napoli, 43 pp., 3 taw. (sep.).

Costa A., 1847b. Cimicum regni Neapolitani. Centuria

secunda. Decas sexta, septima, octava, nona et de-

cima. Napoli, 41 pp., 2 taw. (sep.).

Costa A., 1847c. Specie nuove o rare d'insetti delle mon-

tagne del Matese. Annali dell'Accademia degli Aspi-

ranti Naturalisti, 1: 89-131.

Costa A., 1853. Cimicum regni Neapolitani. Centuria tertia

et quartae fragmentum. Napoli: 77 pp., 3 taw. (sep.).

Costa A., 1 862. Additamenta ad centurias Cimicum regni

Neapolitani. Napoli, 41 pp., 3 taw. (sep.).

Costa A., 1874. Una peregrinazione zoologica su’ monti

dell’Alburno. Rendiconto dell’Accademia delleF-

Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche (Sezione della Socita

Reale di Napoli), 13: 129-135.

Costa O.G., 1834. Cenni zoologici ossia descrizione

sommaria delle specie nuove di animali discoperti in

diverse contrade del regno nell’anno 1834 con illu-

strazioni sopra talune altre meno owie. Annuario

Zoologico, Azzolino e Comp., 90 pp.

Dioli R 1995. Eterotteri del ferrarese. 1. Fa fauna terre-

stre (Heteroptera Cimicomorpha et Pentatomorpha).

Quaderni della Stazione Ecologica del Civico Museo

di storia Naturale di Ferrara, 8: 7-49.

Faraci F. & Rizzotti Vlach M., 1995. Fleteroptera, pp.

1-56. In: Minelli A., Ruffo S. & Fa Posta S. (eds.),

Checklist delle specie della fauna italiana, 41. Cal-

derini, Bologna.

Filippi N., 1947. Primo contributo alia conoscenza

della fauna entomologica del Matese. Emitteri Ete-

rotteri. Bollettino della Associazione romana di En-

tomologia, 2: 24-26.

Rizzotti Vlach M.. & Zerbini C., 1989. Studi sulla pa-

lude del Busatello (Veneto-Fombardia). 8. Gli Ete-

rotteri. Memorie del Museo Civico di Storia

Naturale di Verona (2 serie), biol. 7:67-88.

Servadei A., 1967. Rhynchota (Heteroptera, Homoptera,

Auchenorrhyncha). Catalogo topografico e sinoni-

mico. Fauna d'ltalia, IX. Calderini, Bologna, 851 pp.

Tamanini F., 1958. Revisione del genere Carpocoris Kit.

con speciale riguardo alle specie italiane (Hemiptera,

Heter., Pentatomidae). Memorie del Museo Civico di

Storia Naturale di Verona, 6: 333-388.

Tamanini F., 1959. 1 Carpocoris della Regione Palear-

tica. Tabella per la determinazione delle entita e

loro distribuzione (Hem., Heteroptera, Pentatomi-

dae). Memorie della Societa Entomologica Italiana,

38: 120-142.

Tamanini F., 1981 . Gli Eterotteri della Basilicata e della

Calabria (Italia Meridionale) (Hemiptera Heterop-

tera). Memorie del Museo civico di Storia naturale di

Verona, 3: 1-164.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 151-152

New report of Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi etVillari, 200 1

for Ustica island (Bivalvia,Veneroida, Neoleptonidae)

Pasquale Micali 1 & Alberto Vi I lari 2

’Via Papiria, 17 - 61032 Fano (PU), Italy; e-mail: lino.micali@virgilio.it

2 Via Villa Contino, 30 - 98124 Messina, Italy; e-mail: villaria@tiscali.it

ABSTRACT A complete specimen and two loose valves of Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi et Villari,

2001 were found in Ustica island, at Punta Spalmatore at a depth of about 30 m. Up to now,

this species was known only for the original description, based on specimens collected inside

submarine caves of the coast near Taormina (North-Eastern Sicily). In the same sample of

shell grit it was encountered also a specimen of Skeneoides digeronimoi La Perna, 1998, a

species the description of which is based on material collected inside a cave of Ustica, on the

opposite side of the island, about four miles away from Punta Spalmatore.

KEY WORDS Neolepton discriminatum ; submarine caves; Ustica; Mediterranean Sea.

Received 18.04.2012; accepted 19.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi et Villari,

2001 was described on three intact individuals

and eight valves found in sediment collected in-

side a few caves located along the coastal stretch

between Capo S. Andrea and Capo Taormina

(North-Eastern Sicily) with the entrance at a depth

ranging from about 15 to 30 m.

The malacofauna found in these particular and

isolated environments was very interesting and,

in addition to the species reported in this note,

Puncturella picciridda Palazzi et Villari, 2001,

Muricopsis glutinosa Palazzi et Villari, 2001 and

Lucinoma spelaeum Palazzi et Villari, 2001 were

described as new species. Out of the four species,

Lucinoma spelaeum has been reported by Micali

(2004) also in the Strait of Messina, a few tens of

kilometers from Taormina.

The material in which the N. discriminatum spe-

cimens were found consisted of about 2 kg of debris

picked up by hand while diving with Scuba diving,

in the early 80's, at Ustica, Punta Spalmatore, at a

depth of about 30 m (Figs. 1-3). The bottom is kind

of debris, near a small submarine slope, with little

mud. The malacofauna found is very rich in species,

generally in a good state of freshness.

Original diagnosis of N. discriminatum was

based only on comparations with similar species (Pa-

lazzi & Villari, 2001: p. 25): “Si distingue da N. sul-

catulum (Jeffreys, 1859) nel profilo orbicolare e non

veneriforme come in quest Tiltimo, per essere molto

piii appiattito e provvisto di una scultura radiale di-

vergente, piu marcata lateralmente. Ricorda un poco

il genere Arculus (omissis) ma la cerniera ne e molto

diversa. Dimensioni: intorno al millimetro.”

In the same work (Palazzi & Villari, 2001) N.

discriminatum was illustrated with photos taken by

scanning microscopy. Neolepton sulcatulum (Jef-

freys, 1859) is a species particularly well known,

reported and figured by various authors (Tebble,

1966: 86, fig. 39; Terreni, 1981: 89, pi. 9 fig. 8; Aar-

tsenetal., 1984: 66, fig. 331; Aartsen, 1996: 34, fig.

E; Aartsen, 1997: 31, fig. 6L and R).

Aartsen (1997: 30) defines the shell outline "al-

most round", but this is not correct because in illu-

strations by the author it is clearly seen as

veneriforme. The specimen drawn by Tebble (1976:

86, fig. 39) has a profile much more sub-circular;

however there is a difference between figure A,

which shows the external view, and figures B and D

152

Pasquale Micali & Alberto Villari

Figures 1-3. Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi & Villari, 2001, Ustica -30m. Fig. 1: external shell. Fig. 2: inside of the left

shell valve. Fig. 3: inside of the right shell valve.

showing the internal view. From a comparative ana-

lysis of the figures reported by several authors, it is

obtained, for N. sulcatulum , a height/width ratio

between 0.86 and 0.9, while in N. discriminatum

the ratio is about 1 .

Description of the N. discriminatum speci-

mens. Shell rather solid, equivalve, almost equila-

teral, sub-central umbones, eroded in the examined

specimens. Color greyish-white. Sculpture concen-

tric consisting of about 27 concentric fine ribs and

divergent fine threads, passing over the ribs, more

marked on the sides. Periostracus not detected. In-

ternal ligament located behind the umbones. Right

valve with an anterior tooth "hook-like", forming a

right angle; a stout cardinal tooth, placed in the hol-

low of this but separated by a deep groove; and an

elongated lateral tooth. Left valve with a stout car-

dinal tooth, joined to anterior tooth that appears

elongated, and an elongated posterior tooth. Dimen-

sions: height about 0.71 mm, width about 0.75 mm.

In the same sample of debris it was found a spe-

cimen of Skeneoides digeronimoi La Perna, 1998;

this specie was described on material collected a

few meters deep in the Grotta delLAccademia, lo-

cated on the opposite side of Ustica island, about

four miles away from Punta Spalmatore.

This discovery, as in the case of L. spelaeum ,

evidences that the specie is not limited only to a

specific cave or restricted locations, supporting the

hypothesis, expressed by Palazzi & Villari (2001),

that an accumulation of large boulders can allow the

formation of sciaphilous conditions similar to a pro-

per cave. Probably the species described for sub-

merged caves (rare, small and frequently known

only for the place of description) have a geographic

distribution much wider than previously known.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Dr. Claudio Gentile for taking scan-

ning electron microscope (SEM) pictures.

REFERENCES

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La Conchiglia, 28: 31-36.

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Aartsen J.J. van, Menkhorst H.P.M.G. & Gittenberger

E., 1984. The marine Mollusca of the Bay of Alge-

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ginellidae and Turridae. Basteria, Suppl. 2: 1-135.

Micali P., 2004. Segnalazione di Lucinoma spelaeum

Palazzi & Villari, 2001 nello Stretto di Messina.

Notiziario S.I.M., 21: 27-28

Palazzi S. & Villari A., 2001. Molluschi e Brachiopodi

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TebbleN., 1976. British bivalve seashells. Second Edi-

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stante la costa Toscana. Tipografia Benvenuti &

Cavaciocchi, Livorno, 106 pp.

Biodiversity Journal, 2012, 3 (2): 153-155

A new record of cream coloured morph of Naja kaouthia

Lesson, 1 83 1 (Reptilia, Serpentes, Elapidae) from Hazaribag,

Jharkhand, India

Satya Prakash 1 , Anil Kumar Mishra 2 & Mohammad Raziuddin 1 *

'University Department of Zoology, Vinoba Bhave University Hazaribag 825 301, Jharkhand, India

divisional Forest office, Wildlife Division, Hazaribag, 825 301, Jharkhand, India

* Corresponding author: e-mail: mrazi.vbu@gmail.com

ABSTRACT A rare cream coloured morph of monocellate cobra, Naja kaouthia Lesson, 1 83 1 without hood

mark has been recorded for the first time from Hazaribag town residential area (Jharkhand

state), outside the known range of the snake extant distribution.

KEY WORDS New record; Cream coloured morph; Naja kaouthia ; Hazaribag; Jharkhand.

Received 17.05.2012; accepted 05.06.2012; printed 30.06.2012

INTRODUCTION

Asiatic cobra complex comprises 10 species

(Wuster, 1998). However, only four species, namely

Naja naja (Linnaeus, 1758), N. kaouthia Lesson,

1831, A. oxiana (Eichwald, 1831) and N. sagittifera

Wall, 1913 occur in India; and out of them only N.

naja shows a fairly wide distribution.

N. kaouthia has been reported from Gangiatic

plain, Bengal, Orrisa, Sikkim, and Assam in nor-

thern and eastern India where it occurs sympatri-

cally with N. naja (Wuster, 1998) but, up to now,

has never been reported from any part of Jharkhand

state (India), outside its extant geographic distribu-

tion range (Fig. 1).

Besides India, it occurs in Nepal, Bangladesh,

Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, southern

Vietnam and south western China. It inhabits a wide

range of habitats particularly those associated with

water but also occurs in agricultural land and

human settlements including cities.

It occurs up to 1000 m elevation but is mainly

found below 700 m in a broad range of habitat

types. N. kaouthia is specified in schedule-II, of

Part-II of WPA, 1972 and listed in CITES Appen-

dix-2. The IUCN status of this snake is under cate-

gory of least concern.

Prakash & Raziuddin (2009) have recently re-

ported 19 species of snakes from Hazaribag district

of Jharkhand which does not include N. kaouthia.

Further, a report on the repetilian fauna of

Bihar (including Jharkhand) published by Da-

sgupta & Raha (2004) also does not mention this

species of cobra in their list. We report here for the

first time the occurrence of N. kaouthia (“Su-

phan’Vcream colour morph) from Hazaribag town

of Jharkhand state.

Hazaribag district of Jharkhand forms a part of

Chotanagpur Plateau lying between extent 84°27’E

longitude to 85°55'32"E longitude and 23°25’29”N

latitude to 24 0 49’24” N latitude with an average

elevation of 604 m. It is a region of undulating ter-

rain with residuary hills and intermountain valleys

and is predominantly a forest district with about

36.05% forest area.

The average annual rainfall is 1234.5 mm. Du-

ring peak summer (May) maximum temperature

shoots up to more than 40°C and from December

to early part of January average temperature is 4°C

to 5°C or less.

154

S. Prakash.A. K. Mishra& M. Raziuddin

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

On 15 June 2011, during day time a single live

adult, 208 cm long, cream-coloured, acellate cobra,

hitherto unreported from any part of Jharkhand

state, was rescued live (Fig. 2) from the store house

of a cafeteria in “Swarnajayanti Park” of Hazaribag

town (24° 00’ 21.5” N; 85° 22’ 04.0” E) which is

situated adjacent to "Hazaribag Lake” at an eleva-

tion of 610.5 m. It was temporarily released in a big

play field and photographed using Canon Power-

Shot SX 300IS camera.

The dorsal surface of the cobra was cream co-

loured while the ventral surface was lighter than the

dorsal. It was not observed to spit venom but hissed

explosively and only occasionally protruded ton-

gue. On the basis of absence of any hood mark

(Fig. 3) the specimen was initially suspected to be

N. oxiana which is reported only from extreme

north- west regions of India (Murthy et al., 1979;

Wuster, 1998).

A closer examination of morphological charac-

ters of the rescued atypical cream coloured cobra

however, revealed that it was N. kaouthia Lesson,

1831. Although N. kaouthia typically has a mono-

cellate hood mark which may vary in shape, the re-

scued specimen lacked the hood mark but had

distinct throat pattern characteristic of N. kaouthia.

It had a pair of darker spots on the ventral side

of hood, each surrounded by a distinctly lighter ring

(or a half-circle, or “D-shaped”) with its flat side

towards ventral body midline and the fairly wide

distinctly darker cross band farther back (i.e. farther

posterior) on the ventral side (Fig. 4). Number of

ventral and subcaudal scales was 186 and 48 re-

spectively, less than those described for N. oxiana

Figure 1 . Rescue site of Naja kaouthia in Jharkhand state (India). Extant distribution of the species is shown in yellow

(modified from IUCN, 2011). Figure 2. Naja kaouthia , cream coloured morph. Figure 3. Absence of hood mark in the re-

scued Naja kaouthia. Figure 4. Ventral surface of hood of Naja kaouthia showing distinct throat pattern.

A new record of cream coloured morph of Naja kaouthia Lesson 1 83 1 from Hazaribag Jharkhand, India

155

(Wuster, 1998). This cobra resembled very much a

relatively rare cobra N. kaouthia suphanensis Nu-

taphand, 1986, the so called “Suphan cobra”, a light

coloured snake reported from central Thailand by

Nutaphand (1986) which has been regarded as a

rare taxon with a restricted distribution (Cox, 1991).

Multivariate analysis of morphometry and com-

parative sequencing of cytochrome oxidase sub unit

I (COI) gene of typical monocellate N. kaouthia and

“Suphan cobra” made by Wuster et al. (1995) have,

however, confirmed that the latter is just a colour

variety of N. kaouthia. On the basis of the colour

and absence of hood mark we believe that the re-

scued cobra was the “suphan”/ cream colour morph

of N. kaouthia , a species of cobra reported here for

the first time from Jharkhand state.

Since it is an uncommon species of cobra in the

state, it warrants special conservation measures

which should be addressed separately from those

reserved for the commonly occurring venomous

snakes. The rescued specimen was handed over to

the Hazaribag Wildlife Division office whence it

was subsequently sent to snake park of Bhagwan

Birsa Biological Garden, Ormanjhi, Ranchi, Jhar-

khand for conservation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We wish to thank David Hill, Armed Forces Pest

Management Board, U. S. Army, for his valuable

help in the identification of snake. We also grate-

fully acknowledge the help received from the vo-

lunteers of Neo Human Foundation, Hazaribag Mr.

Murari Singh and Mr. Banaras Singh and the Forest

Department, Hazaribag Wildlife Division.

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