i :
Vol. 79 JULY, 1965 No. 1
THF
NAUTILUS
THE PILSBRY QUARTERLY
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CONCHOLOGISTS
EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS
Horace Burrincton Baker, 11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pa.
(Emeritus Professor of Zoology, University of Pennsylvania)
Charles B. Wurtz. Biology Department.
La Salle College, Philadelphia, Pa. 19141
R. Tucker Abbott, Henry A. Pilsbry Chair of Malacology
i — — Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
larine Biological LaboraiOry ^
LIBRA R V
JUL 13 1965 , CONTENTS
AspeTla (Favartia) anger meyerae, n. sp. By William K. Emer-
WnCffiy ftP^ ^^^//077/y D^Attilio 1
^ Four new land snails from the southeastern United States.
By Leslie Hubricht 4
Two gastroped hosts of the pyramellid gastropod, Odostomia
hisuturalis. By Amelie H. Scheltema 7
The Reverend John Lightfoot, Daniel Solander and the Port-
land Catalogue. By £. Alison Kay 10
Comparison of genitalia of two sympatric species of Haplo-
trema. By Clarence A. Porter 19
On the identity of Conus pastinacea. By William E. Old, Jr. ... 23
New records for Cypraea surinamensis. By William K. Emer-
son and William E. Old, Jr 26
A new species of Lithasia from Mississippi. By William J.
Clench 30
A new species of Clappia from Alabama. By William J.
Clench 33
Notes and news 34 Publications received 36
$4.25 per year ($4.75 to Foreign Countries) $1.25 a copy.
Mrs. Horace B. Baker, Business Manager
11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pennsylvania 19083
Second-Class Postage paid at Spring House, Pa.
NAUTILUS:
A Quarterly Journal devoted to the study of Mollusks, edited and published
by Horace B. Baker, Charles B. Wurtz and R. Tucker Abbott.
Matter for publication should be sent to the senior editor. Manuscripts
should be typexvritten and DOUBLE SPACED throughout, including titles,
footnotes and bibliographies. Galley proof (without manuscript) will be
submitted to authors only if requested, on or attached to first page of MS.
Authors aie charged for engra\ing blocks of plates and/or figures at cost.
Minimum charge for each block is $3.00
Reprints are furnished at printer's rates. Orders should be written on or
ATTACHED TO FIRST PAGE OF MANUSCRIPT. PURCHASE ORDERS, whcu re-
quired, and shipping instructions, MUST accompany original order. Extra
clerical or bookkeeping work because of delayed receipt of purchase orders
will be charged for accordingly:
2 pp. 4 pp. 8 pp.
100 copies 3.25 6.00 9.50
Additional 100s 1.30 2.00 3.00
Plates: Add SI. 25 per plate.
[Postage Extra]
REPRINTS are shipped, with invoices, by Pony Printing, 4 Cloverdale Avenue,
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 19082.
The Nautilus is the official organ of the American Malacological Union.
Information regarding membership in the Union may be obtained from Mrs.
Margaret C. Teskey, Secretary, Route 2, Box 318, Marinette, Wisconsin.
Back Issues: Vols. 3-70, if available, can be obtained from Kraus Periodicals,
Inc., 16 East 46th Street, New York 17, N. Y. Vols. 71 to date are available
from the Nautilus, 11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pennsylvania, and vary
in price.
Wanted: To purchase living land snails, especially polygyrids, Trilobopsis,
Prophysaon and Ariolimax.
Dr. Glenn R. Webb. Kutztown State College, Kutztown, Pa.
THE
NAUTILUS
THE PILSBRY QUARTERLY
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS
OF CONCHOLOGISTS
VOL. 80
JULY, 1966 to APRIL, 1967
EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS
HORACE BURRINGTON BAKER
Professor Emeritus of Zoology, University of Pennsylvania
CHARLES B. WURTZ
La Salle College, Philadelphia, Pa. 19141
R. TUCKER ABBOTT
H. A. Pilsbry Chair of Malacology, Academy of Natural Sciences
MRS. HORACE B. BAKER
Havertown, Pennsylvania 19083
i'ONY PRINTING, UPPER DARBY, PA.
April, 1967 nautilus iii
CONTENTS
Names of new genera, species, etc. in italics
Achatina fulica life history 3, 39
Alabama 32, 53
Alasmidonta marginata 21
Allen, Joyce, death notice 141
Alleghenya Clench & Boss, subgenus of Anculosa 101
American Malacological Union 28, 105
Ampullina 71
Ancilla matthewsi Burch %c Burch 81
Anculosa, subgenus Alleghenya 101, [108]
Arizona 46
Atlantic, eastern 10, 142
western 1, 10, 31, 34, 36, 70, 73, 79,
81, 83, 84, 112, 131, 142, 144
Baker, Edwin Perrin, obituary 69
Barbatia caelata 10
birds transporting snails 80
Brachystyloma carribeana 142
Burch collection 36
California 87
Callocardia texasiana 79
Canada 102, 109
Carunculina pulla 129
Choanopoma terecostatum F. G. Thompson 24
Coats, Ruth E., obituary 140
collection of shells, portable 33
copulation between Triodopsis and Xolotrema 30
Corbicula manilensis 16, 32
correction of 79 (4) : 130 29
Cyclostremiscus schrammi 131
Cymatiidae, distribution 31
Cypraea surinamensis 70
dates of Nautilus ••■ 28
Doridella obscura 73
Dosinia discus 70
Eupera singleyi 33
Florida 29
iv NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (Index)
Georgia 127
Glyphyalinia luticola Hubricht 54
G. pecki Hubricht 55
grants, National Science Foundation 141
Hannibal, Harold, obituary 29
Hawaii 3, 39
Helicodiscus diadema Grimm 119
H. hexodon Hubricht 55
Hydrobia salsa 1 1 2
Illinois 31, 59
Kalendyma vanderrieti Clench 53
Kansas 21
land snails, birth frequency and resistance 29
preference for calcium carbonate 77
Lehmannia poirieri 7 1
Leptoxis (Nitocris) 101, 108
Louisiana 59, 89, 108
Lymnaea stagnalis brunsoni Russell 125
Lyria vegai Clench %c Turner 83
Maine 112
Massachusetts 71, 106
Melarhaphe 37
Mesa, Pedro de, death notice 108
Mesodesma arctatum 1
Mesodon clausiis trossulus Hubricht 53
Mexico 24, 113
Mississippi 108
Missouri 59
Montacuta floridana 144
Montana 125
Muricanthus melanamathos 96
Mya 13, 91
Nassarius limacinus 35
National Science Foundation grants 141
New Brunswick, Canada 102, 109
New Mexico 16
Nitocris 101, 108
North Carolina 106, 127
Notes and news 28, 69, 106, 140
April, 1967 nautilus v
Olivella inconspiciia 35
Oregon 87
Oxyloma salleana, anatomy 59
Pacific, eastern 13, 35, 91
western 96
Panopea bitruncata 36
Parabornia squillina 34
Physa anatina, scalariform 144
Polygyra, genitalia and mating 133
Potamolithus felipponei coiicordianus Parodiz 57
P. peristomatiis misionum Parodiz 57
Praticolella, genitalia and mating 133
Psychobranchus fasciolaris 21
Publications received (1) : iii, 72, (4) iv
slugs introduced 108
scalariform Physa anatina 144
Solomon Islands 52
Sonorella baboquivariensis cossi Miller 46
S. greggi Miller 1 14
S. meadi Miller 50
S. nixoni Miller 116
5. simmonsi Miller 48
South Carolina 127
Sphaeriidae 109
Succinea salleana, anatomy 59
Tennessee 31, 56
Texas 16
Thracia conradi 84
Triodopsis tridentata 30
Turbonilla obscura 142
unione catalog, Ohio River 20
unione introduction 106
Virginia 90, 120
Wheatley, Charles M 20
Xolotrema fosteri 30
vi NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (Index)
INDEX TO AUTHORS
Adegoke, Oluwafeyisola S 91
Baker, H. Burrington 28, 108
Beasley, Clark W. (Branson &) 144
Bleakney, J. Sherman 29
Boss, Kenneth J. (Clench &) 99
, N. K. Ebbs & W. C. Stewart 144
(Moore 8c) 34
Boyer, Paul S 79
Branson, Branley A 21
& Clark W. Beasley 144
Burch, John Q. & Rose L 36, 81
Burch, Rose L 69, 140
Clarke, A. H., Jr 106
Clench, William J 36, 52, 70
& Kenneth J. Boss 99
& M. K. Jacobson 71
& R. D. Turner 83
Corgan, James X 13, 142
D'Attilio, Anthony 96
Davis, John D 1
Dexter, Ralph W (4) iii
Dundee, Dee S 108
, Paul H. Phillips & John D. Newsom 89
Ebbs, N. K. (Boss Sc) 144
Emerson, William K. k WilHam E. Old, Jr 70
Fogan, Marjorie (McMillan &) 20
Franz, David R 73
Franzen, Dorothea S 59
Gore, James F 1 12
Grimm, F. Wayne 119
Herrington, H. B. k N. J. Reigle, Jr 109
(Reigle &) 102
Houbrick, Joseph 130
Hubricht, Leslie 32, 33, 33, 53
Jacobson, Morris K. 8c Gordon Usticke 10
(Clench 8:) 71
Johnson, Richard I 127
April, 1967 nautilus vii
Kekauoha, Willard 3, 39
McMillan, Nora F. Sc Marjorie Fogan 20
Merrill, Arthur S. & Hugh S. Porter 31
Metcalf, Artie L 16
Miller, Walter B 46, 114
Moore, D. R. & K. J. Boss 34
Newsom (Dundee k) 89
Old, William E., Jr. (Emerson &) 70
Parodiz, J. J 56
Phillips (Dundee k) 89
Porter, Hugh S. (Merrill &) 31
Reigle, N. J., Jr. & H. B. Herrington 102
(Herrington k) 109
Rosewater, Joseph 37
Ross, Landon T 71
Russell, Richard H 125
Shasky, Donald R 35
Smith, Allyn G 29
Stewart, W. C. (Boss &) 144
Talmadge, Robert R 87
Teskey, Margaret C 105
Thomas, M. L. H 84
Thompson, Fred G 24
Turner, Ruth D. (Clench &) 83
Usticke, Gordon (Jacobson &) 10
Webb, Glen R 29, 29, 30, 132
Weisbord, Norman E 142
Vol. 80 JULY, 1966 No. 1
THE
NAUTILUS
THE PILSBRY QUARTERLY
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CONCHOLOGISTS
EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS
Horace Burrington Baker, 11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pa.
(Emeritus Professor of Zoology, University of Pennsylvania)
Charles B. Wurtz, Biology Department.
La Salle College, Philadelphia, Pa. 19141
R. Tucker Abbott, Henrv A. Pilsbry Chair of Malacology
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
CONTENTS
Mesodesma arctatum: Fossil and living specimens on Nan-
tucket, By John D. Davis 1
Life history and population studies of Achatina fiilica. By Wil-
Hard Kekauoha [To be continued] 3
What is Area caelata Reeve? By Morris K. Jacobson and Gor-
don Usticke 10
Mya on the Alaskan Peninsula. By James X. Corgan 13
Corbieiila manilensis in the Mesillo Valley of Texas and New
Mexico. By Artie L. Metcalf 16
Anonymous catalog of Ohio River uniones. By Nora F. Mc-
Millan and Marjorie Fogan 20
Alasmidonta marginata and Ptychobranchus fasciolaris in
Kansas. By Branley A. Branson 21
A new pomatiasid from Chiapas, Mexico. By Fred G.
Thompson 24
Notes and news 28 Publications received iii
$4.25 per year ($4.75 to Foreign Countries) $1.25 a copy.
Mrs. Horace B. Baker, Business Manager
11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pennsylvania 19083
Second-Class Postage paid at Spring House, Pa.
NAUTILUS:
A Quarterly Journal devoted to the study of Mollusks, edited and published
by Horace B. Baker, Charles B. Wurtz and R. Tucker Abbott.
Matter for publication should be sent to the senior editor. Manuscripts
should he typewritten and DOUBLE SPACED throughout, including titles,
footnotes and bibliographies. Galley proof (without manuscript) will be
submitted to authors only if requested, on or attached to first page of MS.
Authors are charged for engraving blocks of plates and/or figures at cost.
Minimum charge for each block is $3.00
Reprints are furnished at printer's rates. Orders should be written on or
ATTACHED TO FIRST PAGE OF MANUSCRIPT. PURCHASE ORDERS, when re-
quired, and shipping instructions, MUST accompany original order. Extra
clerical or bookkeeping work because of delayed receipt of purchase orders
will be charged for accordingly:
2 pp. 4 pp. 8 pp.
100 copies 3.25 6.00 9.50
Additional 100s 1.30 2.00 3.00
Plates: Add SI. 25 per plate.
[Postage Extra]
Reprints are shipped, with invoices, by Pony Printing, 4 Cloverdale Avenue,
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 19082.
The Nautilus is the official organ of the American Malacological Union.
Information regarding membership in the Union may be obtained from Mrs.
Margaret C. Teskey, Secretary, Route 2, Box 318, Marinette, Wisconsin 54143.
Back Issues: Vols. 3-70, if available, can be obtained from Kraus Periodicals,
Inc., 16 East 46th Street, New York 17, N. Y. Vols. 71 to date are available
from the Nautilus, 11 Chelten Road, Havertown, Pennsylvania, and vary
in price.
THE NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 July, 1966 No. 1
MESODESMA ARCTATUM: FOSSIL AND LIVING
SPECIMENS ON NANTUCKET
Bv JOHN D. DAVIS
Department of Zoology, Smith College
Nantucket Island is one of the few places on the Atlantic Coast
where fossil specimens of Af^50(i^57??fl fl?<:^fl^wm (Conrad) 1831 can
be found near living populations of the clam. In fact, the proximity
of these two sources of valves has probably led to mixing of fossil
and present day specimens in museum and personal collections.
Some references in the literature list Sankaty Head as a collecting
site for either living or fossil specimens of M. arctatum. In August
1964, I spent a week collecting on Nantucket hoping to determine
the present distribution of M. arctatum on the Island and to find
out, if possible, whether the Sankaty Head area did yield both
fossil and living specimens of this bivalve mollusk.
Sankaty Head fossil deposits were first described by Desor
(1849). Later discussions included Shaler (1889), Curtis and Wood-
worth (1899), Wilson (1905, 1906), and Cushman (1906). The
deposits were determined to be Post-Tertiary and more specifically
described as Pleistocene and Post-glacial. Some disagreement de-
veloped on the manner in which the deposits were formed. Curtis
and Woodworth (1899) , particularly, argued that the material had
been moved to the present location from another by ice action.
This hypothesis is supported to some extent by the fragmented
nature of much of the material.
In August 1964 the following intertidal areas were examined:
(1) South Beach at Madaket, from Long Pond west to the new
cut on Smith's Point, then one-fourth mile north toward Jackson's
Point; (2) One and one-half miles of South Beach eastward from
the end of Hummock Pond; (3) South Beach, one-quarter miles
each side of bathhouse at Surf side; (4) South Beach, one-half mile
east from Tom Nevers Head; (5) Siasconset Beach, from public
parking area north nearly two miles; (6) Eastern Beach, five miles
from Great Point to Wauwinet; (7) Wauwinet, one-quarter mile
of harbor beach; (8) Beach at Pocomo Head; (9) Public beach
1
2 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
area at The Jetties; (10) One-half mile of beach at Dionis. A few
shells of M. arctatiim, obviously recently vacated, were found on
Great Point north of the narrow neck known as The Gauls. Similar
shells were found more abundantly on South Beach east of Tom
Nevers Head, at Surfside, near Cisco and Mioxes Pond and near
the end of Himimock Pond Road. In addition, one live specimen,
31 mm. long, was found in the surf at Surfside. Careful collecting
did not yield any beach shells of M. arctatum at Sankaty Head.
The Sankaty Head fossil desposits were examined on two oc-
casions. Apparently recent beach erosion had sufficiently under-
mined the banks to cause the surface layers to slide down to the
beach, thus exposing again portions of the fossil deposits. The bank
in front of the present Sankaty Head Lighthouse was examined up
to 30 ft. above the beach. Many shell fragments were found, but
few whole valves \vere unearthed. Only one valve of M. arctatum
was identified, and I could not detect any stratification of the bank
described in earlier accounts.
M. arctatum does not appear to live in the area adjacent to
Sankaty Head today. Instead, it is probably most abundant in shoal
areas immediately offshore at Great Point, Tom Nevers Head, and
between Surfside and Hummock Pond. Each of these areas is the
site of a "rip" or shoal extending outward nearly at right angle
to the beach line. The rips at Great Point and Surfside [Hummock
Pond] are prominent enough to have earned names; the former is
known on charts as Point Rip, the latter as Miacomet Rip. These
areas can be located at low water by a line of white water and surf
curving away from shore.
The possibility of confusing beach shells and fossil material is
well illustrated by this situation on Nantucket and points up the
desirability of basing distributional records on living material
whenever possible.
References
Curtis, G. C. and J. B. Woodworth, 1899. Nantucket: A Morainal
Island. Jour, of Geology 7 (3) : 226-236.
Cushman, J. A. 1906. The Pleistocene deposits of Sankaty Head,
Nantucket and their fossils. Nantucket Maria Mitchell Assoc.
1{\): 1-21.
Desor, E. 1849. On the Tertiary and more recent deposits in the
Island of Nantucket. Quart. Tour, of Geol. Soc. London 5; 340-
344.
Shaler, N. S. 1889. The Geology of Nantucket. U. S. Geological
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 3
Survey, Bulletin No. 53, U. S. Gov't. Printing Office, Wash., D. C.
Wilson, J. H. 1905. The Pleistocene formation of Sankaty Head,
Nantucket. Jour, of Geology 13: 713-734.
. 1906. The Glacial History of Nantucket and Cape Cod.
Columbia University Press, Macmillan Co., London and New
York.
LIFE HISTORY AND POPULATION STUDIES
OF ACHATINA FULICA
By AVILLARD KEKAUOH.V
The purpose of this paper is to present certain findings regarding
the Hawaiian form of Achatina fulica Bowdich: (1) period of egg
production; (2) reproductive potential; (3) frequency of ovula-
tion, period, capacity and viability; (4) viability of aborted eggs;
(5) growth, aestivation and self-fertilization; and (6) census of
two local populations.
Determining the Period of Egg Production.
Egg production was determined by fracturing the snails with a
hammer following the "smash" technique suggested by Dr. Yoshio
Kondo, Malacologist, Bernice P. Bishop Museum. A total of 5945
specimens between 50 and 125 mm. in length were examined to
determine the number of egg-bearing snails from the three neigh-
boring locations: Kahuku, Laie and Hauula on Oahu for the 1964
and 1965 seasons (Table I) . No attempt was made to count the
number of eggs in each individual snail during the June 1964 to
July 1965 test. However, the number of eggs ranged from 50 to
over 100 per specimen. In the 1965 season the eggs in snails killed
ranged from 79 to 269 per specimen.
Data collected over a period of 18 months (Table I) show that
the 1964 egg-laying season for Achatina ^vas from June to December
while the egg-laying season for 1965 w^as from May to November.
The data on egg production (Graph A and Table I) disclose
the following significant points: (a) egg-laying commenced on
June 30, 1964 (2% of snails killed had eggs) ; there was a small
increase on August 24 (6%) follo^ved by a drop on October 5
(5%) ; (b) there was a steep rise to November 14 (14.1%) and
^ Science Teacher, Kahuku High School. This research was supported by a
grant (G.E.-7606) from the National Science Foundation as part of the
Research Participation for High School Teachers Program conducted by
the University of Hawaii.
4 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
TABLE I_
SUMMARV OF SMASH TECHIMIQUE
Date No. of snails No. of snails Per Cent snails
killed uith eggs uith eggs
196^
November 28 (15.2%) ; (c) and a sudden drop thereafter on De-
cember 28 (6.6%), arriving at point zero on January 6, 1965.
(General picture is a gradual increase from June to October, a
peak in November, and a quick drop in egg production in De-
July, 1966 NAUTILUS
GRAPH A
PERIODS OF EGG PROOUCTWN
cember. There was no egg production from January 1965 to
April 1965.
The 1965 egg-laying season began on May 3 (0.6%) ; it in-
creased on May 11 (to 7.6%), dropped on July 29 (3.5%) and
suddenly increased on August 4 (9.3%) , followed by a drop on
August 28 (3%) and September (2%) ; it slowly decreased during
October (1%) and November (1%) to a point of no egg produc-
tion on December 1 1 . (General picture is a sudden increase from
April to May with peak production in August, followed by a
sudden drop in September and a gradual decrease in December.)
The 1965 season seems to follow the same pattern as 1964.
Reproductive potential. The reproductive potential of /4<:/?fli?/7a
fulica based on the hundreds of eggs per clutch has been thought
to be enormous. This may be so, but the actual producers per pop-
ulation per season appear to be between 15 and 35% only: (a) a
coarse fecundity test conducted by the "smash" technique tends to
show that at peak of season, only 14 to 15% of the population is
pregnant with eggs; (b) in an undirected experiment in which the
goal was merely to obtain eggs for study from 54 wild snails de-
tected in copulation, these 54 were kept separated from each other
in captivity for 38 days between June 16 and July 23, 1964. Of the
54 only 5 laid eggs; 5 were pregnant, detected by the "smash"
technique; 3 died within those 38 days; 41 had no eggs at any
stage of development. Percentage of pregnancy in this instance is
between 19 and 20%, which is close enough to the above quoted
14-15% to be significant; (c) in a second undirected experiment,
20 infant snails were kept in 2 batches of 10 each for scattergram
plotting of growth rates between July 12, 1964 and January 28,
1965, a period of 6 months 16 days. One laid 271 eggs; 6 were
pregnant when killed and 1 3 had no eggs.. The percentage of preg-
nancy is 35% for this batch.
Frequency of ovulation, period, capacity and viability. Material
Refers to days betueen isolation and the ovulation of the first clutch.
Grayish eggs, infertile; apparently aborted before maturity; not considered
a normal clutch but included necessarily in the data.
for this study was obtained by selecting copulating pairs of Achatina
and keeping each snail in isolation (Table II) .
On July 5, 1964, the 20th day after isolation, snail #3 (smallest
snail, 66.7 mm.) laid 63 eggs; two days later, it laid two more eggs,
making a total of 65 eggs. Snail :^3 laid six separate clutches of
eggs, with egg clutches ranging from 17 to 186 eggs, making a total
of 677 eggs laid over a period of 190 days. A total of 622 eggs
hatched for a viability of 91.2%. (Last clutch of 17 eggs not con-
sidered normal because of low count and infertility. However, such
clutches may be a normal occurrence in this species, according to
Mead and Kondo through personal communication) .
On July 7, 1964, 22 days after isolation, snail #4 laid its first
clutch of 85 eggs. Snail :^4 laid five separate clutches ranging from
85 eggs to 205 eggs over a period of 186 days. A total of 776 eggs
were laid with 716 eggs hatching for a viability of 92.2%.
On July 10, 1964, the 25th day after isolation, snail AQ laid its
first clutch of 400 eggs over a period of 2 clays. Snail AQ laid six
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 7
separate clutches ranging from 185 to 400 eggs per clutch. A
total of 1817 eggs were laid over a period of 196 days, with 1685
eggs hatching for a viability of 92.8%.
On July 24, 1964, the 39th day after isolation, snail BB (the
largest snail of this study, 108.2 mm.) began laying a clutch of 207
eggs and continued to lay 6 separate clutches of eggs for a total
of 1624 eggs during a period of 172 days. Egg clutches ranged
from 138 to 442 eggs, with a total of 1535 eggs hatching for a
viability of 94.5%.
To summarize, data collected and tabulated (Table II) show
that the snails laid five (snail :^4) to 6 clutches of eggs (#3,
AQ, BB) during their 1964 egg-laying season (July 5, 1964 to
January 22, 1965) . The average interval between ovulation is 34
days, with intervals ranging from 20 days (snail #3) to 91 days
(snail #4) . Egg clutches varied from 17 (snail :^3) to 442 (snail
BB) with an average of 213 eggs per clutch. The interval between
the first and last clutch varied from 172 days (snail BB) to 196
days (snail AQ) with an average of 186 days. Hatching time varied
from 5 to 10 days with an average hatching time of 7 days. The
viability of egg clutches varied from 0% (snail i/:3, clutch #6
only) to 100% (snail #4). A total of 4894 eggs were laid with
4558 eggs hatching for an average viability of 93.1 9^ .
While this paper was in preparation, snail #4 laid a clutch of
two dark yellow eggs on July 29, 1965, 201 days after the last
clutch was laid on January 9, 1965, or 410 days after isolation.
This clutch represents the beginning of the second (1965) egg-
laying season and is not included in the present study (Table II) .
Snail #4 also laid 32 eggs on September 10, 1965, 43 days after
the two infertile eggs were laid with a viability of 27 eggs. On
October 5, 1965 (487 days after isolation) 31 more eggs were laid
with 24 eggs hatching. Snails #3, AQ, and BB have not produced
any eggs in the 1965 season.
Summary of ovulation studies
Comparative findings. Number per brood, average per brood,
and size of eggs are close to those quoted by Ghose, Lange, Mead
and Mohr (Kondo, 1964) .
Frequency per season is 5 to 6 clutches per season, differing
from Ghose's one brood per year.
8 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
No. of eggs per clutch 17-442
Average number of eggs per clutch 213
Size of eggs 5x4 mm.
Frequency of ovulation per season 5-6
Interval between first and last clutch 1 86 days
Average interval between clutches 34 days
Total eggs laid per season 677-1817
Average fertility of eggs , 93.1%
Incubation period 1-17 days
1964 egg-laying season July to January
Growth rate Same as Kondo's (1964)
Longevity Observations continuing
Self-fertility Observations continuing
Aestivation None to date (18 months)
The interval between the first and last clutch varied slightly
from 172 to 196 days, with an average of 186 days.
Total eggs per season was between 677 and 1817 for the isolated
individuals.
Fertility averaged 93.1%; greater than Mohr's 80%.
Incubation period of 1-17 days compares well with those of the
other observers.
The 1964 and 1965 egg-laying seasons seem to vary slightly. The
1964 season for the isolated individuals (#3, 4, AQ, BB) began in
July and ended in January, 1965. The 1965 season began with :^4
laying 2 eggs on July 29, 32 eggs on September 18 and 31 eggs
on October 5. This appears to be the extent of the 1965 season.
It should have paralleled the 1965 season as determined by the
"smash" technique (began in May) but so far it has not com-
menced except for the 3 separate clutches of #4. Dr. Kondo tells
me that the supply of sperm in #3, AQ and BB of the July 15,
1964 copulation seems depleted and these 3 may not lay any more
eggs while isolated. Snail #4 seems to have retained a very small
supply of the 1964 sperm which apparently has been carried over
to 1965. Obsei-vations are being continued on all 4 specimens.
Self-fertilization appears negative. Certain evidences seem to
indicate that copulation is necessary to produce fertile eggs: (1) 10
specimens raised together for scattergram, 35% of which became
pregnant; (2) 6 isolated individuals raised from eggs to maturity,
still virgins; and (3) two non-virgins (mixed-up accidentally) now
producing fertile eggs.
July, 1966
NAUTILUS
TABLE III
ABORTED EGGS
Contrary to Kondo's findings, none of the 4 specimens (#3, 4,
AQ, BB) or the 8 snails raised in isolation from infancy (snails A
to H) have aestivated during the 18 months of captivity.
Viability of aborted eggs. During the test for fecundity by the
10 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
"smash" technique, seven egg samples from seven fractured speci-
mens (Table III) were set up to test for viability under four sep-
arate conditions: (a) open vial, no soil, no moisture; (b) capped
vial, no soil, 2 drops of water; (c) capped vial, no soil, with moist
cotton underlying the eggs; and (d) capped vial, moist soil under-
lying the eggs but not covering them. Unbroken eggs were dis-
sected from the uterus and placed in a petri dish, then transferred
to the four separate vials without regard as to where the eggs
were found in the uterus of the snail.
This test showed that yellow eggs hatched but the grayish eggs
did not, indicating that the yellow eggs were mature while the
grayish eggs were immature. (The 70% viability for eggs in moist
cotton was possibly due to the fertile eggs being placed in the vials
close to hatching time.)
A second test (Table IV) was designed to include only yellow
eggs (from three individuals. A, B, C) because the yellow eggs
showed 55 to 70% viability (Table III) . One sample (A) was
subdivided into two gioups, A and A'. Group A included the dark
yellow eggs from the lower uterus while Group A' were a lighter
yellow from the middle or upper uterus of the same individual.
The same conditions were used for this test with the addition of
an airtight vial, no soil or moisture.
Results show that eggs with any shade of yellow were 50 to 70%
viable on moist soil only. In comparing the viability of eggs aborted
from a single snail, the eggs with the dark yellow color had a
higher viability than the eggs that were light or medium yellow
(Table IV) .
[To be continued.]
WHAT IS ARCA CAELATA REEVE?
By morris K. JACOBSON and GORDON USTICKE
Reeve described and figured Area caelata (1844, pi. 16, fig. 110)
from an unknown habitat. Subsequently von Martens (1890, p. 320)
doubtfully listed this taxon from Mauritius on the basis of material
collected there by Mobius. In the same work on the same page he
also cited Area revelata Deshayes 1863 from Bourbon and Mauri-
tius. In 1907 Lamy (p. 92) placed revelata in the synonymy of
eaelata and accordingly gave Mauritius, Bourbon, and Revmion
(the last being the type locality of Deshayes's species) as the "true"
July, 1966
NAUTILUS
11
Top figure: Barbatia caelata (Reeve) , St. Croix, Virgin Islands, \z=i B. Can-
dida (Helbling) ]. Lower figure: B. rexielata (Deshayes) , Mauritius, [= B.
decussata (Sowerby) ]. Both about 2x.
locality of caelata. In this he was followed later by Dautzenberg
(1929, p. 368; 1932, p. 96) and Fischer-Piette (1958, p. 120) who
reported caelata Reeve from Madagascar.
We became interested in this species when the junior author
collected 5 valves of an unusual arcid among material pumped up
by a commercial dredge from about 6 fathoms of water. This
material forms an artificial island lying about 1 mile offshore fiom
Krause's Lagoon on the south shore of St. Croix, Virgin Islands.
12 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
Later we found 2 valves of a very similar arcid in the collection of
the American Museum of Natural History (no. 89531) from Grand
Cayman Island, collector W. A. Swanker. A specimen was collected
in Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, by Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson in 1965.
The junior author was able to visit the British Museum (Natural
History) where he found, upon comparison, that the shells from
St. Croix matched very closely the type specimen of Area caelata
Reeve. Hence we concluded that Reeve's shell lives in the West
Indies and that the name should not be used for the shell from the
Indian Ocean.
Subsequent comparisons of the presumed A. caelata with the
large collections in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel-
phia, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, as wtII as the American
Museum, compelled us to accept the point of view that Reeve's
species is in all likelihood a stiiking variation of the common
Barbatia eandida (Helbling) . The Reeve name was given to a
clean, uncluttered specimen, which, because of differing ecological
conditions, was able to develop strongly frilled, radiating ribs.
The collection in the American Museum also contains a com-
plete, well-matured specimen of Barbatia rex'elata (Deshayes) from
Mauritius (no. 28647) that was originally in the Steward Collec-
tion. This specimen could easily be considered a clean, well-sculp-
tured example of the widely distributed B. deeussata (Sowerby) .
It bears a supeificial resemblance to A. eaelata Reeve but it can
easily be separated as follows: eaelata (Reeve) (= eandida Hel-
bling) has a heavier, more inflated shell with fewer and much
stronger radial ribs, strongly decussated by rows of concentric cords,
that, toward the ventral area, are raised into scale-like structures
where they cross the radial ribs. The six heavy ribs on the posterior
slope are higher and far more strongly decussated than the cor-
responding ribs in revelata Deshayes (^ deeussata Sowerby) . The
differences noted here are also apparent in the figures of Reeve
and Deshayes, copied by Kobelt (1891, pi. 14, fig. 3-5, pi. 47,
fig. 14) . The specimen of B. eaelata figured herein is probably
worn and hence does not show the raised decussations quite as
clearly as in Reeve's figure.
The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Trustees of
the British Museum who generously permitted Mr. Peter Dance to
compare the present specimens with the type of Area eaelata Reeve,
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 13
and to Mr. William Old, Jr., who provided pertinent material from
the collection of the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. R.
Tucker Abbott and Dr. William J. Clench gave valuable advice
and readily made accessible the collections in their respective insti-
tutions for comparative purposes. Dr. William K. Emerson kindly
read the manuscript and provided many helpful suggestions.
Literature cited
Dautzenberg, P. 1929. Faune des colonies francaise, Paris, pp. 321-
636, pis. 4-7.
. 1932. Jour. Conchyl. 76 (l) : 5-119, pi. 1.
Deshayes, M. G. P. 1863. La Revue des deux Mondes, Paris, pp. 1-
144, pis. 28-41.
Fischer-Piette, E. 1958. Jour. Conchyl. 98 (S) : 117-123.
Kobelt, W. 1891. In Martini-Chemnitz, Systematisches Conchylien-
Cabinet, 8 (2) : 1-238, pis. 1-49.
Lamy, Edouard. 1907. Jour. Conchyl., 55(1): 1-111.
Martens, E. v. 1880. Beitrage zur Meeresfauna der Insel Mauritius
und der Seychellen (Mollusken) . Berlin, pp. 181-352, pis. 19-22.
Reeve, Lovell. 1843-1844. Conchologica Iconica, London, vol. 2,
Area, pis. 1-17.
MYA ON THE ALASKA PENINSULA
By JAMES X. CORGAN
Sinclair Oil Sc Gas Company, Tulsa, Oklahoma
This is an adjunct to a monograph of My a by MacNeil (1965) .
Geographic ranges of Mya elegans (Eichwald) and M. japonica
Jay are extended. A possible gap in the distribution of M. truncata
Linne is suggested.
Six species of Mya are currently recognized in the living fauna
and all occur in Alaska. One, M. arenaria Linne, seems to owe its
presence in southeastern Alaska to human introduction. The five
remaining species have, or appear to have, naturally restricted dis-
tributions within Alaska.
In other parts of the world, contrasts between ancient and mod-
ern distributions of species of Mya have proven useful in establish-
ing local glacial and human chronologies. This is not true is Alaska
and the genus is a yet unexploited Alaskan economic resource.
Thus, a recording of new Alaskan Mya localities seemed worth-
while.
Distribution. Most species of Mya range widely outside of Alaska.
Only Alaskan distribution is here considered. For each species.
14
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (1)
MacNeil (1965) provides a specific characterization, a detailed
synonymy, and a list of occurrences. In much abbreviated form,
MacNeil's data are here given as the established range and the
synonymy.
Data. New occurrences, here reported, are based on a suite of 44
beach shell samples obtained from the Alaskan Peninsula and ad-
jacent regions by Allan P. Bennison, of the Sinclair Oil & Gas Com-
pany, and me during the summer of 1965. Collections covei' both
coasts from Pavlof Bay to Wide Bay. All areas mentioned in dis-
cussions of the distribution of species are located in Figure 1.
P a
Figure 1. Index map. Named areas are cited in distribution records.
Literature on Mya in Alaska has been adequately summarized
by MacNeil (1965) . Since specific synonymies are intricate and
modern concepts of species differ significantly from those long held,
MacNeil excluded, or questioned, many published, but unillus-
trated, occurrences. In part, this mass of dubious literature forms
a secondary control and permits a tenuous filling in of patterns
of occurrence.
Mya QArenomya) elegans (Eichwald)
Synonymy: M. crassa Grewingk; M. intermedia Dall; M. pro-
fundior Grand and Gale; and, in part, M. arenaria and M. japonica
of authors.
Distribution: Pribilof Islands; Kuskokwim Bay; Bristol Bay;
Chignik Bay; Kukak Bay.
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 15
New Occurrences: Living: Port Moller Bay; Pavlof Bay; sub-
fossil: in a Port Moller Bay midden.
Remarks: The name M. elegans was first applied in Alaska by
MacNeil (1965) . Interpretation of earlier reports is difficult though
MacNeil noted questioned records on the southern Alaska Penin-
sula and in the Aleutians.
New occurrences, here recorded, significantly extend the defi-
nitely known range in Alaska. They also lend support to Mac-
Neil's interpretation of the unillustrated record.
It should be noted that new records, here established, are also
unillustrated; however, MacNeil's well illustrated monograph
greatly increases the possible reliability of identifications.
My a (Arenomya) japonica Jay
Synonymy: M. oonogai Makiyama and, in part, M. arenaria of
authors.
Distribution: Recent: Nome and Kotzebue Sound; Pleistocene:
Nome to Willapa Bay, Washington.
New Occurrences: Port Moller Bay and 8 miles north of Port
Moller along the Bering Coast. All collections contain shells with
fragments of the ligament attached but the species was not ob-
served alive. Subfossil M. japonica occur in a midden on Port
Moller Bay.
Remarks: Lack of M. japonica in collections from other areas, its
prominence in modern and subfossil faunas of the Port Moller
area, and the marked difference between known Pleistocene and
Recent distributions suggest that the Port Moller population may
be an isolated relict of the more widely distributed Pleistocene
population rather than part of the northern Alaska population.
Mya (Mya) priapus Tilesius
Synonymy: In part, M. arenaria; M. truncata; and M. japonica,
of authors.
Distribution: Northern Bering Sea to the Aleutians to Homer
Spit.
New Occurrences: The most common Mya of the region, present
in all major bays on each coast.
Remarks: The name M. priapus was not in common use prior to
MacNeil (1965).
Other Mya
Mya (Mya) pseudoarenaria Schlesch is recorded by MacNeil
16 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
(1965) from Point Barrow and the Arctic Coast. It does not occur
in peninsular collections. My a (Arenomya) arenaria Linne does
not range as far north as the Alaska Peninsula.
The only other Recent species of Mya is Mya (Mya) truncata
Linne which MacNeil (1965) illustrates from Kodiak Island and
from St. Lawrence Island. The species thus occurs both north and
south of the Alaska Peninsula; however, it is absent from the 44
collections at hand.
Soot-Ryan (MacNeil, 1965, p. 40) states that M. truncata, which
is essentially circumboreal, is absent from the East Siberian Sea.
Possibly it is also absent from the Alaska Peninsula.
In the Anchorage region, at the beginning of the Alaska Penin-
sula, M. truncata is locally the dominant mollusk on modem
beaches. Occurrences seem limited to areas where the Bootlegger
Cove Clay, of Pleistocene age, forms the shoreline. In these areas,
M. truncata is also the most common species in the fossiliferous
Pleistocene clay. All Anchorage specimens which I have seen ap-
pear to be reworked fossils and the species may not occur in the
modern fauna of the Anchorage area. It should be noted that
MacNeil {In Schmidt, 1963; In Miller and Dobrovolny, 1959) had
previously listed M. truncata from the Bootlegger Cove Clay.
References
MacNeil, F. S. 1965. Evolution and distribution of the genus Mya,
and Tertiary migrations of Mollusca. U. S. Geol. Survey Prof.
Paper 483-G. 51 pp. 11 pi.
Miller, R. D. and Dobrovolny, E. 1959. Surficial geology of An-
chorage and vicinity, Alaska. U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1093.
128 pp.
Schmidt, R A. M. 1963. Pleistocene marine microfauna in the Boot-
legger Cove Clay, Anchorage, Alaska. Science, n.s., 141: 350-351.
CORBICULA MANILENSIS IN THE MESILLA VALLEY
OF TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO
By ARTIE L. METCALF
Texas Western College
This report concerns the clam known colloquially as the "Asiatic
clam" and referred by Sinclair and Isom (1963: 33) to Corbicula
(Corbiculina) manilensis (Philippi) . The clam has become estab-
lished in "West Drain" of Mesilla Valley, which is a broadened part
of the Rio Grande Valley extending from El Paso, El Paso County,
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 17
Texas to Radium Springs, Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The
generally north-south trending West Drain crosses the New Mexico-
Texas border in several places; clams were observed in both states.
The term "West Drain" is a locally-used name referring to a drain-
age ditch — one of a system of such ditches that form the chief
permanent-water habitat of the Mesilla Valley. Drains are distinct
from irrigation ditches, which carry water to fields of the valley
and which are dry during the winter months. The drains were
constructed mainly between 1917 and 1930 to alleviate the adverse
effects to agriculture of a rising water table (Clark and Mauger,
1932: 14-16; Conover, 1954: 53-58). The channels of the drains
are generally 6-10 feet deep and 8-20 feet wide at the bottom. The
amount of discharge seems variable. Thus, during the years 1962-
65 there was permanently flowing water in the lower parts of the
major drains (including West Drain) , but the upper reaches were
periodically dry. Water in the drains is usually clear. A narrow
fringe of phreatophytic shrubs and small trees borders the drains
in most places; cottonwoods occur rarely. Along the bottoms of the
drains grasses, rushes, cattails and other plants are common. Water-
cress, duckweeds and algae are the chief aquatic plants. The bot-
tom sediments are mixed silt and sand, with gravels up to six inches
in diameter occurring in some places.
Regarding characters of the shell, specimens from West Drain
are sub trigonal to ovate, possess low umbones, a fine sculpture and
an intensely purple nacreous layer. Of the American specimens
illustrated by Sinclair and Isom (1963) , the clams from West
Drain seem most nearly to resemble figures 31-36, of clams from
Phoenix, Arizona.
C. manilensis seems to have become recently established in West
Drain, although the species has inhabited the drain long enough
for individuals taken in November, 1964 (when the clam was first
observed) to have reached 25 mm. in length and for specimens
taken in November, 1965, to have reached 34 mm. in length. Sin-
clair and Isom (1963: 4) estimated that a specimen of 28 mm.
from Tennessee was four years old. The population of Asiatic
clams in West Drain is probably not of long standing, as bank sedi-
ments contain many shells of other species of aquatic mollusks but
none of C. manilensis. The drains are periodically cleaned by
power-shovel, and the sediments, containing shells taken from the
18 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
bottoms of the drains, are heaped alongside the drains; eventually
much of this shell-bearing sediment falls back down along the
walls of the drains. None of several persons contacted in federal
and state agencies connected with irrigation and agriculture was
aware of the presence of the clams in the Rio Grande Valley, which
also suggests recent establishment. To my knowledge, C. manilensis
has not previously been reported from Texas or New Mexico, the
nearest record being that of Dundee and Dundee (1958) from
Phoenix, Arizona.
Sinclair and Isom (1963: 12) found that C. manilensis occupied
a wide variety of habitats in the Ohio River System of Tennessee
and that its dispersal within a stream system was rapid. It is, then,
of interest that C. manilensis has been found in only one drain,
of many inspected, in the Rio Grande Valley between El Paso,
Texas, and Hatch, New Mexico. Possibly the Rio Grande acts as a
barrier to dispersal between the drains tributary to it, either be-
cause it is an inhospitable habitat for larvae or because it may be
completely dry in some sections when crops are not being irrigated.
These recurrent periods of desiccation of parts of the river (the
longest usually lasting from October to March) preclude establish-
ment of permanent populations in the main channel of the Rio
Grande in this area, except, possibly, immediately below the
mouths of major drains. Alternately, the absence of C. manilensis
in other drains may be attributable to some difference in environ-
mental conditions. This seems especially plausible, because C. ma-
nilensis does not seem to have established populations in the tribu-
taries of West Drain, — Nemexas Drain and Montoya Drain. Be-
tween October, 1964, and January, 1965, chemical analyses were
made of water taken from West Drain and from Nemexas Drain at
places a short distance above their confluence. The chief differences
observed were in degree of hardness, with West Drain yielding
higher values. Samples from West Drain gave readings for total
hardness ranging from 365 to 410 ppm and for calcium hardness
of 280-320 ppm. Water from Nemexas Drain yielded values for
total hardness of 250-290 ppm and for calcium hardness of 180-215
ppm. Leggat, Lowry, and Hood (1962: Fig. 20) obtained values
similar to those noted above for water analyzed from West Drain
(they did not report on Nemexas Drain) . These writers noted
(p. 48) "In general, the drain water increases in dissolved-solids
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 19
content from the upper to the lower end of the West Drain . . . The
increase is due principally to the accretion of ground water in which
mineralization increases toward the lower end of the valley, and
also to the concentration of the dissolved salts in the drain water by
evapotranspiration." The snail Physa anatina Lea was more abun-
dant in Nemexas Drain than in West Drain and there seemed to
be some differences between the aquatic floras of the two drains.
Possibly these floral and faunal differences are related to volume
or velocity of flow, or to chemical composition of the waters.
The negative economic implications of C. manilensis have been
discussed at length by Sinclair and Isom (1963) . In the Ohio River
System it has obstructed pipes carrying water from rivers (the larvae
entering the pipes, attaching to the inner surfaces of the pipes and
then growing to adulthood) , and has become a problem in the
gravel industry (burrowing upward in newly-poured concrete made
with Cor^zcw/a-containing gravels) . Ingram, Keup and Henderson
(1964: 121-122) reported that the high degree of infestation of
Asiatic clams in concrete-lined irrigation canals near Parker, Ari-
zona, necessitated their removal. These authors further noted (p.
124) "... this clam creates nuisance conditions in canals, ditches,
pumps, and cooling systems." Sediments from the drains in Mesilla
Valley are not used in concrete making and, to my knowledge,
water is not piped from the drains for industrial or other purposes.
However, a concrete flume carries the combined waters of West and
Nemexas drains under and across the Rio Grande ca. one-half mile
below the confluence of the drains.
Positive economic aspects of the genus Corbicula have been dis-
cussed by Villadolid and Del Rosario (1930: 355, .870) and Sinclair
and Isom (1963: 27-28) , and include use as human food, as food
for domestic animals, and as fish bait. A party of young fishermen
was once observed industriously collecting C. manilensis for fish
bait from West Drain.
I am grateful to Dr. Ralph Sinclair, Tennessee Department of
Public Health, for information and advice, and to the following
persons, who kindly offered suggestions concerning the manuscript:
Mrs. Eleanor Duke and Dr. Robert G. Webb, Texas Western Col-
lege, and Dr. L. O. Sorensen, Pan American College, Edinburg,
Texas.
20 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
Literature cited
Clark, J. D. and H. Mauger. 1932. The chemical characteristics of
the waters of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. Univ.
New Mexico Bull., Chem. Ser. 2 (2) : 1-35.
Conover, C. S. 1954. Ground-water conditions in the Rincon and
Mesilla valleys and adjacent areas in New Mexico. U. S. Geol.
Surv. Water-supply Pap. 1230: 1-200.
Dundee, D. S. and H. A. Dundee. 1958. Extensions of known
ranges of four mollusks. Nautilus 12: 51-53.
Ingram, W. M., L. Keup, and C. Henderson. 1964. Asiatic clams
at Parker, Arizona. Nautilus 77(4): 121-125.
Leggat, E. R., M. E. Lowry, and J. W. Hood. 1962. Ground-water
resources of the lower Mesilla Valley, Texas and New Mexico.
Texas Water Comm. Bull. 6203: 1-191.
Sinclair, R. M. and B. G. Isom. 1963. Further studies on the intro-
duced Asiatic clam (Corbicula) in Tennessee. Tennessee Dept.
Public Health Publ. pp. 1-77.
Villadolid, D. V. and F. G. Del Rosario. 1930. Some studies on the
biology of Tulla (Corbicula manilensis Philippi) , a common
food clam of Laguna de Bay and its tributaries. Philippine Agri-
culturist 19 (6) : 355-382.
ANONYMOUS CATALOG OF OHIO RIVER UNIONES
By NORA F. McMILLAN and MARJORIE FOGAN
An apparently unknown conchological publication listing the
Unionacea of the Ohio River was recently acquired by one of us
(M. F.) and has prompted the present note.
The work is a 20 page pamphlet in small 8vo. and the title-
page runs: "Catalogue / of the / unios, / alasmodontas, and ano-
dontas / of the / Ohio River and its northern tributaries, /
Adopted by the Western Academy of Natural Sciences, / of Cin-
cinnati, January, 1849, / Cincinnati; / printed by J.A. & U.P.
James." Alternate pages are blank and unnumbered; on the num-
bered pages 67 species are listed and in most cases some synonyms
are given. None of the species appears to be new.
There is no indication of the author's identity but an unsigned
slip pasted on the back of the title-page states "Mr. Wheatley seems
to have given up the shells I could not procure a copy of his cata-
logue here but beg you will accept of my only copy." The hand-
writing is old and unfamiliar; it is not that of Lea. The title-page
bears the autograph "Dr. Sorrain" in a quite different ink and
hand-writing.
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 21
Charles Moore Wheatley was born in 1822 and died in 1882.
An engineer by profession, he was not a prolific writer and John-
son (1959) only mentions two conchological papers by Wheatley,
a privately-printed "Catalogue of the shells of the United States,
with their localities" (1842; a second edition was issued in 1845)
and "Revision of M. Petit's catalogue of the genus Monocondylaea
D'Orb." (Am. Journ. Conch. /; 65-67. 1865) . He also published a
few papers on geological subjects. Lea named a number of species
after "my friend C. M. Wheatley who has done so much for this
branch of natural history," and in the case of Diplodon luheatley-
anus (Lea) stated "was sent to me some time since by Mr. C. M.
Wheatley who procured it from the Rio Negro, at the distance of
1200 miles from the mouth of the Amazon. . . . ". Wheatley is
described by Dall (1888, p. 118) as "of Phoenixville, Pennsyl-
vania"; an account of the present location of his collections is given
by Johnson (1959) .
Perhaps it is not quite correct to refer to the subject of this note
as being an unknown work for in Lea's 1870 Synopsis it is referred
to on p. 171, without, however, ascription to any author.
Photostats of the Catalogue are now in the possession of Mr. A.
Blok (Rottingdean, England) , Dr. Haas (Chicago) , and Mr. F. R.
Woodward (Paisley, Scotland) .
Neither Dr. Clench nor Dr. Haas knew of the existence of this
Wheatley catalogue and we are grateful to them for their interest
in the matter and to Dr. Clench for a copy of Johnson's paper on
the Wheatley collections.
References
Dall, W. H. 1888. Some American conchologists. Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington 4: 95-134.
Johnson, R. L 1959. The Charles M. Wheatley collections. Nautilus
73: 72-3.
Lea, L 1870. A synopsis of the family Naiades. 4th ed. Philadelphia.
ALASMIDONTA MARGINATA AND PTYCHOBRANCHUS
FASCIOLARIS IN KANSAS
By BRANLEY A. BRANSON
Dept. Biol., Eastern Kentucky State College, Richmond, Kentucky
In their survey of the unionid mussels of Kansas, Murray and
Leonard (1962) indicated that clear-water streams were absent in
Kansas, the combined results of unwise farming practices and strip-
22
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (1)
mining by-products. In general, this is unfortunately true. How-
ever, in the extreme southeastern corner of Cherokee County (Map
1) the Carolinian Biotic Province barely dips into the state, and
in that area Shoal Creek flows for 5 miles to its confluence with
Spring River. Shoal Creek is quite clear, being fed by numerous
springs, and as such is one of the most important ecological ele-
ments in the state. For example, 62 per cent of the fish species
known from Kansas also occur in Shoal Creek and/or adjacent
Spring River, and 14 species, or 11 per cent of the total fauna, are
known only from that stream (unpublished data) . There are also
several mollusks known only from that area.
Map 1. Position of the Spring River Drainage in Kansas, the only Ozarkian
system in the state.
During the preceding 4 years, the author has been conducting
an extensive biological survey of the Spring River Drainage in
Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas. As a matter of course, a collecting
station was selected on Spring River proper at the point where the
river crosses Kansas State Highway 96, R 25 N, T 33 S, Cherokee
County. This site is characterized by a series of braided channels,
gravel-bottomed riffles of 21/2 feet to 3 feet in depth, and great
quantities of Dianthera americana. It lies near the mouth of Cow
Creek, a small muddy and badly polluted stream of approximately
30 miles in length, and about two miles above the mouth of Shoal
Creek. The water is relatively clear. On 14 March 1964 a collecting
J
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 23
party visited this station and secured extensive samples of fishes
and moderate ones of pelecypod mollusks. In the mussel samples
were discovered 3 specimens of Alasmidonta marginata Say and one
of Ptychobranchus fasciolaris (Rafinesque) .
Alasmidonta marginata has not heretofore been known from
Kansas, although we have numerous records for the species in Okla-
homa and Missouri. The largest specimen measured 97.0 mm. in
length, and 47.0 mm. in greatest depth.
Since no specimens of P. fasciolaris have been collected in Kansas
since 1890 (Murray and Leonard, 1962) , and since there seems to
have been considerable confusion as regards which species of
Ptychobranchus was actually present in the original collections
(Simpson, 1914; Scammon, 1906), our specimen is of considerable
interest. The shell is 98.2 mm. in length and 55.8 mm. in greatest
depth. It is strongly compressed and quite heavy, the nacre being
pearly white. The umbones are very low and compressed, slightly
eroded. The epidermis is greenish-horn posteriorly, grading to
darker horn anteriorly. There are approximately 16 green, wavy,
thin lines radiating from the umbonal region on the posterior slope.
Internally, the pseudocardinals are rather small and moderately
sen^ate. The laterals are characteristically short, decurved and
heavy. The long, broad interdentum is smooth, and the beaks are
nearly flush with its sides. The muscle scars are characteristic for
the species: retracter small, deeply placed beneath the lateral
tooth; adductor deep, directed posteriad. Anterior scars also deep,
in front of pseudocardinals. The pallial line is distinct and im-
pressed for its entire length.
The two species discussed briefly above were found associated
with the following mussels. The number in parentheses indicates
the number of specimens secured in this random sample. Lasmigona
costata Rafinesque (2), Plethobasis cypha (Rafinesque) (1) ,
Strophitus rugosus (Swainson) {\1) , Tritogonia verrucosa (Rafin-
esque) (12) , Actinonais carinata (Barnes) (15) , Anodonta grandis
Say (1) , Qiiadrula quadrula Rafinesque (11) , Quadrula pustulosa
(Lea) (17 pustulate, 10 non-pustulate) , Qiiadrula nodulata Rafin-
esque (1), Lampsilis anodontoides (Lea) (1), Lampsilis luteolus
Simpson (= L. siliquoidea Barnes) (9) , Lampsilis ovata (Say)
(28) , Amblema costata Rafinesque (6) , Elliptio dilatatus (Rafin-
esque) (27) , Ligumia recta (Lamarck) (3) , Ligumia subrostata
24 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
(Say) (7), Fusconais flava (Rafinesque) (12), Pleurohema cor-
datum Rafinesque (5) .
This is a fairly respectable fauna, and it doubtless reflects the
ameliorating influence of the unpolluted waters of nearby Shoal
Creek.
Literature cited
Murray, H. D. and A. B. Leonard. 1962. Handbook of unionid
mussels in Kansas. Misc. Pub. Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist.
28: 1-184.
Scammon, R. E. 1906. The Unionidae of Kansas, Part 1. Kansas
Univ. Sci. Bull. 3: 279-376.
Simpson, C. T. 1914. A descriptive catalogue of the naiades or
pearly freshwater mussels. Pub. Bryant Walker, Detroit, Mich.,
1914: i-xii; 1-1540.
A NEW POMATIASID FROM CHIAPAS, MEXICO
By FRED G. THOMPSON
Florida State Museum, University of Florida
Recent collections from Mexico have produced an interesting
new land snail of the family Pomatiasidae. Characteristics of its
operculum and radula place it in the genus Choanopoma, subgenus
Choanopomops as defined by Baker (1928: 47-49) . Because of its
smooth, costulate sculpture it is named:
Choanopoma terecostatum^ new species. Figs. 1, 5, 7
Shell (figs. 7) conical, 0.53-0.60 times as wide as long. Shiny;
light orange in color with vague alternating light and dark zones;
slightly darker on upper whorls. Peristome and aperture same color
as rest of shell. Shell with 4 faint, narrow, broken rose-colored
bands which may be indistinct in old specimens; upper 2 bands
located near periphery of whorls and visible through length of
shell; lower 2 bands evident only on base of last whorl. Decollate,
4.2-4.7 whorls remaining. About 2.0-2.5 juvenile whorls lost in
adult shells. Apical plug purplish, sloping, about 14 whorl long.
Suture deeply impressed. Whorls strongly inflated; supraperipheral
area moderately curved, sloping, not shouldered; peripheral and
subperipheial area more strongly rounded. Umbilicus about 1/5-
1/6 diameter of shell. Aperture adnate to preceding whorl; broadly
ovate, 1.07-1.16 times as high as wide; 0.34-0.36 times length of
decollate shell. Inner peristome not extended; demarcated only as
a strong annulation on lip. Outer peristome strongly expanded;
Illy, 1966
NAUTILUS
25
Opercula of Mexican Clwanopoma. Fig. 1, C. terecostatiuu Thompson,
frontal view. 2, C. martejisionum (Pilsbry) , frontal view. 3, C. sumichrasti
chiapense Crosse and Fischer, frontal \iew. 4, C. sumichrasti chiapense Crosse
and Fischer, tranverse section. 5, C. terecostatum Thompson, transverse sec-
tion. 6, C. marteiisianum (Pilsbry) , transverse section. Scale equals 1 mm.
about 0.5-0.8 mm. wide or about 1/5-1/7 width of aperture; widest
at upper corner, which is vertical and not deflected. Duter peris-
tome constricted in parietal region and only slightly flexed forward.
Sculpture of adult shell consisting of smooth, uniformly spaced
axial ribs that are slightly oblique and weakly recurved. Five-six
ribs per mm. on body whorl; slightly more crowded on early whorls.
26
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (1)
Fig. 7. CJioauopoma terecostalum Thompson, Type (liMM/. 210554)
Ribs of iinitorm intensity from suture to innbilicus, where they
become reduced to sharp threads. Spiral sculpture absent. 1 wo em-
bryonic whorls (lost from adult shells) smooth.
Opercidum flat, consisting of about 3.5 rapidly expanding whorls.
Nucleus acentric. Calcareous lamella broadly reflected over basal
chondroid plate and nearly covering latter (fig. 1) . Reflected
lamella parallel to chondroid plate and supported by nimierous
narrow calcareous buttresses and ribs that parallel growth stria-
tions (fig. 5) . Lamellae of adjacent whorls separated.
Measurements of type: length, 12.4 mm.; minor diameter, 7.1
mm.; aperture length, 4.4 mm.; aperture width, 4.1 mm.; lip, 0.8
mm. wide; 4.4 whorls remaining.
Measurements of paratypes: length, 12.0-13.1 mm.; minor diam-
eter, 6.5-7.3 mm.; aperture length, 4.2-4.4 mm.; aperture width,
3.8-4.1 mm.
Type locality: Limestone hillside 15.8 miles northwest of Ocozo-
coautla, Chiapas; 2700 ft. alt. TYPE: UMMZ. 216554; collected
July 21, 1965 by Fred G. Thompson. Paratypes: UMMZ. 216555
(6), USNM, 669201 (1) , ANSP. 305061 (1) , MCZ. 260881 (1),
Museo Nacional de Mexico (1) ; same data as the type. UMMZ.
216556 (1) ; 13.4 mi. n.w. of Ocozocoautla.
C. terecostatum is distinguished from all other mainland species
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 27
oi the genus Choanopoma (as defined by Solem, 1961: 194-195) by
its smooth, costulate sculpture, its lack of spiral sculpture, and its
operculum, which bears a broadly reflected calcareous lamella re-
inforced by numerous thin calcareous buttresses and ribs.
Relationships with other mainland forms are indicated by the
structure of the operculum. On the basis of opercular similarities
C. terecostatiim is closely related to the group of species that con-
tains C. martensianum^ (Pilsbry) (figs. 2, 6), C. gaigei Bequaert
and Clench, C. largillierti (Pfeiffer) and C. radiosum (Morelet) ,
although no particular relationship is indicated with any of these
species. It is distinguished from all by its lack of spiral sculpture
and by its smooth axial ribs. C. martensianum is geographically the
closest related form to C. tei'ecostatum, being found in adjacent
regions of Tabasco. C. martens ia?2um differs from C. terecostatum
in being more slender (0.40-0.50 times as wide as long) , in having
rugose sculpture due to the occurrence of nodes on the axial ribs
where they cross spiral threads, in having the upper corner of the
outer peristome recurved posteriorly, and in being light brown in
color with four or more broken peripheral bands.
Superficially, C. terecostatum resembles C. sumicJirasti Crosse
and Fischer because of similarities of their axial sculpture and their
lack of spiral sculpture, but these similarities are secondary, for
C. sumichrasti has a simple reflected opercular lamella that lacks
reinforcing calcareous buttresses or deposits (figs. 3, 4) .
The shell of Choanopoma terecostatum is nearly identical to
that of Chondropoma rubicundum (Morelet) , but the latter species
is immediately recognized by its simple, chitinous operculum.
SpecimeJis Examined. Material examined during this study sig-
nificantly adds to the distributions of several species reported by
Solem (1961: 191-213).
Choanopoma martensianum (Pilsbry)
Tabasco: 2.6 mi. e. Teapa; 1.5 mi. e.n.e. Teapa; 4.0 mi.
w. of Teapa; hill 9.2 mi. s. Tacotalpa.
Choanopoma radiosum (Morelet)
Guatemala (Dept. Izabel) : Puerto Matias de Galvez; 4 km. n.
of Morales.
Choanopoma sumichrasti var. chiapense Crosse and Fischer
Chiapas: 8.6 mi. e. Chiapa de Corzo, 3100'; 14.9 mi. e. of
Chiapa de Corzo, 4400'; 8.0 mi. n. Tuxtla Gutierrez, 3800'.
28 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
Choanopoma sumichrasti var.
Chiapas: 4.5 mi. n. Bochil, 4600'.
Choanopoma sumichrasti var.
Chiapas: 1.4 mi. s. La Trinitaria.
Choanopoma sumichrasti (?) var.
Chiapas: 8.2 mi. s. Solusuchiapa, 1600'.
Choanopoma gaigei Bequaert and Clench
Campeche: Eight localities (to be reported later) . Qidntana
Roo: 4.0 mi. e. Xpujil (Campeche) ; 7.1 mi. n.n.w. Polyuc; 2.3 mi.
s.s.e. Polyuc.
Yucatan: 0.8 mi. n.e. Becanchen.
Choanopoma largillierti (Pfeiffer)
Campeche: Seventeen localities (to be reported later) . Quintana
Roo: 4.0 mi. e. Xpujil (Campeche) ; 7.1 mi. n.n.w. Polyuc; 2.3 mi.
s.s.e. Polyuc. Yucatan: 7.0 mi. s.s.e. Uman; 19.1 mi. s.s.e. Uman;
0.8 mi. n.e. Bechanchen; 10.0 mi. n.e. Bechanchen; 3.2 mi. s.
Progieso; 1.0 mi. s.s.e. Puerto Telchac; Uxmal.
Choanopoma sp.
Ten localities in Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo. (To
be reported later.)
Material upon which this study is based was collected with the
support of the National Institutes of Health research grant number
5 ROl. CM. 12300-02. All material, unless otherwise stated, has
been deposited in the Florida State Museum.
Literature cited
Baker, H. B. 1928. Mexican mollusks collected for Dr. Bryant
Walker in 1926, I. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool Univ. Mich., (193) :
1-63.
Solem, A, 1961. A preliminary review of the pomatiasid land snails
of Central America (Mollusca, Prosobranchia) . Arch. Moll., 90:
191-213.
NOTES AND NEWS
Dates of the nautilus. — Vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 1-36, iii, pis. 1-3,
was mailed July 9, 1965. No. 2, pp. 37-72, iii, pi. 4, Oct. 15, 1965.
No. 3, pp. 77-108, iii, Jan. 25, 1966. No. 4, pp. 109-144, iii, and
Index, pp. iii-vii, April 25, 1966. — H. B. B.
American Malacological Union. — The 32nd annual meeting
will be held Aug. 22-27, 1966, at the University of North Carolina,
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 29
Chapel Hill, N. C. Reservations will be made by James E. Wads-
Avorth, Wilson Court, Chapel Hill, N. C. 27514.
Correction. — The submission of a reversed photograph, fig. 1
on p. 1 30 of the April issue, was an oversight by the author and he
wishes to apologize for this misrepresentation. — J. Sherman
Bleakney.
Harold Hannibal 1889-1965. — Word has just been received
at the California Academy of Sciences of the death of Harold
Hannibal on December 17, 1965, after a prolonged illness. Con-
chologists will remember Mr. Hannibal for his work on fresh-water
mollusks of the West Coast, especially for his chapter on them in
the 1910 edition of Keep's "West Coast Shells" and his "Synopsis
of the Recent and Tertiary Mollusca of the Californian Province"
published in 1912 in the Proceedings of the Malacological Society
of London. He was a graduate of Stanford University with a major
in paleontology and was also the author of several important papers
in this field. — Allyn G. Smith.
Land snail resistance to cold. — A paper bag of aestivating
snails was placed in my car January 2, 1949, and accidentally left
there overnight at below freezing temperatures. It was then placed
in a warm room for two weeks. All the snails were alive when
placed in the bag. The dead specimens are in parentheses. Ashmu-
nella rhyssa edentata 1 (2) ; Allogona profunda 1 (1) ; Bradybaena
similaris 0 (3) ; Cepaea nemoralis 0 (5) ; Hehninthoglypta traski
fieldi 0 (5) ; Mesodon kiowaensis 0 (7) ; Monadenia fidelis 3 (5) ;
Theba pisiana 1 (1) ; Oreohelix strigosa (from near Salt Lake,
Utah) 1 (2) . — Glenn R. Webb.
Birth frequency in Lacteoluna selenina (Gould) — Three
surviving adults of material collected at Coral Gables, Florida, in
the spring of 1950 were isolated into tin-can cages A. B. and C.
Each can was nearly completely filled with earth and covered with
a square of glass. The specimens were caged March 18, 1951. When
young were found in the cages, the adults were placed in a new
can-cage. This prevented unseen young from accumulating in the
cage and confusing the results. Cage A yielded one young March
30; another young April 8. Cage B had 4 young of two sizes March
30 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
30; one young April 1 ; one young April 8. Cage C contained two
young March 23; two more young March 30; and one young April
8, 1951. Apparently the species gives birth to one or two young at
nearly weekly intervals. Probably the process is seasonal.
A combined courtship and birth occurred on April 15, 1951. On
this occasion the 3 adults had been placed in one cage for observa-
tions on possible matings. Soon a pair were seen head-on with fore-
parts detached from the cage cover-glass. They then pressed their
foreparts or 'necks' together laterally. One then turned away and
pivoted counterclockwise (as viewed through the glass) and re-
joined its mate head-on. The pair remained passively head-on for
about an hour, became active again, but then separated. Later a
pair were seen in courtship. Again the necks are pressed together
on the non-genital-^Dore side. Both pivot, rejoin head-on. Repeat
the "necking" act as before. During the act the lips or lower part
of pedal disk is projected forward as an angularity. One begins
to pivot; the other suddenly gives birth to a young snail. This
egresses easily from the atrial pore and is not enclosed in egg or
other membranes. The parent crawls forward and meets the partner
which fails to respond. The parent continues crawling and en-
counters the third adult and makes head-on advances. The latter
does not respond; the ex-mother commences to gnaw on its aperture
edge. It turns and the third snail and it engage in the "necking"
act. The sides in contact are the non-genital-pore sides. The third
snail climbs onto the ex-mother's shell and the latter crawls off
twitching the shell. The snail descends from the shell; the ex-
mother crawls on and comes within tentacle sensing distance of the
new-born. The parent turns from it, and it turns from the parent.
No baby-eating here.
Under the dissecting scope the new-born is seen to have the dorsal
surface of the spire marked with fine spiral lines, but hairs or
papillae are lacking. The young shell is not subcarinated. The
new-born was observed to crawl a few minutes after being born.
None of the adults mated. — Glenn R. Webb.
Copulations between Xolotrema (Wilcoxorbis) fosteri
AND Triodopsis tridentata frisoni. — On May 29, 1952 a
frisoni and a fosteri were found copulating. I tried gently pulling
them apart but found they were united by the sex-organs. Reci-
procality was not evident.
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 31
A second such mating was noted June 5, 1952. The long penis
of the fosteri extended across the front of the foot and into the
orifice of the female-organ of the frisoni. As I began to invert the
cage cover-glass to examine the details of the union, they disen-
gaged and I saw the penis-tip of the fosteri withdrawn across the
foot of the other, which had the orifice of the female-organ filled
with whitish material, possibly received semen. The frisoiii had not
everted its penis. Two days later this snail was noted with its fore-
parts in the soil; I then dug up and removed 4 eggs from the spot.
The specimens of X. fosteri (F. C. Baker) derive from specimens
collected about April 5, 1947 from the Mississippi River floodplain
near Tiptonville, Tennessee by William Robertson. The T. t. fri-
soni F. C. Baker derive from specimens collected April 20, 1947 by
Tom Hanning and Quintin Pickering near Shetlerville, Hardin
County, Illinois. — Glenn R. Webb, Kutztown State College,
Kutztown, Pa.
Further note on distribution of cymatiidae in western
Atlantic. — Range extensions for juveniles of two species of
Cymatiidae found on navigation buoys off South Carolina were
reported by Merrill (1961, Nautilus 73 (3) : 94-95) . He postulated
that the specimens were adventitious, that in their larval stage they
had been carried northward of their normal range by the Gulf
Stream, and therefore probably were unable to overwinter and re-
produce at the higher latitude. This supposition was strengthened
by the fact that no Cymatiidae had been reported from bottom
habitats north of southern Florida in the latest monograph (Clench
and Turner, 1957, Johnsonia 3(30): 189-244).
The occurrence of larval cymatiids in the Gulf Stream north of
their reported range can now be documented. Dr. Rudolph Schel-
tema of the Woods Hole Oceanogiaphic Institution has been col-
lecting plankton extensively in the open waters of the Atlantic
Ocean.. He informs us (personal communication) that larval Cyma-
tiidae are widely distributed in his collections over the North At-
lantic. One species, probably Cymatium parthenopeum, was taken
from a sample east of the Grand Banks at Latitude 47° 30', much
farther north than adults are recorded.
Mr. Richard Petit of Ocean Drive Beach, South Carolina
brought to the attention of the senior author the fact that a shrimp
trawler had dredged a live specimen of Cymatium parthenopeum,
32 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
93 mm. long, 40 miles offshore of McClellanville, South Carolina,
in 40 fathoms, June 1962. This find stimulated extensive dredging
by Merrill and Petit in the offshore waters of South Carolina. The
work produced many new range extensions, most of which were
several hundred miles northward from southern Florida. The first
report of these extensions has been published (Merrill and Petit,
Nautilus 7P (2) : 58-66) . In all, 5 species of Cymatium now have
been reported from South Carolina.
Two species of Cymatium were later taken from the catch made
by a trawler in January 1963, southeast of Cape Lookout, North
Carolina, in 18-20 fathoms. Two specimens of Cymatium partheno-
peum (Von Salis) 1793 measured 95 and 195 mm. (I.F.R., U.N.C.
Moll. Coll. #1107.1 and 1107.2) and two specimens of Cymatium
poulsenii (Morch) measured 65 and 72 mm. (I.F.R., U.N.C. Moll.
Coll. #1106.2 and 1106.1) , The collections at Cape Lookout ex-
tended the known range of both species, which have been reported
previously from South Carolina by Merrill and Petit (op. cit.) .
In January 1965, during a surf clam cruise off Chincoteague
Inlet, Virginia (Lat. N. 37°40'; Long. W. 75°15'), two shells of
adult Cymatium poulsenii, both measuring about 75 mm., were
dredged up from 12 fathoms. The shells were inhabited by hermit
crabs; although worn they still possess color and texture and do
not appear to be fossils. If adult specimens are found alive at this
latitude it will represent a significant advance northward from
Cape Hatteras. — Arthur S. Merrill, Bureau of Commercial Fish-
eries, Biological Laboratory, Oxford, Maryland and Hugh S.
Porter, Institute of Fishery Research, University of North Caro-
lina, Morehead City.
CoRBicuLA MANiLENsis (Philippi) in the Alabama River Sys-
tem. — Corbicula was first found in the Alabama River System in
the Mobile River, 1 mile north of Bucks, Mobile Co., Alabama, in
the spring of 1962 (Nautilus 77: 31) . Adults were very abundant
at this locality. They were found in lesser numbers several miles
up the river at Chastang Bluff. During the fall of 1964 two young
specimens were collected in the Alabama River at Claibone (Nau-
tilus 78: 106) . In the fall of 1964, adults were found abundant in
the Tombigbee River, at Ezells Fish Camp, east of Lavaca, Choc-
taw Co., Alabama.
During the fall of 1965, numerous localities in the lower Ala-
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 33
bama River system were visited to determine the extent o£ the
distribution of Corbicula. In the Alabama River adults were found
abundant at Choctaw Bluff, Clarke Co. One mile below Claiborne,
Monroe Co., dead adults were abundant where they had been
caught by lowering of the water level, but living immature speci-
mens were common. In the Cahaba River a single dead shell was
found on a sand bar 1.5 miles southwest of Sprott, Perry Co.
In the Tombigbee River adults were found abundant at Mc-
Cartys FeiTy, southeast of Ararat; young were very abundant at
Tuscahoma Landing, eastsoutheast of Butler, Choctaw Co. Numer-
ous immature specimens were found at Lock no. 3, southeast of
Whitfield; adults were abundant below the Demopolis Dam, 2
miles east of McDowell, Sumter Co. Several young specimens were
found 1.5 miles northeast of Cochrane, Pickens Co. Twelve young
specimens were collected in Sucarnochee Creek, east of Bellamy,
Butler Co.
At Tuscahoma Landing only two adults were found but the bot-
tom was literally paved with young, which indicates an extremely
high rate of reproduction. Judging by the size modes it must re-
quire 4 or 5 years for them to reach maximum size. — Leslie
HUBRICHT.
Habitat of Eupera singleyi Pilsbi7. — Eupera singleyi is
known from rather scattered records from streams in the Gulf
Coastal Plain. The paucity of records is due in part to the absence
of collecting within its range, and also to a lack of understanding
as to its habitat. Eupera singleyi rarely is found by sifting mud and
sand, a procedure usually used for collecting other Sphaeriidae. It
is usually found attached by byssi to the undersides of stones and
water-lodged wood, but sometimes to the roots of trees and to aqua-
tic plants.
In the aquarium they move about on top of the sand without
leaving a furrow. They can readily crawl up the glass and suspend
themselves from the surface to find a suitable place for attachment
among floating plants. — Leslie Hubricht.
A PORTABLE shell COLLECTION. — When I Started collecting
shells, I followed the usual practice of placing them in trays in the
shallow drawers of a cabinet. This worked fine until I had to move.
Packing them required a full week. Since my work would require
34 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
moving occasionally, it became necessary to find a means of storing
the collection where the specimens would be readily available for
study, but where they could be moved without laborious packing.
My solution of this problem consisted of using army plywood
foot lockers for cabinets. The tops of these were fastened down and
the fronts were opened and hinged so that the lockers could be
stacked. All of the shells were put into vials or plastic boxes. To
hold these, cartons were made of corrugated pasteboard 7 by 14
inches in size; the height varied with the size of the vials or plastic
boxes they were to contain. This size carton would fit in four stacks
in the foot lockers. Separators of card were made for the cartons to
hold the vials in place and prevent breakage. These lockers when
full were light enough so that they could be lifted and carried by
one man without strain. The collection has been moved several
times without any damage to the specimens.
The one disadvantage of this system is that all lots of a species
cannot be kept together, because the different sizes of vials are in
different cartons. A single specimen of a species would fit into one
size vial and a large series would require another size, so that a
species of which there were many lots could be in several sizes of
vials or plastic boxes. In order to find a certain lot of a species, it
was necessary to have a catalog. This consisted, under each species,
of the collection number, county and state where collected, and the
size of vial in which it was contained. With this any lot could be
readily found. — Leslie Hubricht.
Records for Parabornia squillina. — Moore (1961. Gulf Re-
search Reports, 7(1), 58 pp.) noted a small bivalve which was tenta-
tively referred to the genus "Lepton" on the stomatopod crustacean,
Lysiosquilla scahricauda (Lamarck), in Mississippi. Boss (1965.
Amer. Mus. Novitates, no. 2215, 11 pp., 3 figs.) described Para-
bornia squillina as a commensal erycinid attached to the ventral
surface of the abdomen and thorax of L. scabricauda from the
Caribbean coast of Panama. Boss ([in press]. Malacologia. Symbi-
otic Erycinacean Bivalves) indicated that Moore's "Lepton" is
P. squillina. The present note is to record additional specimens
and measurements of P. squillina and to document its range. Four
specimens of this bivalve were taken by W. Demoran from L. sca-
bricauda collected at Horn Island, Mississippi, and another six in-
dividuals were recovered in the same area from L. scabricauda col-
July, 1966 NAUTILUS 35
Iccted at Dog Keys Pass, Mississippi. Two of the specimens are
larger than any in the type series and are 7.48 mm. X ^^-90 mm. X
2.28 mm. and 7.32 mm. X 4.88 mm. X 2.28 mm. respectively. —
D. R. Moore, Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami,
Miami, Florida, and K. J. Boss, Ichthyological Laboratory, Bureau
of Commercial Fisheries, Washington, D. C. Contribution No. 673
from the Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, Uni-
versity of Miami.
Range and BathvxMEtric extensions for Olivella incon-
spicuA AND Nassarius limacinus. — OUvclla (Minioliva) incon-
spiciia (C. B. Adams, 1852), apparently has never been collected
outside of Panama. Lowe reported what he considered to be this
species from La Paz, Baja California, but his specimens are Olivella
alba (Marrat, 1871). Adam's specimens were taken from beach
drift, which Olsson states, came from near the city wall.
While aboard the Mexican shrimp trawler, "Jose Antonio,"
during July, 1963, I collected 11 specimens of Olivella inconspicua
trawled from a depth of 60-70 meters about 20 miles off Bara del
Suchiate, Chiapas, West Mexico. (Latitude 14° 24' North; Longi-
tude 92° 32' West.)
All the specimens were extricated from the stomach of a single
"sand" starfish. The soft parts of the shells were present in each
specimen.
Several days later, while trawling off the Oaxaca coast near
Bahia de Rosario, additional specimens of Olivella inconspicua
were obtained which came up with mud and decaying vegetation.
These were, however, quite worn.
Nassarius limacinus (Dall, 1917), described from the "Gulf of
California in shallow water" has been reported by Coan as far
south as Mazatlan. Two specimens were taken from the stomach
contents of the same starfish mentioned above, thus extending the
range south to the Mexico-Guatemala border.
Those who dredge or trawl for shells frequently have to dispose
of starfish, and these are usually tossed overboard. I have found
them to be a very important source for fresh, well preserved speci-
mens of many rare species of mollusks.
The rays are mostly devoid of shells and can easily be broken off
or removed with a knife. The remainder is placed in alcohol for
later examination. If allowed to air dry, the contracting starfish
36 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (1)
tissue will sometimes crush fragile pelecypods they have engulfed.
— Donald R. Shasky, Research Associate, Los Angeles County
Museum.
Literature cited
Burch, John Q. and Rose L. Burch, 1963. Genus Olivella in eastern
Pacific. Nautilus 77 (1) : 1-8, pis. 1-3 (July) .
Coan, Eugene, 1962. Notes on some tropical West American mol-
lusks. Veliger 5 (2) : 92, (July 1) .
Dall, W. H., 1917. Summary of the mollusks of the family Alectri-
onidae of the West Coast of America. Proc. U. S. Nat, Mus.
57(2166): 575-79, (Jan. 15).
Olsson, Axel A., 1956. Studies on the genus Olivella. Proc. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 108, pp. 155-225, pis. 8-16, (Oct. 3) .
Pilsbry, H. A. and H. N. Lowe. 1932. West Mexican and Central
American Mollusks collected by H. N. Lowe, 1929-31. Proc.
Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 84: 33-144, 6 figs., pis. 1-17, 2 pho-
togi^aphs (May 21) .
Turner, Ruth D., 1956. The eastern Pacific marine mollusks
described by C. B. Adams. Occ. Papers on Mollusks, Mus. Comp.
Zool., Harvard 20: 21-135, pis. 5-11, (Sept. 22).
Panopea bitruncata (Conrad) . — A very large example of
this species (a single, right valve) was presented to the Museum
of Comparative Zoology by Mr. Riley Black of Fort Myers, Florida.
This valve was brought up in a shrimp net from 10 fathoms, east
of South Pass, Mississippi River, Louisiana, in June, 1965. This
valve was but recently dead and measured 225 mm. in length and
147 mm. in height. — W. J. Clench.
Burch Collection. — The shells and the library remain in our
possession with the thought that we may now have time to work on
it. We wish to take this opportunity to give our sincere thanks to
the host of customers and friends who have supported us over the
years.
We have sold our entire stock and specimen shell business, but
will continue dealing in books only. Our successor is: Mr. Richard
E. Petit, P. O. Box 133, Ocean Drive Beach, South Carolina 29582,
who will continue our mail order business in specimen shells.
Mr, Petit will at this time honor the prices in our list 551, only
until he publishes his own first list. We are referring all orders to
him. It may take a few weeks for him to get the stock arranged and
orders filled.
The new owner will also publish the 1966 Directory of Concholo-
THE NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 October, 1966 No. 2
REINSTATEMENT OF MELARHAPHE MENKE, 1828
By JOSEPH ROSEWATER
U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.
The vicissitudes of the International Code of Zoological Nomen-
clature will require taxonomists for some time to come, to give
constant attention to keeping current the names even of our well
known mollusks. Wliile preparing a catalogue of Littorinidae,
prior to reviewing the classification of Indo-Pacific species, I was
reminded of the effect on this group of the recent change in I. C.Z.N'
Article 11 (d) (2nd edition, 1964) .
Following the rules then in effect, McMichael (1959) pointed
out that MelarJiaphe Menke, 1828, was introduced in synonymy,
was therefore invalid, and should be replaced by Melarapha Cristo-
fori and Jan, 1832. Rehder (1962) indicated that Melarapha Cris-
tofori and Jan, 1832, and its use by Jan. 1830, are essentially nom-
ina nuda, since no valid species names were included, nor were
descriptions given. As a result, Rehder suggested the use of Mela-
rapha A. and J. B. Villa, 1841, who cited several recognizable
species, Ho^vever, the latest edition of the code circumvents the
need for this action. The new article 11 (d) (loc. cit.) stipulates
that a name originally published as a synonym is not available
unless before 1961 it was treated as an available name under its
original date and authorship, and either used as the name of a
taxon or as a senior homonym. Presumably this new interpretation
will serve the best interests of stability of nomenclature. Neverthe-
less, it will create initial confusion where workers have acted to
correct what previously appeared to be flaws in usage.
In conformance with this article, as revised, Melarhaphe Menke,
1828, is valid and was used by Dall (1909) , Iredale (1912) , Winck-
worth (1922) , Abbott (1954) , and by others before 1961. The type
species of Melarhaphe has been quoted as: Melarhaphe glahrata
Miihlfeld = Paludina glabrata Ziegler = Littorina neritoides
(Linnaeus, 1758) . The first two are manuscript species names as is
another name included by Menke (1828), T. rupestris Chabrier,
although the name attributed to Ziegler was described by Pfeiffei-
37
38 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
(1828) . In iact, the only valid name included with the original
citation of MelarJtaphe is Turbo coerulescens Lamarck [caeru-
lescens], which must be considered the type species by monotypy.
This does not alter the concept of Melarhaphe because T. caerii-
lescens is a synonym of L. ncritoides, the well known European
species.
The question of the value of some generic gioups in Littorinidae
remains to be settled. At present such taxons as Melarhaphe are
differentiated largely on morphology of egg capsules and of the
verge and on minute differences in shell anatomy. But one may
argue that these characters are as much a matter of species differ-
ences as they arc of generic significance. Both Winckworth and Mc-
Michael (loc. cit.) suggested that subgeneric versus generic allo-
cations of these taxons still remains a matter of opinion. Further
study may provide more evidence by which these distinctions may
be interpreted. The purpose of the preceding note is to call atten-
tion to the correct name for one of these taxons commonly recog-
nized today.
Literature cited
Abbott, R. T. 1954. Review of the Atlantic periwinkles, Nodilit-
torina, Echininiis, and Tectarius. Proceedings U.S. National Mu-
seum 103: 449, 450.
Cristofori, J. and G. Jan. 1832. Catalogus . . . Museo, Section 2,
part 1, no. 1, p. 7.
Dall, W. H. 1909. Contributions to the Tertiary paleontology of the
Pacific. L The Miocene of Astoria and Coos Bay, Oregon. U.S.
Geological Survey Professional Paper no. 59, p. 79.
Iredale, T. 1912. New generic names and new species of marine
Mollusca. Proceedings Malacological Society of London 10: 223.
Jan, G. 1830. Scientiae Naturalis Cultoribus, p. 7.
McMichael, D. F. 1959. Notes on littorinid nomenclature. Journal
Malacological Society of Australia, no. 3, pp. 25-28.
Menke, C. T. 1828. Synopsis Methodica Molluscorum . . . Museo
Menkeano, p. 23, Pyrmont.
. 1830. Ibid., edition 2, p. 45.
Rehder, H. A. 1962. Contribucion al conocimiento de los moluscos
marinos del archipielago de los Roques y la Orchila. Memoria
de la Sociedad de Ciencias Naturales La Salle 22(62): 122,
Caracas.
Villa, A. and J. B. 1841. Dispositio Systematica Conchyliarum . . .
Collectione . . . Villa, p. 36, Mediolani.
Winckworth, R. 1922. Nomenclature of British Littorinidae.
Proceedings Malacological Society of London 15: 95-97.
October, 1966
NAUTILUS
39
LIFE HISTORY AND POPULATION STUDIES
OF ACHATINA FULICA
By WILLARD KEKAUOHA
[Continued from July number]
Growth, aestivation, self-fertilization. On July 12, 1964, 24 in-
fants of 377 hatched eggs laid by snail AQ were isolated individu-
ally for the following purposes: (a) gro^vth rate studies and (b) ob-
servations on self-fertilzation. Three months later the 24 were re-
duced to 8 (snails A to H) to reduce the work load.
1401
120
100
80'
GO
40
20
GRAPW
ASONDJFMAMJJASOND
1964 1965
The results to date (December 29, 1965, Graph B) are as fol-
lows: 1. Growth. Periods in the rate of growth were found to paral-
lel Kondo's study (1964) in most res|3ects. Snail E grew in length
from 5.5 mm. to 132.5 mm. in 1 year 170 days (535 days) , a total
of 127.0 mm. (a) Infant giowth (to point 1) was confirmed.
Kondo, 9 mm. in 35 days; Kekauoha, 16.5 mm. in 41 days.
(b) Adolescence (to point 2) . Kondo, 74 mm. in 94 days; Ke-
kauoha, 73.8 mm. in 95 days, (c) Young adult (point 2 to point 4) .
Kondo did not define exactly the period called young adult. He
said in personal conversation that no arbitrary span can be obtained
by the growth curve but a period between the end of adolescence
(4 months) and the eighth month should suffice for our purposes.
40 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
According to the plotted graphs, specimen E grew from 81 mm. to
111 during that period (December 5 to February 10, 17 mm. in
120 days) . In specimen E (point 3) there was a sudden stoppage
in growth in 175 days which was expressed also in specimen F.
(d) Maturity (point 4 to point 5) . Growth levels off then, curi-
ously, takes a gradual upswing from point 5 to end of curve, (e)
Width, same as Kondo's.
Aestivation. None of the 8 specimens (snails A to H) went into
aestivation in the 18 months period, in contrast to Ghose's and
Kondo's reports of aestivation in their laboratory snails. Similarly,
none of the original four (#3, 4, AQ, BB) obtained in the wild
condition (in order to procure studies in ovulation and infants for
growth and othei- studies) aestivated during their 18 months of
captivity.
Self -fertilization. Three hundred and fourteen days after isolation
(May 27, 1965) snails C (94.2 mm.) and D (102.7 mm.) were ac-
cidentally placed together by a neighbor's child. They copulated
on May 28th; were separated and isolated on May 29th. Snail C
laid 3 clutches of eggs while snail D laid 4 clutches, with viability
ranging from 92.8 to 97.8%. Mortality rates will be studied from
the progenies of snails C and D and one clutch is being kept to-
gether until egg-laying begins. The other 6 isolated virgin snails
(snails A, B, E, F, G, H) are still under observation. None have
laid eggs after 17i/^ months.
Two significant points must be cited here, namely, (a) the
accidental mix-up of snails C and D provided a control for obser-
vations on virgins A, B, E, F, G, H and (b) isolation of individuals
from infancy seems to provide evidence that copulation is necessary
for production of fertile eggs. However, it is premature to conclude
from this evidence alone that self-fertilization does not occur in
A. fnlica. This experiment must be continued 2 or 3 years longer.
Population study. A population study was first suggested by Dr.
Yoshio Kondo in March 1963. Twenty separate meter-square plots
were selected at random in May and June, 1963 in an area between
Laie and Kahuku, Oahu. All individuals within these plots were
grouped into 5 categories of size and data tabulated (Table V) .
By random sampling, an Achatina population was approximated
at 537,600 snails for the whole 67,200 square meter area, or ap-
proximately 8 snails per square meter plot. A follow-up census
October, 1966 nautilus 41
made in June 1964, using the same procedures, showed a total
population of approximately 403,200 snails for the same area, or
approximately 6 snails per square meter plot, a decrease of ap-
proximately one-fourth.
TABLE \y
TOTAL FOR 20 Sl^UARE 155 129
METER PLOTS
AWERAGE PER SL^UARE 7.75 6.^+5
METER PLOT
ESTIMATED TOTAL FOR 67,200 537,600 403,200
SQUARE METER AREA
Material and method
L Ovulation studies. For the study of ovulation, copulating pairs
of Achatina were found in the evening of July 15, 1964 and marked.
The next morning, 10 pairs of the snails still in copula were gath-
ered, separated and isolated. Twenty additional snails in copula
were gathered the following night and put into isolated compart-
ments. On July 17, 1964, 14 more snails in copula were gathered
and isolated. All 54 snails were measured, numbered and fed con-
stantly with measurements of length taken every 10 days. Fifty of
the 54 were killed and only 4 were kept (#3, 4, AQ, BB) .
Preceding ovulation, a snail would burrow 1 to 3 inches into
the soil and then deposit its eggs. Egg-laying took 1 to 4 days. After
42
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (2)
TABLE UI
TEMPERATURE
RAIf\JFALL
AVERAGE
5.32
1.24
3,83
2.81
1.01
0.70
2.98
1.33
3.16
4.29
3.58
11.44
5.20
6.93
2.48
6.46
14.65
0.84
3.17
1.88
2.48
14.07
17.68
6.75
completion of egg-laying, a snail would rest from 3 hours to 3 days
before normal activity was resumed.. On a few occasions, snails
would lay their clutch of eggs 14 to 1^4 inch into the soil with the
main body of the eggs exposed and out of the soil. All eggs laid
were removed, counted and separated for viability studies. When
October, 1966 nautilus 43
the infants emerged from their eggs, they were removed and housed
in a separate container.
Normal eggs are approximately 5x4 mm. in size. However, on
all occasions during the 1964 laying, one to six infertile pearl-like
eggs 2 X 2 to 4 X 4 mm. in size were found with each clutch
(with the exception of snail #4, first clutch) . In the 1965 egg-
laying of snail #4, large eggs, 6.5 x 5.5 mm. were found.
2. Food. Food consisted mainly of lettuce with an occasional diet
of papaya, apple, cabbage and broccoli. Fresh food was placed
with the snail every 3 to 4 days and decayed vegetable matter
removed.
3. Temperature. The temperature varied from a low of 66.55°
to a high of 90.23° for 1964 while the temperature for 1965 varied
from 60.84° to 85.20° F.
4. Rainfall. Rainfall varied from an average monthly low of
0,70 inches in June 1964 to a high of 17.68 inches in November
1965. There seems to be no correlation between rainfall and egg
production.
5. Moisture. All compartments were sprinkled with water every
3 to 4 days to keep them wet and moist.
6. Measurements. During infancy, a cardboard caliper was used
to prevent injury to the shell. When the snails were approximately
30 mm. in length, a metal caliper was used. When specimens grew
too large for these calipers (approximately 115 mm.) a cranial
caliper was used for the measurement of length only.
Summary
1. Egg-laying season determined by the smash technique. The
egg-laying season for 1964 was from June to December while the
1965 season was from May to November.
2. Multiple ovulation. Snails kept in captivity laid five to six
clutches of eggs during their 1964 season fom July 5, 1964 to Jan-
uay 22, 1965.
3. Period between ovulation. The period between ovulation
varied from 20 days to 91 days with an average of 34 days.
4. Number of eggs per clutch. Egg clutches varied from 17 to 442
eggs per clutch with an average of 213 eggs per clutch.
5. Capacity of eggs per individual. The capacity of eggs were
677, 776, 1624 and 1817 eggs per individual per season.
6. Viability of eggs. Viability of egg clutches varied from 0% to
44 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
100% with an overall viability of 93.1%.
7. Aborted eggs. Results from the study of viability of aborted
eggs show that eggs with any shade of yellow were 50 to 70%
viable; and that eggs aborted from a single individual varied in
color with dark yellow eggs having a higher viability than light
yellow eggs.
8. Growth. Snail E grew in length from 5.5 mm. to 132.5 mm in
535 days, a total of 127.0 mm. and from 4.5 to 55.7 mm. in width,
which parallels Kondo's (1964) findings in most respects.
9. Aestivation. None of the 8 specimens raised from infancy, or
the 4 original snails obtained from the natural environment aesti-
vated during their 18 months of isolation and captivity.
10. Self-fertilization. An accidental mix-up of 2 specimens pro-
vided a control producing fertile eggs while 6 others still in isola-
tion since infancy have not produced any eggs (17 months) .
11. Population studies. Random sampling in 1963 showed a total
population of approximately 537,600 snails, or approximately 8
snails per square meter plot. A 1964 census showed approximately
403,200 snails, or approximately 6 snails per square meter plot, a
decrease of approximately one-fourth.
Acknowledgements. My sincere gratitude and appreciation to:
Dr. Yoshio Kondo, Malacologist, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, whose
valuable assistance and guidance made this paper possible; Dr.
Harry Zeitlin, University of Hawaii, for securing the NSF grant
for this research; Mr. Fred Trotter, Kahuku Plantation Co. and
Mr. Howard B. Stone, Zions Securities Corporation, for access to
the land and roads; Mr. Louis Perriera, Kahuku Plantation Co.,
for the data on rainfall and temperature; Mr. G. Howard Barrett,
Principal, Kahuku High School, for the use of the Biological Lab-
oratory; and to my wife, Nadine, for her assistance in the recording
of data and the final preparation of this paper.
Bibliography
Abbott, R. Tucker. 1951. The introduction of natural enemies of
the giant African snail to Agiguan Island, Marianas. Invert.
Consultants Comm. for Micronesia, Pac. Sci. Board, Nat. Res.
Council.
Chamberlain, J. L. 1951. Preliminary report on an ecology and
population study of the giant African snail on Tinian, Marianas
Island. Invert. Consultants Comm. for Micronesia, Pac. Sci.
Board, Nat. Res. Council.
October, 1966 nautilus 45
Chock, Q. C. & Nakao, H. S. 1951. Experiments conducted with
the giant African snail Achatina fulica (Fer.) to determine the
lethal minimum exposure at low temperatures. Hawaii, Board of
Comm. of Agri. and Forestry, Div. of Entom. and Marketing.
Davis, Clifton J. 1954. Ecological studies, Island of Agiguan, Mari-
anas Island as related to the African snail, Achatina fulica Bow-
dich, and its introduced predator, Gonaxis kihiveziensis. Invert.
Consultants Comm. for the Pacific, Pac. Sci. Board, Nat. Res.
Council.
Chose, K. C. 1963. The early stages of development in Achatina
fulica Bowdich (Mollusca: Gastropoda) . Journal of Bombay
Natural History Society. 60 {\) .
Kondo, Yoshio. 1952. Report on carnivorous snail experiment on
Agiguan Island; Primary and secondary Achati7ia-h'ee areas on
Rota; and gigantism among Achatina on Guam. Invert. Con-
sultants Comm. for the Pacific, Pac. Sci. Board.
. 1964. Growth rates of Achatina fulica Bowdich. Nautilus
78: 6-15.
Krauss, N. L. H. 1951. Monthly report on investigations in east
Africa and Madagascar of natural enemies of giant snail and
rhinoceros beetle. Hawaii Board of Commissioners of Agiic.
and Forestry.
. 1964. (State Dept. of Agric, Honolulu, Hawaii.) Investiga-
tions on biological control of giant African (Achatina fulica)
and other land snails. Nautilus 78 (\) : 21-27.
Lange, W. Harry, Jr. 1950. Life history and feeding habits of the
giant African snail on Saipan. Pacific Science 4 (4) : 323-335.
Mead, Albert R. 1950. Com.parative genital anatomy of some Afri-
can Achatinidae (Pulmonata) . Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard,
105(2) : 219-291.
. 1961. The giant African snail: A problem in economic mala-
cology. Univ. of Chicago Press., 257 pp.
-, & Kondo, Yoshio. 1949. The problem of the giant African
snail (Achatina fulica) in Micronesia: Preliminary Report. In-
vert. Consultants Comm. for Micronesia, Pac. Sci. Board, Nat.
Res. Council.
Meer Mohr, J. C. van der. 1949. On the reproductive capacity of
the African or giant snail, Achatina fulica (Fer) . Treubia,
2^(1): 1-10.
Pemberton, C. E. 1938. The giant African snail Achatina fulica
(Fer) discovered in Hawaii. The Hawaiian Planters Record.,
42(2): 135-140
Peterson, George D. Jr. 1954. Report on progress of carnivorous
snail experiment on Agiguan, Marianas Islands. Invert. Con-
sultants Comm. for Pac, Pac. Sci. Board, Nat. Res. Council.
. 1957. Studies on control of the giant African snail on Guam.
Hilgardia, 2^(16) : 643-658.
46 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
Rees, W. J. 1951. The giant African snail. Proc. Zool. Soc. London,
72^(3): 577-598.
Thirwell, M. D., Strasdine, G. A. & Whitaker, D. R. 1963. A com-
parison of hydrolase and lytic activities of the digestive juices
of the giant African snail Achatina fulica and Helix pomotia.
Canadian Journ. Biochem. and Physics, 41: 1603-1610.
Williams, F. X. 1951. Life-history studies of east African Achatina
snails. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard, 105 (S) : 295-317.
THREE NEW SONORELLA FROM SOUTHWEST ARIZONA
Bv WALTER B. MILLER
Department of Zoology, University of Arizona
In early 1918, James H. Ferriss explored for mollusks in the area
west of Tucson, Arizona, as far as Ajo. He stated that the large
Growler Range west of Ajo city looked promising from a distance,
but the Mexican bandits were active at that time along the western
boundary. This was apparently sufficient deterrence, even for an
ardent collector like Ferriss. The most western locality for Sonorella
on that trip turned out to be "3 miles west of Comovo Church"
(now Kom Vo) in the Papago Indian Reservation.
In recent years, explorations for mollusks have been resumed
in this geneial area. Snails have been brought to the University of
Arizona from the Organ Pipe National Monument, the Cabeza
Prieta Game Range, and the Picacho Mts. They are described
below.
Sonorella baboquivariensis cossi new subspecies. Plate 1 , figs. AC.
Description: Shell depressed-globose, heliciform, thin, glossy,
light brown, with a chestnut-brown spiral band on the well
rounded shoulder; naiTowly and half-covered umbilicate, the um-
bilicus contained about 13 times in the diameter. Embryonic shell
of about li/4 whorls, with apical sculpture like S. hachitana. First
half whorl irregularly radially wrinkled only, the remainder of
the embryonic shell with forwardly descending spiral threads
superimposed on the radial sculpture. First 2 1^4 whorls, including
embryonic whorls, show scars of worn off, hair-like periostracal
projections. Remaining whorls with faint, raised growth striae, with
a silky luster. Body whorl descending only slightly to the narrowly
expanded peristome. The columellar margin of the peristome is
broadly expanded and reflexed to cover nearly half of the umbili-
cus. Aperture oblique, large, broadly ovate, its width more than
October, 1966 nautilus 47
half the diameter of the shell; with a thin parietal callus.
Holotype measurements: Height 11.7 mm.; max. diam. 19.2 mm.;
umbilicus 1.5 mm.; whorls 41/2.
Genitalia of holotype (Plate 2, fig. A) : The penis contains a
relatively small cylindric verge with a blunt, rounded end. The
epiphallus is only slightly longer than the penis and bears a long
(for the genus) , well detached, epiphallic caecum. The penial re-
tractor inserts on the epiphallus a short distance above the penis.
Penial sheath relatively long, about half the length of the penis.
The vagina is about as long as the penis and about twice as long
as the free oviduct.
Type locality: Ajo Range, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monu-
ment, Pima Co., Arizona, in rockslide along left bank of Arch
canyon, at base of north facing cliffs about 14 mile upstream from
the Arch; elevation ca. 2900 ft. (J. Bequaert and W. B. Miller,
25 Jan. 1965) . Holotype ANSP. (308955) . Paratypes in collections
ofANSP. (308956),Dept. of Zoology, University of Arizona (879),
and the author (4745) .
Other localities: Upper Arch canyon, Ajo Range, elev. ca. 3500
ft. to 4000 ft. (Harold T. Coss, 12 April 1965). Cave in saddle
about 14 mile south of the Arch in Arch canyon (Harold T. Coss
and Jim Taylor, 6 Feb. 1966) .
In shell characteristics, this subspecies is not distinguishable from
small forms of S. baboquivariensis s.s. The smallest paratype meas-
ures: height 11.2 mm.; max. diam. 17.2 mm.; umbilicus 1.3 mm.;
whorls 41/2. The largest paratype measures: height 12.3 mm.; max.
diam. 19.5 mm.; umbilicus 1.6 mm.; whorls 4i/2. Specimens of cossi
from upper Arch canyon ran even smaller, with max. diam. as low
as 15.0 mm. In embryonic sculpture, cossi displays the protractive
spiral threads consistently in all specimens examined, where the
apical sculpture was not completely worn off. Some fresh young
shells also show ascending spiral threads on the embryonic whorls.
48 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
In the genitalia, cossi differs significantly and consistently from
baboquivariensis s.s. The verge is smaller, ca. I/3 the length of the
penis, and does not have a swollen, glandiform tip. The vagina
is as long as or longer than the penis, and the epiphallic caecum
is particularly long and detached (for the genus) .
Since the shell characteristics are so similar to those of baboqui-
variensis S.S., only a subspecific distinction seems indicated. Hy-
bridization experiments between the nominate species and cossi
are planned; if they reveal evidence that potential interbreeding
between them no longer exists, this subspecies would have to be
raised to specific rank.
The subspecies is named after Mr. Harold T. Coss of the Na-
tional Park Service who was stationed at the Organ Pipe National
Monument in 1965 and brought in the first specimens of this snail
to the University of Arizona. For some time, this was the western-
most known population of Sonorella in southwestern Arizona, until
further explorations reevaled other jx)pulations farther west (vide
infra) .
Sonorella simmonsi new species. Plate 1, figs D-F.
Description: Shell depressed, heliciform, thin to solid, glossy,
light brown, with chestnut brown spiral band on the well rounded
shoulder; umbilicate, the umbilicus contained 8 to 9 times in the
diameter. Embryonic shell of about 1 and y^ whorls, with sculpture
like S. hachitajia; its apex smooth; the remainder with weak, ir-
regular radial wrinkles and fine, spirally arranged, hyphen-like
papillae which anastomose over the last third of the embryonic
shell into thin, forwardly descending threads. Later whorls have
light growth lines with occasional papillae at first, the papillae
disappearing on the body whorl. Body whorl smooth, with a silky
luster. Aperture oblique, rounded, slightly wider than high. Peris-
tome expanded, the margins converging; parietal callus thin.
Holotype measurements: Height 12.0 mm.; max. diam. 20.6 mm.;
umbilicus 2.6 mm.; whorls 5.
Genitalia of holotype (Plate 2, fig. C) : Penis large and thick,
equally thick throughout. A short, thick penial sheath envelops
its base. The verge is nearly as long as the penis, moderately thick,
its largest diameter at about I/3 of its length from the epiphallus,
then slowly tapering toward the abruptly truncate tip, indistinctly
annulate. The slender epiphallus is as long as the penis and bears
October, 1966 nautilus 49
the retractor muscle near its distal end; near its proximal end, it
is invested by connective tissue from the upper end of the penial
sheath. Epiphallic caecum small, only slightly detached from the
epiphallus. Vagina 2^ to % the length of the penis, about 3 times
as long as the free oviduct.
Measurements of
rock piles on west side of canyon which runs southeasterly from
Newman Peak, R 9 E, T 8 S, Sec. 26, SE % ; elevation ca. 2500 ft.
(J. Bequaert, M. L. Walton, W. N. Miller, and W. B. Miller,
27 Dec. 1965) . Holotype ANSP. (308953) . Paratypes in collections
of ANSP. (308954) , Dept. of Zoology, University of Arizona
(1628), M. L. Walton (9245), and the author (4842) .
The embryonic spiral threads vary in intensity, but are present
at least to some degree on all specimens examined. Shell color varies
from light brown to nearly white. One fresh specimen had no
band at all and was completely white. There is a large variation in
maximum diameter. The smallest paratype measured as follows:
height 11.2 mm.; max. diam. 17.8 mm.; umbilicus 2.0 mm.; whorls
434. The largest paratype measured: height 12.7 mm.; max. diam.
22.1 mm.; umbilicus 2.6 mm.; whorls 5.
The shell of S. simmonsi has the general appearance of certain
forms of S. ambigua from the Roskruge Mts., about 35 miles to the
south, as well as some specimens of S. sitiens from the Ko Vaya
hills (Cababi Mts.) about 55 miles to the southwest. It is readily
distinguishable from these by the presence of spiral threads on the
embryonic whorls. In the genitalia, it bears some resemblance to
S. ambigua in the large, thick penis and verge. The shape of the
verge differs, however, in that it slowly tapers for the last 2/3 of its
length to an abruptly truncate tip, while ambigua has a club-shaped
verge with maximum diameter at the short-conic tip. Other differ-
ences are in the penial sheath, which is ca. 1/6 the length of the
penis in simmonsi and ca. I/3 in ambigua, the epiphallus, which is
50 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
ca. li/2 times the length of the penis in simmonsi and ca. 2/^ to 3^
in ambigua, and the vagina, which is ca. 2/^ to y^ the length of
the penis in simmonsi, while it is about as long as the penis in
ambigua.
Dead shells were collected by Mr. Norman M. Simmons of the
Fish and Wildlife Service, while hunting in the Picacho Mts. and
brought to the University of Arizona for identification. Subse-
quently, on 27 Dec. 1965, the author, accompanied by Dr. Joseph
Bequaert. Mr. Munroe Walton, and the author's son, W. Nixon
Miller, collected large numbers of live speciments and dead shells
at the type locality. The holotype was selected from among the
live adults, and all other specimens collected on this expedition
have been designated paratypes.
It is probable that this snail is widespread in the Picacho Mts.
Mr. Simmons stated that he had found shells in several other can-
yons in these mountains. This species is named for Mr. Simmons,
whose interest in all branches of natural history was responsible
for bringing this new species to the author's attention.
SoNORELLA MEADi new species. Plate 1, figs. G-I.
Description: Shell strongly depressed, heliciform, solid, glossy,
light tan, fading to nearly white around the umbilicus, with a chest-
nut brown spiral band on the well rounded shoulder; widely um-
bilicate, the umbilicus contained 6 to 7 times in the diameter. Em-
bryonic shell of about 1 and I/3 whorls, with sculpture of the
Jiachitana type. Apex smooth, followed by an area of weak, irregu-
lar radial wrinkles; after the first half whorl, hyphen-like papillae
are superimposed over the radial wrinkles. Over the last third of
the embryonic shell, the hyphen-like papillae are elongated and
run together to form forwardly descending spiral threads. Post-
embryonic whorls with small papillae superimposed on weak radial
wrinkles, the papillae numerous on the early whorls, gradually dis-
appearing, and finally absent on the body whorl. Body whorl with
faint spiral lines impressed on the shoulder between the chestnut-
brown band and the suture. Body whorl descends shortly to the
moderately expanded peristome. Aperture oblique, rounded-oval,
slightly wider than high, with a moderately thick parietal callus.
Holotype measurements: Height 9.7 mm.; max. diam. 20.2 mm.;
umbilicus 3.0 mm.; whorls 41/2.
Genitalia of holotype (Plate 2, fig. E) : The penis contains a
NAUTILUS 80 (2)
PLATE I
METRIC 11
1 -t
Holotypes. A-C. Sonorella baboquivariensis cossi W. B. Miller D-F. .S'. sim-
inonsi W. B. Miller. G-I. S. meadi W. B. Miller.
NAUTILUS 80 (2)
PLATE 2
Lower genitalia. A. S. baboqiiivariensis cossi W. B. Miller. B. .S'. baboqui-
variensis Pilsbry & Ferriss, Saucito ridge, Baboquivari Mts. C. .S'. simmonsi
W. B. Miller, D. S. ambigua Pilsbry & Ferriss, Coyote Mts. E. S. meadi W. B.
Miller. F. S. eremita Pilsbry & Ferriss, "San Xavier Hill" (type loc.) . ve: verge.
All drawings to same scale, drawn from stained whole monnts.
\
October, 1966 nautilus 51
long thin verge with a narrow, pointed tip. The epiphallus is
slightly shorter than the penis and bears a short, only slightly de-
tached caecum. The penial retractor is inserted on the epiphallus
a short distance above the penis. The penial sheath is about half
the length of the penis. The vagina is about half the length of the
penis and about equal to the length of the free oviduct.
Measurements of
genitalia, in mm.: Holotype
Penis 7.0
Verge 5.0
Penial sheath 3.5
Epiphallus 6.0
Epiphallic caecum 0.3
Vagina 4.0
Free oviduct 3.0
Type locality: Agua Duke Mts., Pima Co., Arizona, in rock piles
in canyons both south and north of Agua Dulce Pass, east of Quito-
vaguita Peak; elevation ca. 1600 ft. (W. N. Miller and W. B.
Miller, 29 Jan. 1966). Holotype ANSP. (308951). Paratypes in
collections of ANSP. (308952) , Dept. of Zoology, University of
Arizona (2301), and the author (4845).
The spiral lines impressed on the body whorl vary in intensity
from prominent to absent; on the holotype, they are present but
faint. Two paratypes are completely bandless and white, although
fresh and lustrous. The smallest of the paratypes measures: height
9.4 mm.; max. diam. 18.1 mm.; umbilicus 2.3 mm.; whorls 41/^.
The largest of the paratypes measures: height 10.4 mm.; max.
diam. 21.9 mm.; umbilicus 3.7 mm.; whorls 41/2.
In shell characteristics as well as genitalia, this species appears
to be most closely related to 5. eremita P. & F. from the Mineral
Hills about 120 miles to the east. In general meadi is more de-
pressed than eremita and the embryonic sculpture of spiral threads
is not so well developed. In the genitalia, meadi does not have the
basal swelling of the penis which is present in eremita; the long
verge is narrowly pointed instead of rounded; and the vagina is
much shorter than the penis, instead of longer as in eremita. S.
meadi is not closely related to the neighboring populations of
S. bahoquiuariensis cossi W. B. Miller of the Ajo Mts., nor to
S. ambigua P. &: F. of the hills just west of Kom Vo.
A dead shell which appears referable to this species was collected
by Mr. Harold T. Coss, of the National Park Service, in the Bates
52 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
Mts. in the Organ Pipe National Monument on 23 Jan. 1966. Live
material will be necessary before a firm diagnosis of this population
can be made. Supposedly this species extends to the north and east
into the Bates Mts., the Growler Mts., the Little Ajo Mts., and
possibly the Sauceda Mts. The Sierra Pinta to the west and the
Siena del Pozo to the southeast are the abodes of races of Micrari-
onta (Ercmarionta) rowelli.
The Agua Dulce Mts. have been erroneously marked on certain
topographic maps as located within the Organ Pipe National Mon-
ument. The 1964, 15 minute series Agua Dulce quadrangle shows
them correctly located just west of the Monument.
This locality represents the westernmost locality for Sonorella in
southern Arizona. It also represents one of the lowest habitats for
the genus. The vegetation is indicati\e of the Lower Sonoran life
zone, consisting primarily of saguaro, organ pipe cactus, small-
leaved palo verde, chuparosa, and desert lavender.
This species is named after Dr. Albert R, Mead, an eminent
malacologist, who enabled the author to devote full time to the
study of zoology in general and Sonorella in particular.
A NEW SPECIES OF KALENDYMA FROM
MALAITA, SOLOMON ISLANDS
Bv WILLIAM J. CLENCH
The species described below is the second known species in the
genus Kalendyma. This genus was introduced by Gude for Helix
compliiviatus Cox, a rather remarkable land mollusk now placed in
the Ariophantidae. The distinguishing character is a deep spiral
groove which is developed a little above the ^vhorl periphery. It is
initiated just beyond the protoconch. Its function is unknown as
the soft anatomy has never been studied.
The specific locality for H. compluviatus was unknown to Cox
who had given only the "Solomon Islands" as its type locality. We
have specimens collected in 1949 by J. R. Hood from "head of the
Tenaru River, Guadalcanal Id., Solomon Islands at 1000 feet,"
so this island can be accpeted as the type locality.
ARIOPHANTIDAE
Kalendyma Gude
Kalendyma Gude, 1911, Proc. Malac. Soc. London P;273 (type
species, Helix compluviatus Cox) .
October, 1966 nautilus 53
Kalendyma compluviata (Cox)
Helix compluviatus Cox, 1871 [1872], Proc. Zool. Soc. London,
p. 646, pi. 52, fig. 10 (Solomon Islands).
Kalendyma vanderrieti, new species. Plate 3, figs. 1-2.
Holotype. Mus. Comp. Zool. 260885, from Ataa, Malaita Island,
Solomon Islands. Rev. J. Vander Riet collector, 1965.
Paratype. Mus Comp. Zool. 260886, from the same locality as
the holotype.
Description. Shell depressed, minutely umbilicate, nearly smooth,
shining and reaching about 12 mm. in greater diameter. Color a
uniform brown. Whorls 51/9, convex, a little less so above the spiral
groove. Spire depressed, dome-shaped and forming an angle of
about 140°. Aperture auricular in outline. Outer lip simple with a
slight reflection at the base near the columella. Umbilicus very
small and partially concealed by the reflection of the columella.
Suture deeply indented. Sculpture consisting of numerous, flat-
tened, axial ridges above the spiral gioove, and exceedingly fine
growth lines below the groove. A little above the whorl periphei-y
there is developed a spiral groove, deeply indentd on the outside
and forming a ridge inside.
Measurements
Height Gt. Diameter Less. Diameter
mm. mm. mm.
7.5 12.5 12 Holotype
7.3 12.2 10.5 Paratype
Remarks. This new species differs mainly in size from that of
K. compluviata. This latter species has 5 whorls and is 30 mm. in
greater diameter, while vanderrieti has 5i/4 whorls and is only
12.5 mm. in greater diameter. All other charatcers are similar.
FOUR NEW LAND SNAILS
Bv LESLIE HUBRICHT
Mesodon clausus trossulus, new subspecies. Plate 3, fig. A-C.
The shell differs from that of Mesodon clausus clausus (Say) in
having a broad reddish-brown revolving band just above the pe-
riphery. This band was present in all specimens collected and in
all dead and immature shells seen.
Ht. 10.0 mm., Diam. 14.1 mm., Ap. Ht. 6.9 mm., Ap. Diam.
8.2 mm. Holotype.
Type locality. Alabama: Clarke Co.: base of bluff of Baileys
54 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
Creek, 2.5 miles east of Gainestown, holotype, Field Museum of
Natural History 152202, paratype 152203; other paratypes 34561,
collection of the author.
Glyphyalinia luticola, new species. Plate 3, fig.D-F.
Shell small, strongly depressed, coppery (when fresh) , glossy,
thin and transparent, spire very low conoid. Whorls 4 to 4.5, well
rounded, gradually and uniformly increasing, sutures moderately
impressed. Sculpture of rather widely spaced radial furrows (20 on
the last whorl of the holotype) and fine spiral striae. Aperture lu-
nate; lip thin, sinuous. Umbilicus rimate.
Height 2.6 mm., diameter 5.7 mm., aperture height 2.3 mm.,
aperture width 3J mm., 4.5 whorls. Holotype.
Animal slate colored. Penis rather short, claviform; retractor short
and stout, attached to the side of the apical chamber so that there
is a broad, rounded lobe above it. Epiphallus about 1.5 times as
long as the penis, of unifonn diameter except for a short taper at
the ends, a little greater in diameter than the penis, attached near
the center of the penis. Vagina very short. Free oviduct about 1.5
times as long as the penis. Spermatheca large, ovoid; duct about as
long as the free oviduct, stout.
Egg with white calcareous shell, length 1.2 mm., diameter 0.9 mm.
Distribution. Alabama: Greene Co.: near Black Warrior River,
north of Demopolis. Dallas Co.: near Cahaba River, east of Harrell.
Sumter Co.: Black Bluff, 3 miles east of Whitfield. Choctow Co.:
near Tuckabun Creek, 2.7 miles south of Pennington. Baldwin Co.:
swamp, Lillian, holotype 147043 and paratypes 147044 F.M.N.H.,
other paratypes 33431, collection of the author. Mississippi: Clarke
Co.: Basic City; wet woods, 1.5 miles southwest of Langsdale.
Wayne Co.: near Turkey Creek, 8 miles east of Waynesboro. Lamar
Co.: edge of swamp, 2 miles southeast of Lumberton. Louisiana:
Tangipahoa Ph.: magnolia woods 1.3 miles west of Amite. Pointe
Coupee Ph.: low woods, 3 miles southeast of Batchelor; low woods,
1.6 miles west of Torbert; low woods, 3 miles northwest of Letts-
worth; low woods, 1.9 miles west of New Roads. East Baton Rouge
Ph.: roadside, 4800 Laurel St., Baton Rouge; low woods, Duncan
Point, south of Baton Rouge; low woods, 6 miles south of Baton
Rouge. West Baton Rouge Ph.: low w^oods, 1 mile west of Carey;
low woods, 1 mile west of Port Allen. Evangeline Ph.: low woods,
6.4 miles east of Basile. Allan Ph.: along RR., Reeves; low woods.
October, 1966 nautilus 55
2 miles east of Le Blanc; waste ground, 0.4 mile west of Le Blanc.
Glyphyalinia luticola may be readily distinguished from G. in-
dentata by its coppery color. The umbilicus is smaller than is usu-
ally found in G. indentata within its range, and it is usually found
in wetter habitats. It is a species of swamps, where it is frequently
associated with Vertigo and Catinella.
Glyphyalinia pecki, new species. Plate 3, fig. G-I.
Shell small, strongly depressed, nearly transparent with a whitish
wash, glossy, spire very low conoid. Whorls 4.5 to 5, well rounded,
gradually and uniformly increasing, sutures moderately impressed.
Sculpture of radial furrows which are followed by radial ridges, the
furrows continue onto the base but not the ridges (about 60 fur-
rows on the last whorl of holotype) , and distinct spiral striae. Aper-
ture lunate; lip thin, sinuous. Umbilicus very small, about 3.5%
of the diameter of the shell.
Height 2.5 mm., diameter 5 .7 mm., aperture height 2.1 mm.,
aperture width 2.7 mm., umbilicus diameter 0.2 mm., 4.5 whorls.
Holotype.
Height 2.9 mm., diameter 5.9 mm., aperture height 2.3 mm.,
aperture width 2.9 mm., umbilicus diameter 0.2 mm., 5 whorls.
Paratype.
Animal white and apparently blind. Penis rather short, clavi-
form; retractor short and stout, attached teriminally. Epiphallus
about 1.5 times as long as the penis, of uniform diameter, distal end
rounded, about twice the diameter of the penis, attached about
three-fourths up on the penis. Vagina very short. Free oviduct
about twice as long as the penis. Spermatheca fusiform, about as
long as the penis; duct as long as the free oviduct, stout.
Distribution. Alabama: Jefferson Co.: in McClunney (Alabama
Crystal) Cave, 2 miles west of Clay (Stewart B. Peck, coll.) , holo-
type 147045 F.M.N. H., other paratypes 34487, collection of the
author; in cave, 34 ^il^ northeast of McClunney Cave (Peck, coll.) .
Glyphyalinia pecki differs from Glyphyalinia indentata (Say) to
which it seems most closely related by the distinct ridge which
follows the radial grooves. In this character it seems unique in the
genus. It is known only from two caves in Jefferson County, Ala-
bama.
Helicodiscus hexodon, new species. Plate 3, fig. J-L.
Shell discoidal, spire flat or nearly so; whorls 5 to 5.5, yellowish.
56 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
translucent when young, becoming opaque with age. Umbilicus
wide and shallow, showing all the whorls, occupying from 50 to
57% of the diameter of the shell. Whorls well rounded below, dis-
tinctly flattened above the periphery, slowly increasing, the last
slowly descending; sutures well impressed; sculptured with numer-
ous, fine, fimbriated lirae. Aperture lunate, the peristome simple,
somewhat thickened within. Within the last quarter whorl there are
usually 3 pairs of teeth on the outer and basal walls. These teeth
are transversely elongate; the outer teeth are somewhat oblique, the
upper end forward; the basal teeth are a little in front of their re-
spective outer teeth, and have triangular bases, broadest near the
parietal wall.
Height 1.9 mm., diameter 4.9 mm., umbilicus diameter 2.8 mm.,
aperture height 1.4 mm., 5.5 whorls. Holotype.
Type locality Tennessee: Bledsoe Co.: base of Walden Ridge, 2.5
miles southeast of Pikeville, holotype 147046, paratypes 147047,
F.M.N.H., other paratypes 30918, collection of the author.
Helicodiscus hexodon is most closely related to H. fimbriatiis
Wetherby, differing in the uniformity of its lirae and fringes. In
H. fimbriatus there are at least 3 lirae which are more prominent
than the rest and the fringes are longer. It differs fiom H. notius
notiiis Hubricht, with which it was found, in having higher whorls
and in the flattened upper part of the body whorl, as well as in
the form of the teeth.
TWO NEW SUBSPECIES OF POTAMOLITHUS
By J. J. PARODIZ
Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pa.
In 1961 I collected typical Potamolithus peristomatus (Orb.)
at Paso de la Patria, Parana River near San Cosme, only 30 km.
W. of the type locality (Itaty) , province of Corrientes, Argentina.
Although the species was often mentioned in the bibliography of
the group, apparently it had not been collected since d'Orbigny;
Pilsbry has not seen this species but he refeired it in his key of 1896
(Nautilus, 10:S7) , which may give the impression of belonging to
the materials collected by Dr. Rush in Uruguay. Corsi in 1900
(Anales Museo Nacional Montevideo, 2. -335) also mentioned peri-
stomatus from the Queguay River in Uruguay, but during our ex-
tensive collecting in that area not a single specimen was found.
October, 1966 nautilus 57
However, a lot collected by myself on the Uruguay River, at San
Javier, Misiones, Argentina, represents an allopatric form, here
considered as a new subspecies:
PoTAMOLiTHUS PERISTOMATUS MisioNUM new subspecies. Figs. 1-4.
Plate 4.
Larger and longer than typical peristomatus (the smaller speci-
men 6.5 X 5 mm., and the larger 9x7 mm.) . The spire is still
very conic and acute as in peristomatus peristomatus, but the last
whorl shows a gieatly developed hump protruding on the left side
(in front view) , which corresponds to a broader and higher ex-
pansion in that area. The color is much darker, almost black.
Holotype (Carnegie Museum) 7 mm. long, 6.5 wide, from San
Javier on the Uruguay River, Misiones.
The hump on the side and back of the shell gives to it a more
distorted configuration than that often found in P. rushi (Pils.)
which also differs in shape, color and other characteristics.
The allopatric populations of peristomatus peristomatus and
peristomatus misionum, are from basins at present well isolated,
due to drainage changes during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene,
a case which is repeated in Neocorbicula and other fresh- water mol-
lusks of that area.
Another very rare species is Potamolithus felipponei Ihering, the
only specimen known is the type collected by Dr. Felippone at
Montevideo. On the Argentine shore of the Uruguay River, 260
miles NW. of the type locality, I collected several specimens show-
ing remarkable differences, here described as new subspecies:
Potamolithus felipponei concordianus new subspecies. Fig. 6
Trochiform, conic-pyramidal, the spire forming an angle of 45°
with the base, but shorter than in felipponei felipponei (fig. 5) and
with flatter walls. Surface smooth, dark-olive with brown spiral
band stronger marked than in felipponei felipponei (compared
with Ihering' and Pilsbry's descriptions) , which starts at the middle
of the last whorl and becomes suprasutural in position in the
upper whorls; another, but less conspicuous band, runs subsutu-
rally; 4i/^ to 5 whorls, the last with a strong and oblique central
keel running up to the suture and vanishing before reaching the
penultimate whorl; on the periphery, at left, this keel marks the
vertex of a right angle which divides the upper from the lower
portion of the shell. Umbilical area depressed, with a second keel
58 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
surrounding it. Columellar area strongly bi-folded, with a large
tooth-like prominence on the inner side, which is thick and cham-
fered; inner area of columella forming a groove or pit separating
conspicuously the inner and outer sections. The aperture is very
oblique, semicircular, angulate at the top and, in minor degiee,
at the base. Peristome thick, simple, without a notch below the
suture and very little expanded. Suture well marked, especially
at front by effect of the carina, but not deep.
Holotype: (Carnegie Museum) 3 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide, apert.
1.7 X 1.3 mm. from Arroyo Yuqueri Grande at Concordia, province
of Entre Rios, Argentina, coll. Parodiz 1961.
The spire (counting from its sutural base at the penultimate
whorl) shortly less than i/^ of total length. Basal area extraor-
dinarily large in relation to the size of the shell.
The small size of the shells, the thinness of the lip and, judging
from similar characteristics offered by other species in their neanic
stages, the specimens observed suggest some immature condition.
However, they have such striking characteristics that unlikely would
disappear in full adults: the lack of a strong marginated notch at
the upper portion of the lip, as well as strong sinuses, and its wide,
folded columella with a tooth-like process and sunken middle area
(vaguely resembling intracallosus but stronger) . Its general shape
may be compared with that of buschi (according to what Pilsbry
figured in 1911, (pi. 61b, fig. 2), but it differs entirely in colors,
columella and convexity of the whorls.
Compared with P. conicus, P.f. concordianus is shorter, more
pyramidal and differ in color and columellar area. Pilsbry (1911,
Non Marine MoUusca of Patagonia, Princeton Exped., pi. 38,
fig. 4) figured some young P. rushi which resembles concordianus
in shape but lacking its most prominent features: folds in colum-
ella, spiral bands, carina stronger and cordiform.
P. felipponei concordianus bears with typical felipponei the
same relation of geographical variation found between P. petitianus
and P. petitianus sykesi. Although the differences between the
Montevideo type and the Concordia specimens are remarkable, they
do not justify a new species name, but properly subordinate allo-
patrically as subspecies.
The two new subspecies are from a revisional study of the genus,
published in 1965, Sterkiana no. 20: 26 & 36 (Research supported
by grant NSF- 15032).
NAUTILUS 80 (2)
PLATE
Holotypcs. A-C. Mesudon clausus trossulns Hubricht. D-F. Glyphyalinia
luticola Hubricht. G-I. (Hyphyalinia pecki Hubricht. J-L. Helicodiscus he\-
■odou Hubricht. Photogiaphs by Field Museum of Xatuial History.
Kaleudytua vanderrieti Clench. Fig 1, Holotvpe; Fig. 2, Paratype. both from
Ataa. Malaita Id., Solomon Islands (both 3x) •
NAUTILUS 80 (2)
PLATE 4
Figs. 1-4. Potaniolithus peristomatns misioniitn Parodiz (x 8) , San Javier,
Uruguay River, Misiones, Argentina. 5. P. felippotiei Iheritig (Montevideo;
Cf. Pilsbry, op. cit.). P. felipponei concordianus Parodiz (x 17.5) , Arroyo
Yuqueri Grande, Entre Rios, Argentine.
October, 1966 nautilus 59
ANATOMY OF THE SUCCINEID GASTROPOD
OXYLOMA SALLEANA (PFEIFFER)
Bv DOROTHEA S. FRANZEN
Biology Department, Illinois Wesleyan University
Oxyloma salleana (Pfeiffer) , family Succineidae, is a snail of
the lower Mississippi River valley of the United States, Its known
geographic distribution extends from New Orleans, Louisiana, as
far north as Hardin, Jersey Co., Illinois, between 91° and 89°
longitude, along either the Mississippi or the Illinois rivers. The
localities from which this species has been taken include New Or-
leans, Louisiana; near Memphis, Shelby Co., and Samburg, Obion
Co., Tennessee; Creve Coeur Lake, St. Louis Co., Missouri; Pitts-
burg Lake near East St. Louis, St. Clair Co., and Hill Lake near
Columbia, Monroe Co., Illinois (Pilsbry, 1948, p. 792). I have
found large populations of this species living on the banks of the
Illinois river at Pere Marquette State Park, Jersey Co., and at Har-
din, Jersey Co., Illinois, and along the Mississippi River in South-
port, near New Orleans, Louisiana. Perhaps further collecting will
reveal a wider geographic distribution of this species.
In Southport, Louisiana, the habitat of Oxyloma salleana is on
the mudflats between the Mississippi River and the levees. I found
the snails creeping on the ground, especially on willow leaves, and
on moist decaying logs. At Pere Marquette State Park, Illinois, I
took the snails from the shaded muddy banks of the Illinois River
and from the leaves of Sagittaria sp. growing in the water. At
Hardin, Illinois, I found most of the snails creeping on the very
^vet, muddy shore of the Illinois River where they were exposed to
the direct sinilight; whereas some were near the shore in an area
shaded chiefly by willow trees. The localities at Pere Marquette
State Park and Hardin are flooded whenever the Illinois River
reaches flood stage. I have found large populations of O. salleana
in the summertime following a flooding of the area in the spring.
This indicates that this species survives such flooding and becomes
reestablished within the same season.
The Shell. The thin, glossy, amber-colored, elongate-ovate shell
consists of 23^-3 1/9 convex, sharply incised whorls. From the broadly
arcuate base the shell becomes gradually inflated towards the upper
third of the ultimate whorl from where it narrows to forni a short,
bluntly tapered spire. The large, elongate-ovate aperture, broadly
Table I. The measurements of the largest shells of each of the 3 stations
obtained in the season and year as noted. In the 4th column of measurements
are listed the ratios of the width of the shell over its height. In the last
3 columns are listed the ratios of the height of the aperture over the height
of the shell; width of aperture over width of shell; width of aperture over
height of aperture.
arcuate at its base, becomes sharply attenuated toward the spire; its
height ranges from 73% to 81.8% of the total height of the shell
as is shown in Table I. The sharp peristome becomes roundly
infolded along the inner border of the ultimate whorl and is con-
tinuous with the columella. In some shells the columella emerges
below the apex of the aperture and continues along the ultimate
whorl in the form of a thin, white, spiral plait such as that occur-
ring also in Oxyloma retusa (Lea) (Franzen, 1963, p. 86) and in
Oxyloma haydeni (W. G.. Binney) (Franzen, 1964, p. 75) . Fre-
quently a thin callous forms on the portion of the ultimate whorl
bordering the aperture.
October, 1966 nautilus 61
The nuclear whorl is finely punctate and marked with fine,
evenly-spaced striae on its lower half. The penultimate whorl is
marked with fine, closely-spaced ridges and furrows. The striae be-
come coarser, the irregularly spaced ridges heavier and the furrows
deeper and wider, producing a rough surface on the ultimate whorl.
The range in height and width of the shell, ratios of these two
dimensions, the size of the aperture, and ratios of the height to the
width of the aperture, as well as ratios of the dimensions of the
aperture to corresponding shell dimensions, are to be noted in
Table I. The measurements of the shells are those of the largest
taken from the 3 stations and during the time of seasons as noted.
Because O. salleaiia is essentially southern in its geographic range,
one might assume that the largest shells would be found in the
southern-most localities. Pilsbry (1948, p. 792) reports shells taken
from New Orleans measuring up to 19.3 mm. in height. However,
he does not indicate the date of collection. The shells which I ob-
tained from Southport, near New Orleans, were collected in the
latter part of the month of July. As is noted in Table I, these
shells are shorter than the measurements reported by Pilsbry as well
as those which I obtained from the two localities in Illinois. The
dates of collection of the largest shells from the Illinois stations
were in the months of June and July. This may mean that in the
southern localities the older snails surviving from the previous
summer die earlier in the following summer than is true of snails
in more northern localities, and that the shells I obtained from
Southport, Louisiana, did not represent maximum size attained.
The significant characteristics which distinguish the shell of Oxy-
loma salleana from that of O. retiisa are those of certain dimensions.
This becomes obvious when the shells of the two species are ob-
served simultaneously and which, also, is illustrated in figure 1. The
shell of O. salleana is not so streamlined as that of O. retusa. The
median of the ratios of the width to the height of the shell of
O. salleana, of those whose measurements are included in Table I,
is .563, whereas of O. retusa the median of the series of the shells
measured is .520 (Franzen, 1963, Table I) . The difference in
ratios of the height of the aperture to the height of the shell is also
to be noted. Of O. salleana the median of such a ratio is .786 and
of O. retusa .744. The ultimate whorl of O. salleana is more inflated
and the spire shorter than in O. retusa.
62
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (2)
A B
Figure 1. A. Shell of Oxyloma retusa (Lea) from White Cloud, Kansas.
Scale line represents 17.3 mm., actual height of shell. B. Shell of Oxyloma
salleana (Pfeiffer) from Hardin, Illinois. Scale line represents 17.5 mm., actual
height of shell.
Pfeiffer describes the sliell as being composed of 2i/2 whorls
(Pfeiffer, 1849, p. 133). Pilsbry (1948, p. 792) considers that the
smaller number of whorls (2i/4) distinguishes this species from
O. retusa (Lea) . However, I did not find that to be true as noted
when comparing the figures of O. salleana given in Table I with
those of O. retusa (Lea) (Franzen, 1963, Table I) .
Description of the Body Wall and Mantle. The body wall is
cream colored, finely and irregularly tuberculated. The pigmenta-
tion of the dorsal, anterior portion of the head consists of black
flecks arranged in four pairs of longitudinal bands, of which three
pairs terminate at the base of the posterior tentacles. The fourth
band of either side courses lateral to the tentacles uninterrupted to
the level of the mantle collar. The two median bands converge at
the level of the posterior tentacles to form a single band occupying
the area between the posterior tentacles and continuing caudad to
the level of the mantle collar; this band may bifurcate as it pro-
gresses caudad. Posterior to the tentacles this median band is
flanked on either side by a band extending from the tentacles to
October, 1966
NAUTILUS
63
Figure 2. Drawing of head of Oxyloina salleana (Pfeiffer) showing pattern
of pigmentation.
the mantle collar. The lateral body wall is covered with a broad
band of blotches of pigment, figure 2. The degree of the intensity
of this pigmentation as well as the distinctiveness of the bands is
an individual variant. Of the bands on the anterior head region,
the third band, which crosses over the anterior tentacles, may be
quite distinct or it may be fused with the fourth band. Likewise,
the fourth band may be fused with the broad band of the lateral
body wall.
64 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
The mantle collar may be lightly or heavily pigmented. The pig-
mentation o£ the mantle is, likewise, variable. The entire surface
may be darkly and uniformly, or it may be lightly, pigmented. The
anterior portion may be heavily pigmented or the pigmentation
may be in the form of irregular bands, while the posterior portion
of the mantle is covered with blotches of pigment. Or the pigmenta-
tion may take the form of blotches over the entire mantle surface,
through the mantle the kidney is to be seen, unless obscured by
heavy pigmentation of the mantle, as a yellow band following the
contour of the body. The distinct dark pigment band characteris-
tically outlining the posterior margin of the kidney in O. retusa
and O. haydeni is lacking in O, salleana. Or if such a band is
present, it is not so pronounced.
A pedal groove, continuous from the labial palp on one side of
the animal to the palp of the other side, separate the foot fiom the
lateral body wall. A less pronounced suprapedal groove parallels
the pedal groove dorsally. Shallow, vertical grooves incise the pedal
and suprapedal grooves and the broad band of pigment. These
vertical grooves produce a series of shallow scallops along the ven-
tral margin, especially when the animal is in a partially contracted
state. The sole of the foot may be unpigmented or it may be flecked.
The genital aperture, located on the right-hand side of the body
wall, surrounded by a white tumid lip, may appear as an irregularly
elongate or a crescent-shaped slit, 0.5 mm. to 0.8 mm. in length, de-
pending upon its state of contraction. The shape and size of the
genital aperture, as well as that of the lip, is comparable to that of
other species of Oxyloma studied by the author, namely O. retusa
(Lea) (Franzen, 1963) and O. haydeni (W. G. Binney) (Fran-
zen, 1964).
The Radula. The structure of the radula of Oxyloma salleana
bears the general generic characteristics. In the radulae studied, the
total number of rows of teeth range from 80 to 100. The number
of teeth in a row, as well as the number of laterals and marginals,
varies. In the rows, excepting those of the most anterior portion of
the radula, the ratio of the marginals to laterals approaches 1 : 3 or
1:4 as can be noted in table II. This is similar to what has been
reported of O. retusa (Franzen, 1963, Table II) and of O. haydeni
(Franzen, 1964, table II) . The form of the teeth is also character-
istic of the genus. The basal plate is longer and more tapering than
October, 1966 nautilus 65
TABLE II
No. of Rows No. of Teeth
of Teeth in a Row Tooth Formula
Southport, (a) Q'f 52 15 - 11 - C - 9 - l8
New Orleans, La. „ o
91 57 - 3 - c - 9 - 56
(b) 126 95 5^+ - 12 - C - 12 - 5^
9^+ 5't - 12 - C - 12 - 55
Hardin, 111. (a) 91 91
(b) 93 102
102
90
(c) 100 108 ^+2 - 11 - C - 12 - ^+2
Counts made of representative radulae to show variations in the number of
rows of teeth in a radula and variations of the number of teeth in a row.
that of Succinea and Catinella (Quick, 1933, p. 296, figs. 1-4;
Franzen, 1959, fig. 3) .
The central tooth has the structural characteristics of the suc-
cineids, namely, a large mesocone flanked on either side by a
smaller ectocone. The laterals have a large mesocone and a smaller
ectocone. Occasionally laterals located near the marginals have also
an endocone. The marginals have an endocone, a mesocone, and
an ectocone. The ectocone of the most medial marginals is divided
into two cusps of which the lateral one is characteristically longer
and heavier than the other. The remaining marginals have an ecto-
cone which is divided into three cusps. The lateral cusp is longer
and usually heavier than the other two. Infrequently the cusps of
the ectocone are of equal size.
The Jaw. The amber-colored jaw resembles that of Oxyloma
retusa. It has a large median fold which projects anteriorly. In
several jaws which I have studied, a lateral fold flanks the median
fold as is also characteristic of O. retusa (Franzen, 1963, Fig 2) .
Likewise, the jaw lacks the series of small lateral folds characteristic
of the jaw of Succinea ovalis Say (Franzen, 1959, Fig. 2) . No dis-
tinctive specific features of the jaw were noted.
The Reproductive System. The penis and the vagina are located
in the right anterior region of the animal. The penis is located to
the left of the vagina. The elongate penis is encased in a sheath
which is slightly pigmented with black flecks over the distal 2/3 of
its surface.
66
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (2)
EPIPHALLUS-
PENIAL RETRACTO
MUSCLE
PENIAL APPENDI
VAS DEFERENS
PENIAL SHEATH
PRM
VAS DEFERENS
Figure 3. A - E: Penis shown inside of penial sheat cut open. All figures are
from snails taken from the station at Hardin, Illinois. The scale lines repre-
sent the following measurements from epiphallus to end of penis: A, 3.6 mm.;
B. 3.2 mm.; C. 4.8 mm.; D. 4.2 mm.; E. 4.8 mm. F. Drawing showing relative
position and lengths of penial sheath and vagina. Scale line of entire length
of drawing, 60 mm.
The epiphallus (the vas deferens after its entry into the sheath)
is coiled and recurved around the penis in no regular fashion. It
enters the penis subterminally as shown in A - E of figure 3. Pilsbry
(1948, p. 793) describes the epiphallus as being nearly straight.
This is not true of the individuals of O. salleana which I have dis-
sected including those from New Orleans as well as those from the
October, 1966 nautilus 67
two localities in Illinois. The penial appendix is inflated, its diam-
eter tends to be uniform in its entire length, and its end is bluntly
rounded. I have not foimd any penial appendix to be digitiform as
is characteristic of O. retiisa and of O. haydeni nor to have its
terminus in the form of a blimt hook as is found in O. haydeni
(Franzen, 1964, Fig. 1) . The length of the vagina approximates
that of the penial sheath. The oviduct and the duct from the se-
minal receptacle enter the vagina terminally as shown in Figure
III, F.
The length of the prostate gland generally equals that of the
albumin gland. In O. retusa and in O. haydeni I have found the
prostate gland to be consistently shorter than the albumin gland.
The acini of the prostate gland are about twice the size of those
of the albumin gland. The seminal vesicle is a bilobed structure;
the two lobes are equal to subequal in length. The amount of pig-
mentation of the lobes is variable, which is true also of the herma-
phroditic duct. Both of these glandular organs are enclosed in a
thin transparent sheath on which may be scattered flecks of black
pigment.
Chromosomes. The search for reliable criteria in the identifica-
tion of species of succineids has led to the investigation of the possi-
bility of the employment of the specific nimibers of chromosomes
along with anatomical characteristics. For such purposes sperm cells
in segments of ovotestis fixed in Newcomer's fixative, stained with
acetic-orcein and squashed between a glass slide and a cover slip,
have been studied.
Examinations which have been made of Oxyloma salleana, O. re-
tusa and O. haydeni reveal that the haploid number of chromo-
somes of these species is nineteen. The snails used for such studies
were obtained from several geographically separated localities. My
studies were of snails of O. salleana from the Hardin, Illinois, sta-
tion, of O. retusa from White Cloud, Doniphan Co., Kansas, and
from Meade County State Park, Kansas, and of O. haydeni from a
station tw^enty-one miles south of Valentine, Nebraska. The study
of O. salleana obtained from Southport, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana,
has been reported (Natarajan, Hubricht, Burch. In press) . J. B.
Burch (personal communication) examined tissues of O. retnsa
obtained from White Cloud, Doniphan Co., Kansas.
Chromosome numbers do not always distinguish one species from
68 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
another. Continued studies may reveal that certain groups of species
share common numbers Avhich may prove to be of some taxonomic
value.
SUMMARY
Shells of succineids generally lack sharply defined specific fea-
tures. However, certain characters such as the ratios of the height
of the aperture to the height of the shell and the width of the
shell to its height are useful in distinguishing Oxyloma sallenna
from O. retusa.
Anatomical features which distinguish O. salleana from O. re-
tusa: 1, Penial appendix. The penial appendix of O. retusa is gen-
erally a distinctly digitiform structure although variable in length.
The penial appendix of O. salleana is inflated; its diameter tends
to be uniform in its entire length and its end is bluntly rounded. I
have not found variations comparable to those occurring in O. re-
tusa (Franzen, 1963) . 2. Relative size of the albumin gland to the
prostate gland. In O. retusa I have found the prostate gland to be
consistently smaller than the albumin gland (Franzen, 1963) . The
dissections I have made of the snails from the three stations noted
reveal that in O. salleana the length of the prostate gland tends to
equal that of the albumin gland. 3. Pigmentation of the body. The
pattern of pigmentation of the head region of Oxyloma salleana is
more consistently in the form of bands (as shown in Figure II) than
is characteristic of either O. retusa or of O. haydeni. The pigmenta-
tion along the lateral body wall assumes the form of a broad band
as it does in O. retusa but which is not characteristic of O. haydeni.
If the darkly pigmented band on the mantle outlining the posterior
margin of the kidney is present, it is not as distinct as in O. retusa.
Geographic distribution and habitats. Oxyloma salleana is a
species of the lower Mississippi River valley whereas O. retusa is
found in the upper Mississippi River valley. Both species live on
muddy to wet ground and on vegetation growing in water. O. retusa
favors cattails (Typha sp.) and reeds, whereas I have found O. sal-
leana to favor Sagittaria sp.
Acknowledgments. This study has been made possible through
the financial assistance of a National Science Foundation Grant-in-
Aid. Henry van der Schalie kindly made available to me facilities
of the Div. of Mollusca, Mus. of Zoology, Univ. of Michigan, for
the study of chromosomes of succineids, and also offered helpful
October, 1966 nautilus 69
suggestions. I am grateful to J. B. Burch and R. Natarajan for
assistance and suggestions offered in my study of chromosomes.
Literature cited
Franzen, Dorothea S. 1959. Anatomy of Succinea ovalis Say. Proc.
Mala. Soc. London 33 (5, Nov.) : 193-199, Tables I, II, figs. 1-7.
. 1963. Variations in the anatomy of the succineid gastropod
Oxyloma retusa. Nautilus 76 (3) : 82-95, Tables I, II, figs. 1-4.
1964. Anatomy of the succineid gastropod Oxyloma haydcni.
Nautilus 77 (3) : 73-81, Tables I, II, fig. 1
Natarajan, R., Leslie Hubricht, and J. B. Burch. In press. Chromo-
somes of eight species of Succineidae (Gastropod, Stylomma-
tophora) from the southern United States. Acta Biol. Acad.
Sci. Hungaricae.
Pfeiffer, L. 1849. Descriptions of twelve ncAv species of Vitrina and
Succinea from the collection of H. Cuming, Esq. Proc. Zoo. Soc.
London: 132-134.
Pilsbry, Henry A. 1948. Land Mollusca of North America (North
of Mexico) . Aca. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Mon. No. 3, Vol. II,
Pt. 2: xlvii + 521-1113, 585 figs.
Quick, H. E. 1933. Proc. Mala. Soc. London 20 (6, Nov.) : 295-318,
"pi. 23-25, figs. 1-18.
NOTES AND NEWS
Edwin Perrin Baker: Oct. 15, 1891 - April 24, 1966. — We have
suffered a loss in the passing of a dear friend, a native Californian,
born in Poway, San Diego County. He entered high school at Pasa-
dena, but soon thereafter registered in the Training School for
Christian Workers, an interdenominational school run by Quakers.
There he finished high school and more than two years of Bible
study. In 1913 he registered at Nazarene University, Pasadena with
sufficient Bible credits to enable him to graduate with one year's
additional work. He earned the degree of Bachelor of Theology.
He wished to continue in art work; however, his mother wished
him to enter the ministry. As there was no opening in ministerial
work at the time, he became employed in a sign shop doing letter-
ing and illustrating.
He married Irene Donaldson in 1937. Through their interest in
the work of the American Friends Service Committee they travelled
extensively among the Indians of the southwest. They visited vari-
ous reservations of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Shells
always travelled with them and were distributed among the Indians.
Mr, and Mrs. Baker became avid shell collectors. Mr. Baker
70 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
served as president of the Conchological Club ot Southern Cali-
fornia. He was also president of the Long Beach Shell Club, and
later chairman of the American Malacological Union Pacific Di-
vision. The Baker natural history collection and library is left to
the family.
Mr. Baker is survived by his widow, Irene Baker, two daughters,
Mrs. Edith Repogle and Miss Edna Perrin Baker, five grandchil-
dren, several great-grandchildren, and a host of friends. — Mrs.
John O. Burch, 4206 Halldale Ave., Los Angeles, California 90062.
Extension in range for Dosinia discus. — On a recent trip to
Sanibel-Captiva Islands I found 3 specimens of D. discus (Reeve)
near the northern end of Captiva Island. At the time this genus
was monographed in Johnsonia (1942, no. 3, pp. 1-5) Ave had seen
no specimens south of Tampa Bay.
In the second edition of "Marine Shells of the Western Coast of
Florida" (1955), Perry and Schwengel state that "Dosinia discus
(Reeve) is occasionally found north of Tampa and may be distin-
guished from D. elegans by its finer and closer concentric striation
and its more compressed form."
The west coast of Florida from Cedar Keys to Naples is perhaps
the most thoroughly collected area of the Atlantic coast of the
United States. It seems reasonable to assume that D. discus would
have been found in our large museum collections from the area
south of Tampa Bay had it occurred there prior to 1955. Dosinia
discus and D. elegans are sympatric species since they occur together
in many sections of their ranges from Cape Hatteras to Northern
Yucatan. Competition on any large scale between the two species
is apparently of no great importance and any minor temperature
change could hardly be effective, as this area is in the approximate
center of their ranges. Just what has occasioned this range exten-
sion is at present unknown. It will be of considerable interest to see
if D. discus is found elsewhere south of the Tampa Bay area.
— W. J. Clench.
Cypraea (Propustularia) surinamensis Perry from Brazil. —
Mr. Henry R. Matthews of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, kindly has in-
formed us {in lit.) that he has found in recent months 12, well-
preserved specimens of this rare cowrie. They were taken from the
digestive tracts of a bottom-dwelling toadfish, Amphichthys crypto-
October, 1966 nautilus 71
centrus, caught off Fortaleza in depths of approximately 15 fathoms.
Inasmuch as "Surinam" (Dutch Guiana) was the most southern
locality previously reported, the Brazilian specimens extend the
range southward below the equator to about 4° S. latitude.
According to Mr. Matthews, measurements of nine of the shells
range in length from 28 to 35 mm., with an average of 31.08 mm.
and a median of 31 mm.; width ranges from 18 to 22 mm., with
an average of 20.33 mm. and a median of 20 mm.; height ranges
from 13 to 19 mm., with an average of 15.66 mm. and a median of
16 mm. All but two of the twelve specimens have the "inflated form"
as described in our recent paper (Nautilus, 1965, 79{\)\21, pi. 3, fig.
2) . — William K. Emerson and William E. Old, Jr., The Amer-
ican Museum of Natural History, New York City.
On Ampullina Guppy. — In a paper in the Proc. Victoria Inst.
Trinidad (1895, pp. 72-77) referred to by H. B. Baker (1927,
Nautilus 41:2.2) , Guppy cited A?npnlli7ia in the subgenus Helicina
(p. 74) and listed 3 species under this taxon: H. moquiniana Pf.,
Fiji; H. amoena PL, Guatemala; and H. concentrica PL, Venezuela.
The name Ampullina DeBlainville, 1824, Dictionnaire Sciences
Naturelles i2;235 (type species, Ampullina striata DeBlainville,
monotypic) ; 1825, Manuel de Malacologie, p. 441 [as Ampulline]
is now in the synonymy of Viana H. & A. Adams because of an
earlier use by Bowditch (1822, Elements of Conchology (Paris),
p. 31, pi. 9, fig. 2) for a naticid.
In order to prevent Ampullina Guppy {non Bowditch 1822;
DeBlainville 1824; Fischer 1885) from being confused with the
synonyms of Viana, we hereby designate as type species Helicina
amoena Pfeiffer (1848, Proc. Zoo. Soc. London, p. 119) and thus
make Ampullina Guppy a synonym of Oxyrhombus Crosse &:
Fischer, 1893, same type by subsequent designation of H. B. Baker
(1922, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7^:48) . — W. J. Clench
and M. K. Jacobson.
Lehmannia in Massachusetts. — In May and June, 1966, a
considerable number of specimens of Lehmannia poirieri (Ma-
bille) were collected in the Boston area. This appears to be the
first record of the slug in New England. In the gieenhouses of the
Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Watertown, Middlesex County, over 50
slugs were found in a few minutes, including one melanic speci-
72 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (2)
men. Three individuals were collected in the greenhouse of the
Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Essex County. The slug seems to
be restricted to greenhouses at the present, but probably in time
will spread into neighboring gardens and other areas. — Landon T.
Ross, Dept. of Geology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED
Dance, S. Peter. 1966. Shell Collecting. — An illustrated History.
344 pp., 35 pis. (3 in color) . Faber and Faber Ltd., London.
63 shillings. Covers early European history, mainly. Excellent.
Marwick, J. 1965. Upper Cenozoic Mollusca of Wairoa District,
Hawke's Bay. Paleont. Bull. 39, New Zealand Geol. Survey. 59
pp., 11 pis.
Solem, Alan. 1964. A collection of non-marine mollusks from
Sabah, Sabah (Malaysia) Society Journal 2 (1-2) : 1-40.
Hodgkin, E. P., et al. 1966. The shelled Gastropod of south western
Australia. Western Australian Naturalists' Club, Handbook no.
9. 60 pp., 21 pis.
Roper, Clyde F. E. 1966. A study of the genus Enoploteuthis
(Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) in the Atlantic Ocean . . . Dana-
Report, no. 66, Copenhagen, 46 pp., 24 figs.
Loosanoff, Victor L. 1965. The American or eastern oyster. Circular
205, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 36 pp. Excellent review,
numerous illus.
Dance, S. Peter. 1966. Shell collecting. An illustrated history. Uni-
versity of California Press, Berkeley, California 94720; 349 pages,
31 text-figures and 35 plates (3 colored) . $10.00. — This popular
book on the more glamorous aspects of mollusks provides very
interesting reading and pictures for hobbyists. It accents collec-
tions rather than field methods.
Aguayo, Carlos G. 1965. Sobre el status de Veronicella portoricensis
(Mollusca Pulmonata) . Caribbean J. of Sci. 5: 25-28, 2 figs.
. Una lista de los moluscos terrestres y fluviales de Puerto Rico.
Stahlia no. 5: 17 pp.
Aiello, Edward & Giancarlo Guideri. 1965. Distribution and func-
tion of the branchial nerve in the mussel. Biol. Bull. 129: 431-
438, fig. 1.
Bates, John M. 1966. A new species of Carunculina (Unionidae
Pelecypoda) from the Savannah River, South Carolina. Occ.
Papers Mus. Zoo. Univ. Mich. no. 646: 9 pp., with 4 figs. 8c pi. 1.
C. patrickae.
Benthem Jutting, W. S. S. 1964. On the conchological work of
F. M. Regenfuss. Zoo. Mededel. 39: 168-179.
. 1964. Non-marine Mollusca of west New Guinea. Part 3,
Pulmonata, 1. Nova Guinea, Zoology 26: 1-74, Figs. A, 1-59, plas.
THE NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 January, 1967 No. 3
ON THE TAXONOMY AND BIOLOGY OF THE
DORID NUDIBRANCH DORIDELLA OBSCURA
By DAVID R. FRANZ
Dept. Zoology, Univ. of Conn., Storrs
In 1963, the writer discovered a large population of Doridella
obscura Verrill in lower Delaware Bay, a population also noted by
Lowden (1965). These animals occur both in deep water (20-25 ft.,
oyster beds) and in the intertidal zone, wherever substrate and
food conditions permit survival. In reviewing the available liter-
ature, it soon became apparent that little information exists on
the biology of this animal. Moreover, the taxonomic status of
Doridella has been in doubt for many years, principally because
the original description (Verrill, 1870) was inadequate and subse-
quent authors have failed to search for and compare Verrill's type
material. In this report, I have reviewed briefly the taxonomy of
Doridella and added a few observations on its biology in Dela-
ware Bay.
Doridella obscura was described by Verrill on the basis of a
single specimen collected at Savin Rock, Connecticut. In later
years (Verrill, 1880) collections were made from Block Island
Sound, Vineyard Sound and Great Egg Harbor, N. J., and Verrill
noted (1873) that it occurred both along the rocky shores of bays
and sounds and in oyster beds in brackish water.
Doridella has been placed in the family Corambidae of Bergh,
1869, (family Hypobranchiaeidae of authors: Fischer, 1887; Mac-
Farland and O'Donoghue, 1929; Harry, 1953) . The status of
Hypobranchiaeidae has been discussed by Marcus (1960) . The
type genus of Corambidae is Corambe Bergh, 1869, with Corambe
sargassicola Bergh (1872) as its type species. The genus is char-
acterized by the presence of a notch in the posterior margin of the
notum on the midline. This notch is not present in Doridella ac-
cording to Verrill (1870). In 1899, Balch erected the genus
Corambella with the type species C. depressa Balch from Cold
Spring Harbor, Long Island. As noted by Marcus (1955) , Coram-
bella differs from Corambe only by the absence of a posterior notch
73
74 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
in the notum. Apparently, Balch felt justified in ignoring Verrill's
genus Doridella on the grounds that Verrill's later descriptions
(1873, pp. 401, 664) are contradictory regarding the location of
the branchiae. In 1953, a second species of Corambella was de-
scribed, C. barotariae Harry from Louisiana.
The proper generic allocation of all described species of "un-
notched" corambids requires a re-analysis of the systematic posi-
tion oi Doridella Verrill, 1870.
I have examined the holotype of D. obscura (Yale Peabody Mus.
No. 13273) . Unfortunately, this specimen is completely dessicated
and useless for determination of external morphology. However,
two lots of two specimens each, collected and identified by Verrill
from Outer Island and Thimble Island, Branford, Conn. (YPM
No. 13179, 10/21/1893) and Savin Rock (YPM No. 13180,
11/5/1874), were examined. In addition, a lot of 3 specimens
collected by W. R. Coe from New Haven was examined (YPM
No. 13178) . The length and width measurements of Verrill's col-
lections from Branford were 1.98x1.73 and 1.54x1.09 mm. re-
spectively. The animals from Savin Rock measured 1.92x1.47 and
1.60x1.44 mm. The 3 specimens from New Haven were 3.80x3.13,
1.99x1.80 and 3.13x2.75 mm respectively.
Evidently, the type material of Corambella depressa Balch is
lost. However, I have examined paratypes of C. baratariae Harry
(USNM No. 597689, F-766 - slide) along with preserved material
from North Carolina and Virginia and both living and preserved
material from New Jersey. Doridella does not have a posterior
notch in its notum and corresponds in its external appearance in
all respects to the paratypes of Corambella baratariae. Therefore,
C. baratariae Harry (1953) must be considered a synonym of
Doridella obscura Verrill (1870) . The specific differences between
C. depressa and C. baratariae as listed by Harry (p. 4) are, in my
opinion, insignificant. The position of the genital complex on
the left side as reported by Balch for C. depressa is almost cer-
tainly an error in observation. No known nudibranchs exhibit
this phenomenon. The reticulate pattern of the notum in C.
depressa disappears in preserved material and the pattern of pig-
ment spots is extremely variable. Moreover, Balch himself, due to
the preservation of the animals, expresses some doubt concerning
his original description of the rhinophores and sheaths and also
January, 1967 nautilus 75
concerning the presence of armature in the penis. The grooves on
the ventral surface of the head described by HaiTy for C. bara-
tariae are invisable in many preserved animals without staining.
The buccal armature noted in C. baratariae is not generally evident
in unsectioned material. The radula, as figured by Balch, does not
appear to be significantly different from C. baratariae if cognizance
is taken of the variability in appearance of radulate depending on
the way in which they have been mounted. Thus, the available
evidence strongly suggests that C. depressa Balch and C. baratariae
Harry are conspecific. In this case, as noted above, both are
synonyms of Doridella obscura.
D. obscura was recorded by Verrill (1880) from locations rang-
ing from Vineyard Sound, Mass., south to Great Egg Harbor, N. J.
The type locality of C. depressa, as with D. obscura, is in Long
Island Sound. Nudibranchs identified as C. baratariae have been
collected from Raritan Bay, N. J. (Dean, D., 1957, unpubl.) south
to Virginia, North Carolina (Marcus, 1961) and on the Gulf
Coast from Mississippi (Moore, D., 1961), Louisiana and Texas
(Marcus, 1960) . This distribution, which encompasses almost the
entire eastern seaboard of the U. S., indirectly supports the con-
tention that we are dealing with a single, widely distributed species.
The present status of Doridella and its contained species may be
summarized as follows:
Genus Doridella Verrill
Doridella Verrill, 1870, Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, L (CL) :
Art. XLVI, p. 405.
Corambella Balch, 1899, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. 27 (7) : 151.
Doridella obscura Verrill
Doridella obscura Verrill 1870
Corambella depressa Balch 1899
Corambe obscura Sumner et al., 1913, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fish.
31 (Pt. 2) : 705.
Corambella baratariae Harry 1953. Occas. Papers Mar. Lab., La.
State Univ., Baton Rouge. No. 8, p. 1.
Doridella carambola (Marcus)
Corambella carambola Marcus 1955, Zoologia 20, Bol. No. 207,
p. 89.
Doridella steinbergae (Lance)
Corambella steinbergae Lance 1962, The Veliger 5(1) : 33.
76 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
Size and External Appearance of N. J. Doridella: The largest
living specimen collected was 7.50x3.41 mm. but in general, they
range from 2 - 4 mm. in length. A representative series of 20
preserved specimens ranged in size as follows:
Length LI 1 - 4.07 mm. with a mean of 2.99 db .17 mm.
Width 1.19 - 3.73 mm. with a mean of 2.69 dz .14 mm.
Head Width 0.34 - 1.33 mm. with a mean of 0.87 ± .06 mm.
Foot Length 0.66 - 2.66 mm. with a mean of 2.02 ± .14 mm.
Foot Width 0.58 - 2.90 mm. with a mean of 0.58 zt .12 mm.
The dorsal coloration and pattern in this species is the result
of a combination of two types of dendritic pigment cells in addi-
tion to a reticulated color network within the notum. Most animals
have a variable number of black dendritic pigment cells which are
located deep within the notum at or close to its ventral surface. In
many specimens, especially some of those collected late in the
season or collected from the laboratory sea water system, the black
pigment cells are very small and few in number and, because of
their depth in the notum, their effect on the overall coloration of
the animal is minimal. Other animals have extremely large black
pigment cells. In these, the pigment masses seem to fill up more
of the space in the notum and in very dark animals, the black cells
are extremely large, moving out into the normally unpigmented
marginal area of the notum.
A second type of pigment cell is present in most animals. These
are brown, located superficially in the notum, and rarely attain
the size of the largest black cells. Following fixation, the brown
cells may become very faint or disappear altogether. Very few
animals have been observed which totally lack pigment cells of
either type.
The reticulate pattern which can be seen in virtually all living
animals appears yellow with reflected light but black in trans-
mitted light. This would suggest that it is due to the presence of
some opaque material, perhaps leucocytes, located either in blood
spaces or some other network within the notum. A similar notal
network has been reported in all corambids which have been ob-
served alive and is particularly well illustrated in Lance's photo-
graphic figure of D. steinbergae (Lance, 1962) .
Water Circulation: Although the animal can hold the margin
of its notum tightly against the substrate, this structure is nor-
January, 1967
NAUTILUS
77
Figure 1. Doridella obscura V^errill. A. X'entral view showing path of
ciliary respiratory' currents. (x28) . B. Egg mass (x34) .
mally held in such a position that gaps occur between the substrate
and the edge of the notum. A posterior gap, just behind the
branchiae (Fig. la) , is the functional analog of the notch in
Corambe. However, the skirt of the notum can be manipulated
so that a gap can occur anywhere along the margin. Water currents
created by cilia on the dorsal surface of the foot and on the
branchiae are drawn through gaps between the notum and sub-
strate in front and on each side of the animal. This current is
carried along the channel formed between the dorsal side of the
foot and the ventral surface of the notum. The current is drawn
over the surface of the branchiae and expelled as a single stream
through the posterior gap. The various pathways followed by
the respiratory currents are indicated in Fig. la. Carmine particles
drawn under the notum are subjected to considerable mucous
secretion and are generally heavily clumped when expelled through
the posterior gap.
Feeding: In Delaware Bay, Doridella is always found in associ-
ation with and feeding on incrusting Bryozoa. During most of the
1965 season, these nudibranchs were very common in the intertidal
zone on shells incrusted with Membranipora crustulenta (Pallas) .
This species appeared to die out by October and during the au-
tumn, the nudibranchs were observed to occur on Alcyonidium
verrilli Osburn. In October, two specimens were found in deep
78 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (8)
water on a bottle covered with Acanthodesia tenuis (Desor) .
Oviposition: The egg mass, or at least part of one, was described
by Verrill (1870) . In New Jersey, tgg production begins no later
than June and continues until cold weather. The eggs are oval
and are embedded in a transparent gelatinous matrix deposited
on a flat surface in the form of a low, flat spiral (Fig. lb) . Very
fine silt particles usually adhere to its surface making it virtually
invisible. In a mass 2.66x2.37 mm., there are approximately 375
eggs, each averaging 0. 1 1 mm. in length. Gravid nudibranchs have
been observed to produce eggs at 5° C. and animals brought into
the laboratory in November, 1965 produced egg masses at 10° C.
The writer has kept unfed specimens over the winter in the labora-
tory at 10°.
I gladly acknowledge the aid of Dr. Joseph Rosewater who pro-
vided me with the paratypes of C. baratariae from the USNM and
of Dr. Willard Hartman of the Peabody Museum at Yale Univer-
sity for his kindness in allowing me to examine Verrill's collections
of Doridella obscura. I am also indebted to Dr. Ruth Turner of
the MCZ who searched for the type of C. depressa and to C. J.
Risso-Dominguez of Buenos Aires who provided many valuable
suggestions. Finally, I appreciate the efforts of Dr. Robertson of
the ANSP who critically reviewed this paper.
References cited
Balch, F. E., 1899. List of the marine Mollusca of Cold Spring
Harbor, Long Island with descriptions of one new genus and
two new species of nudibranchs. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist.
27(7): 151-153.
Bergh, R., 1869. Bidrag til en Monographi af Phyllidieme. Natur-
historisk Tidsskrift, 3 R.V.P., p. 359.
, 1872. Beitrag zur kenntniss der Mollusken der Sargasso-
meeres. Verb. d. K.K. zool. - bot. Gesellsch. in Wien., XXI,
pp. 1293-1297.
Fischer, P., 1887. Manuel de Conchyhologie XXXIV, p. 530, Paris.
Harry, H., 1953. Corambella baratariae, a new species of nudi-
branch from the coast of Louisiana. Occas. Papers Mar. Lab.,
La. State Univ., Baton Rouge. No. 8, pp. 1-9.
Lance, J. R., 1962. A new Stiliger and a new Corambella (Mol-
lusca: Opistobranchia) from the northwestern Pacific. The
Veliger 5(1): 33-38.
Lowden, R. D., 1965. The marine Mollusca of New Jersey and
Delaware Bay, an annotated checklist. Proc. Phila. Shell Club
7(8-9): 5-61.
MacFarland, F. M. and O'Donoghue, C. N., 1929. A new species
January, 1967 nautilus 79
of Coramhe from the Pacific coast of North America. Proc. Cal.
Acad. Sci. 18 {l): 1-27.
Marcus, E., 1955. Opisthobranchia from Brazil. Zoologia 20,
Boletim No. 207, pp. 89-264.
, 1961. Opisthbranchia from North Carolina. J. Elisha Mitch-
ell Sci. Soc. 77(2): 141-151.
Marcus, E. and Marcus, E., 1960. Some opisthbranchs from the
northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci. Univ. Texas,
6: 251-264.
Moore, D. R., 1961. The marine and brackish water Mollusca of
the state of Mississippi. Gulf Res. Rept. i (1) : 34.
Osburn, R. C., 1944. A survey of the Bryozoa of Chesapeake Bay.
Publ. No. 63, Chesapeake Biol. Lab., Solomons, Md.
Sumner, F. B., Osburn, R. C. and Cole, L. J,, 1913. A biological
survey of the waters of Woods Hole and vicinitv. Bull. U. S.
Bur. Fish. 31 (2) : 705.
Verrill, A. E., 1870. Contributions to zoology from the museum
of Yale College, No. 8. Descriptions of some New England
Nudibranchiata. Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, 50(150) Art. 46,
pp. 405-408.
, 1873. Report upon the invertebrate animals of Vineyard
Sound, etc., U. S. Fish. Comm. Rept. 1 (71-72) pp. 295-788.
, 1880. Catalogue of marine Mollusca added to the fauna of
the New England region during the past ten years. Trans. Conn.
Acad. Sci. 5; 447-599.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE ECOLOGY OF
CALLOCARDIA TEXASIANA
By PAUL S. BOYER
Dept. of Geology, Rice University, Houston, Texas
Dead shells of the venerid clam Callocardia texasiana (Dall)
occur uncommonly on Gulf Coast beaches from northwest Florida
to Texas and Mexico. A few paired vahes of recently deceased
specimens have been found on Texas beaches, and one live adult
individual has been taken from an unknown locality in the Gulf of
Campeche by a commercial shrimp fisherman. Dr. T. E. Pulley
(personal conversation) reports that William C. Guest collected
live specimens in Matagorda Bay in 1956; this was following a
period of drought which caused bay salinities to be abnormally
high (Gunter, personal communication to Harry S. Ladd; cited in
Ladd, 1951, p. 134). Abbott (1954, p. 416) has stated that the
biology and habits of Callocardia texasiana are unknown.
While engaged in the study of the distribution of larger inverte-
80 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
brates with respect to various environmental parameters, the
author recently made two trips by shrimpboat along the Louisiana
Coast. On both trips, numbers of live Callocardia texasiana were
collected by means of a small biological dredge. The following
stations yielded living specimens:
LIP 10/12-10 81/2 nautical miles south of Big Constance Bayou.
LIP 6/6-2 10 nautical miles south of Tigre Point.
LIP 6/6-3 9 nautical miles south of Tigre Point.
LPP 10/8-9 7 nautical miles south of Grand Bayou Pass.
LPP 6/9-5 7 nautical miles north of West Jetty,
Southwest Pass.
At all locations where live material was found, the substrate
consisted of a superficial layer (about 1 cm.) of flocculate clay
material on 3 to 5 cm. of silty sand, overlying a stiff, gray mud.
When collected, the live clams were coated with mud, in which
they apparently had been living. Since the dredge could not have
excavated deeper than about 8 cm. into the sediment, I estimated
that the specimens collected must have been living about 4 to 8 cm.
beneath the sediment surface.
Live clams were found at depths of from 24 feet (near the
Mississippi Delta) to 80 feet (south-southeast of Marsh Island) .
Bottom salinities ranged from 28 (near the Delta) to 34 0/00
farther west; clearly, this species favors euhaline condtions.
According to data kindly supplied by the Bureau of Commercial
Fisheries in Galveston, and supplemented by our own measure-
ments, the bottom temperature ranges at the Callocardia texasiana
stations are: for the winter, 63 to 67 F.; and for the summer,
79 to 86 F.
Although our Winkler measurements of bottom-water dissolved
oxygen varied greatly along the Louisiana Coast, in 4 of the 5
stations at which live Callocardia were collected, the dissolved oxy-
gen fell in a range of 5.7 to 6.0 ml/liter. The exception was the
point nearest the Delta (LPP 6/9-5) , which showed a dissolved
oxygen content of about 2.8 ml/liter. The low oxygen content of
bottom water at this station is a result of strong salinity-density
stratification brought about by the influx of Mississippi River
water, and of the high content of suspended organic material in
the areas close to the Delta.
The shells of several specimens of Callocardia texasiana had
January, 1967 nautilus 81
been attacked by a worm similar to the Polydora which often infests
commercial oysters (Hofstetter, 1965, p. 19) . The pallial sinus of
one valve was completely riddled by this shell inhabitant.
Dead valves of Callocardia texasiana which have been drilled
by a predatory gastropod are occasionally found. The geometry
of such drill holes may be used to identify the predator; this
method has even been applied to fossil shells (Siler, 1965) . The
smooth, hemispherical drill holes found in our Callocardia shells
are the work of a naticid gastropod, most likely the common
Polinices duplicatus.
Acknowledgments. The author wishes to acknowledge the sup-
port of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration Fellow-
ship and of National Science Foundation Grant GP-3600. Dr. T. E.
Pulley, Houston Museum of Natural Science, critically read the
manuscript.
Literature cited
Abbott, R. Tucker. 1954. American Seashells: D. Van Nostrand
Company, Princeton, N. J.
Hofstetter, Robert P. 1965. The Texas oyster fishery: Texas Parks
and Wildlife Dept. Bull 40, 39 pp.
Ladd, Harry S. 1951. Brackish-water and marine assemblages of
the Texas coast, with special reference to mollusks. Publ. of the
Institute of Marine Science 2: 125-164.
Siler, Walter L. 1965. Feeding habits of some Eocene carnivorous
gastropods. Texas Journal of Science 17: 213-218.
A NEW ANCILLA FROM BRAZIL
By JOHN Q. and ROSE L. BURCH
Among specimens received from Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, there
are some specimens of Ancilla that seem to us to be a new species.
The shells were taken from the digestive tract of the toad fish
Amphichthys cryptocentrus (Valenciennes 1837) in the family
Batrachoididae. The fish was taken in about fifteen fathoms. They
are bottom feeders.
Ancilla matthewsi, new species. Figure 1
Shell fusiform, greatest width at middle of body whorl; spire
high, smooth, pointed; callus expanding on body whorl, but not
covering the preceding suture; 3 or 4 plaits on base of columella;
columella excavately arched then slightly twisted; minute vertical
striations on body whorl; two spiral basal grooves, the lower groove
82
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (3)
starting at the notch and ending at cohmiella with a small plait on
interior, the upper groove pitted with rib-like nodes; outer lip with
minute tooth before turn at base; shell orange, but some paratypes
apricot or white. Dimensions of the holotype are, length 18.8 mm.,
length of aperture 12.4 mm., -width 9.1 mm.
The dimensions of the paratypes vary from length 20.1 mm.,
length of aperture 11.9 mm., width 8.7 mm. to length 11.9 mm.,
length of aperture 5.0 mm., width 5.0 mm.
This species may be compared wath Ancilla cinnamonea La-
marck 1801, in form alone, but the latter lacks the basal grooves.
The holotype is to be deposited in the Academy of Natural
Sciences of Philadelphia, no. 308959. Two paratypes are in the
collection of Mr. H. R. Matthews, two paratypes, no. 308960, in
the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia,
tw^o in the Burch collection, and others Avill be distributed to
various institutions.
It is our pleasure to name this species in honor of INIr. H. R.
Matthews, British Vice-Consul in Fortaleza. His enthusiasm in
research has contributed much to those interested in the malacology
of this region.
We wish to thank Dr. Bruce Campbell for preparing the figures.
Figure 1. Ancilla matthewsi Burch and Burch. Two views of holotype.
January, 1967 nautilus 83
A NEW SPECIES OF LYRIA (VOLUTIDAE)
FROM HISPANIOLA
Bv W. J. CLENCH and R. D. TURNER
Through the kindness of Dr. L. E. Vega of Santo Domingo,
Repubhca Doniinicana, we have been privileged to describe this
new Lyria from Hispaniola.
Various species in the genus Lyria appear to be very rare in the
western Atlantic. Probably no more than 5 or 6 specimens ol
Lyria bcauii (F. & B.) are known to exist.
Lyria (Lyria) vegai, new species. Page 84, fig. 1
Description: Shell relatively small for this family, though large
for the genus; nearly smooth, imperforate and reaching 60 mm.
(about 2 1/4 inches) in length. Whorls 8 and convex. Color ivory
with numerous and irregular spiral bands of brownish spots and
lines which are also in axial arrangement. Spire extended and
produced at an angle of 48°. Aperture subelliptical. Outer lip
slightly reflected. Parietal wall thinly glazed. Columella with two
well developed plicae and one small one near the base and with
several exceedingly fine, thread-like plicae above which extend over
the parietal wall. Suture well indented. Sculpture consisting of
very fine axial costae on the early Avhorls which are absent on the
later whorls which have only very fine gro^vth lines. Protoconch
broken. Opercidum imknown.
Measurements of holotype: Height 60 mm., width 26 mm.
Type: Holotype, Museum of Comparative Zoology, no. 256494,
from a fishtrap, Cabo Rojo, Prov. Pedernales, Republica Doniini-
cana, Hispaniola. Collected by Bernardo Vega in December 1961.
Remarks: This species is related to Lyria beauii (Fischer and
Bernardi) from Marie-Galante, Lesser Antilles, though it differs
in several of its morphological characters from that species. Lyria
vegai is smooth except for the first two whorls, and not axially
ribbed throughout as in beauii; also the outer lip is more roimded.
In addition, L. vegai has only the columellar plicae and 3 or 4
very small plicae at the upper parietal area, while beauii has a
continuotis series of small plicae which extend from the columellar
area to nearly the uppermost portion of the parietal area.
Named for Dr. L. E. Vega of Ciudad Santo Domingo.
Lyria (Lyria) beauii (Fischer and Bernardi) Figs. 2-3
Voluta beauii Fischer and Bernardi 1857, Jour, de Conchyliol-
84
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (-5)
Figure 1. Lyria (Lyria) xiegai Clench and Turner (1-4X) . Figures 2-3. Lyria
(Lyria) beaiiii (Fischer and Bernardi) (about natural size) [after Fischer
and Bernardi].
ogie 5; 296, pi, 9, figs. 8-9 (Marie-Galante [Lesser Antilles] West
Indies) .
Lyria beauii (Fischer and Bernardi) . Tryon 1882, Man. of
Conch. (1) 4: 101, pi. 2, fig. 7 (radula) ; pi. 31, fig. 137.
THRACIA CONRADI
IN MALPEQUE BAY, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
By M.L.H. THOMAS
Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Biological Substation, EUerslie, P.E.I.
Thracia conradi Couthouy, a bivalve mollusk of the family
Thraciidae, order Anomalodesmacea, has seldom been collected
alive because of its deep burrowing habit and its delicate shell.
Consequently its geographical range is not completely known and
its biological characteristics are known even less. Johnson (1934)
gave the range as Labrador to North Carolina in 3-16 fm. Most
January, 1967 nautilus 85
later geneial accounts merely repeat this information (Smith, 1937,
Miner, 1950 and LaRocque, 1953) but Abbott (1954) gives the
range as Nova Scotia to Long Island Sound, N. Y. in water down
to 150 fm. Canadian records, mostly from Whiteaves (1901, were
summarized by LaRocque (1953) but imfortunately several signi-
ficant records by Stafford (1910a, 1910b) were not included. These
records show a distribution extending from U.S.A. waters as far
north as Caribou Island, Labrador and up the St. Lawrence to
Gaspe Bay, P.O. There are several records for the mainland side
of Northumberland Strait but none for P.E.I, waters. Most of
these records are based on shells only.
A few observations on habitat and general biology of T. conradi
are included in the records discussed above but the only papers
giving any details of this aspect are those of Gould (1870) and
Morse (1913, 1919) who did observe living specimens.
During recent faunal surveys of Malpeque Bay, P.E.I, it has
been established that T. conradi is common in the area. It has a
wide distribution in the bay proper and occurs to at least the
lower parts of tributary estuarine waters. It has not been found
where salinity ever would be greatly reduced, although specimens
retained in the laboratory have ^vithstood temporary fresh-water
conditions lasting several hours.
Bottoms in w^hich populations have been found have all been of
muddy sand, with the proportion of mud varying considerably.
However, in all locations the sediment was similar in that it was
firm with little tendency to shift. Eel grass Zostera marina L. was
abimdant at some stations and absent at others.
One abundant population was examined using skin diving
(SCUBA) methods. This location was typical for populations in
the area and comprised a bottom of slightly muddy sand in about
4 meters of water. The bottom at this station was covered with
numerous paired holes which proved to be T. conradi burrows.
The main associated molluscan fauna comprised Pitar morrhnana,
Tellina agilis, Ensis directus. Lacuna vincta and Nassarius trivit-
tatus.
Numerous specimens were carefully dug by hand and with a
hand operated suction dredge (Brett, 1964) . Where possible, indi-
viduals were marked in situ, their position recorded and the burrow
depth measured. Specimens were measured and weighed entire
86 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
while still alive.
Specimens collected measured up to 91 mm. long and weighed
up to 162 grams. Each individual had two burrows to the surface,
emerging up to about 80 mm. apart. Both burrows were round in
cross section; that for the incurrent (ventral) siphon character-
istically being surrounded by a mound of excavated sand, whereas
the excurrent siphon hole lay in a depression. Both burrows
descended almost vertically to a few centimeters above the clam,
then converged to form a common chamber at the posterior end
of the shell. Burrow depths to the uppermost part of the shell
were measured for many specimens over 53 mm. long. I observed
that the burrow depth was not proportional to size but varied
randomly from 140 to 260 mm., a mean of about 175 mm. Several
specimens smaller than 53 mm. in length have been collected by
the suction dredge but none were observed in their burrows. All
specimens examined in situ were lying on their sides with the
larger right valve up.
Several specimens from 55 to 89 mm. long have been held alive
in the laboratory in containers of muddy sand. One has been ob-
served for several months with its burrows against the glass wall
of a container. In the laboratory all specimens fed freely on a
culture of marine diatom Phaeodactyhim tricornutum Bohlin.
Specimens observed in the laboratory made no attempt to bur-
row or even move. However, those placed in a typical attitude and
depth in sand quickly constructed siphon holes to the surface and
fed when food was provided. In the laboratory siphon holes have
rarely been retained unaltered for more than a day, being re-dug
frequently and changed in position. During this re-working process
a considerable volume of sediment was transferred from the excur-
rent to the incurrent siphon burrow where it built up at the
surface. Specimens periodically allowed both burrows to collapse
and fill and remained quiescent for periods of up to a week. Such
action also resulted when fresh water replaced the sea water flow.
There is evidence, however, that some water was still drawn in
through the sand when the holes were blocked, since addition of
food culture or return of full salinity resulted in prompt re-
burrowing to the surface.
The field and laboratory observations of living specimens, both
buried and free, and the diminutive size of the foot, suggest that
January, 1967 nautilus 87
adult specimens do not move once established in a burrow.
I must conclude that T. conradi has a much more general dis-
tribution and is probably much more abundant throughout its
range than references indicate. Studies on its mode of life, behavior
and general biology suggest a fascinating life history. Further
studies would no doubt be rewarding.
I am grateful to Dr. A. H. Clarke of the National Museum of
Canada for his help and advice and for checking the identity of
specimens.
References cited
Abbott, R. T. 1954. American Seashells. Van Nostrand, N. Y.
541 p.
Brett, C. E. 1964. A portable hydraulic diver-operated dredge Seive
for sampling subtidal macrofauna. J. Mar. Res. 22 (2) : 205-209.
Gould, A. A. 1870. Report on the invertebrata of Massachusetts . . .
comprising the mollusca, 2nd Ed., Wright and Potter, Boston,
524 p.
Johnson, C. W. 1934. List of marine Mollusca of the Atlantic coast
from Labrador to Texas. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. '^^ (1) :
1-204.
La Rocque, A. 1953. Catalogue of the recent Mollusca of Canada.
Nat. Mus. Canada, Bull. No. 129, 406 p.
Miner, R. W. 1950. Field book of seashore life. Putnam 'k Sons,
N. Y. 888 p.
Morse, E. J. 1913. Notes on Thracia conradi. Nautilus 27: 14:-11.
1919. Observations on living lamellibranchs in New England.
Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 55(5): 139-196.
Smith, M. 1937. East coast marine shells. Edwards Brothers Inc.,
Ann Arbor, Mich. 308 p.
Stafford, J. 1910a. On the fauna of the Atlantic coast of Canada.
Third Report — Gaspe. Contrib. Canadian Biol. 1906-1910,
45-67. 1910b. On the fauna of the Atlantic coast of Canada,
Fourth Report. Contrib. Canadian Biol. 1906-1910, 69-78.
Whiteaves, J. F. 1901. Catalogue of the marine invertebrata of
Eastern Canada. Geol. Surv. Canada. Publ. No. 772, 271 p.
NOTES ON COASTAL LAND SNAILS
By ROBERT R. TALMADGE
Willow Creek, California
A recent paper by Bleakney, Nautilus 79 (4) , April, 1966, on
the availability of calcium carbonate for Cepaea nemoralis on an
offshore island off Nova Scotia, supplied the incentive for this
rather brief discussion on similar coastal situations, but along the
88 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (8)
coasts of northern California and southern Oregon. There are
numerous headlands, offshore islets and sea stacks along the coasts
mentioned above, many of which have a vegetation cover. Some
of them also have local populations of slugs and snails in the genera
ArioUmax, 'Haplotrema, Vespericola, and Monadenia, the latter
having been the subject of several taxonomic papers covering
insular, headland, or beach populations.
The vegetation cover mentioned may consist of grass only, grass
and low brush, grass brush and trees, or any combination of such,
dependent upon the size, soil, and exposure to the prevailing
winds of any stack, islet, or headland. At least in my field records,
there does not appear to be any definite trend of snail populations
dependent upon any special type of vegetation or size of headland
or islet. Apparently the availability of free lime, plus cover from
the strong prevailing winds were the two prime factors of abun-
dance and distribution.
Bleakney refers to the use of lime from the drift or bird taken
marine shells that the snails found on the island. This appears to
be duplicated on the South and Middle Sisters Rocks, south of
Port Orford, Oregon. At the present time, one may easily reach the
headland on the mainland and the South or innermost Sister Rock,
and the Middle Sister at low-low tide. North Sister, a nearly vei tical
sea stack cannot be reached except by boat, and then the possi-
bility of climbing the sides is questionable. The only noticeable
lime about the two inshore rocks and the mainland headland ap-
pears to be either drift shells or shells that gulls have left amid
certain rocky areas rather low down on the tall stacks. There is
a population of a rather small Monadenia, as well as small Ves-
pericola and some Haplotrema also low down on these rocks,
living in the grasses rather than in the available low brush. The
population is not noted as being very heavy.
The reef, sea stack, insular, and headland complex near Trini-
dad, and at Crescent City in northern California is quite different.
Some of the localities that appear the least suitable for land snails
have a much heavier population than sites one would consider
more suitable. I did note that in the areas of the greatest number
of land snails, there were deposits of sandy soil, filled with subfossil
marine shells, and that the snails appeared to be concentrated in
the heavy rank grass at or adjacent to such lime areas. Guano also
January, 1967 nautilus 89
appeared to be a factor in furnishing lime. Prehistoric sand dunes
filled with old marine shells are also a possible source of lime, and
such seem to support a much larger population of land snails.
Such sites are the mouth and lower reaches of the Pistol River in
Oregon, the Smith and Mad Rivers in California. In such areas
snails are to be found well into the dunes, even in what many
might consider to be poor vegetation cover.
Shell mounds, or Indian middens, with the loose soil, filled with
bits of broken clam shell, also furnish free lime to the snails.
Personal observations indicate that the snail populations around
such sites are more dense than in similar vegetation cover nearby.
The majority of the reef, sea stack, insular, headland complexes,
appear to be remnants of more massive headlands that were sepa-
rated, broken apart, or worn into more or less their present con-
dition by the rise and fall of the sea level during the glacial and
interglacial periods of the Pleistocene. Most paleontologists con-
sider that our present genera of land snails were present and had
a similar distribution during that geological time. There are areas
that have altered since the glacial periods to such an extent that
land snails may no longer inhabit the region, or else other species
have moved in, replacing the original forms. At the present time,
apparently the insular and headland races of Monadenia, Vesperi-
cola, and Haplotrema on the Pacific Coast, were present prior to
this breaking up of the larger headlands, and survived in suitable
locations that furnished them with cover, food, and lime.
SNAILS ON MIGRATORY BIRDS
By dee S. DUNDEE, Louisiana State University in New Orleans,
PAUL H. PHILLIPS and JOHN D. NEW SOM, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge
During nocturnal woodcock-banding operations by the Louisiana
Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit in the winters of 1964-65 and
1965-66, snails (Succinea unicolor Tryon) were found among the
feathers of some of these migratory birds. The banding was done
in the Atchafalaya River Basin area in Louisiana.
Various birds were caught during these operations but snails
were found on only 3 species: woodcock (Philohola minor), com-
mon snipe (Cappella gallinago), and whippoorwill (Caprimulgus
vociferous). Since the banding was primarily aimed at woodcock,
90 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
only the snails found on them were given special attention.
During the 1964-65 winter, 2754 woodcock were banded and
in 1965-66 the number was 1103. The first season the number of
snails per bird ranged from 1 to 14 and during the second year
it dropped to from 1 to 8. The drop was most likely due to a
long drought which was not broken until mid-December. During
1965-66 banding program every 10th woodcock was weighed, sexed,
aged, and checked for snails. Of the 96 woodcock checked, 1 1 .4%
had snails present. Of those, the average number of snails per bird
was 3. There seems to be no correlation as to age of bird, sex, size
and the age of the snail. Snails involved in these associations ranged
in size from 1.5 — 9.0 mm. It seems to be purely a matter of chance
as to whether any particular bird has on it any particular snail.
The snails were found at different positions on the birds. Some
were at the base of the feathers on the upper breast, mid-breast,
and low breast; others were at feather bases under the anterior
feathers of the mid-abdomen between the legs; some were on the
outside of the tibio-fibula, on the outside of flank feathers at the
base of the tail, on the underside of feathers outside of the tibio-
tarsus, and at the base of the undertail coverts. In no case were
the snails on the dorsal surface of the birds.
Why are these Succineids on the woodcocks? At this point there
is no answer; only hypotheses. Since the woodcock is a nocturnal
feeder whose diet is composed almost exclusively of earthworms,
it needs damp or even wet soil to facilititate probing for the
worms. Thus, perhaps it is mere chance that the snails happen to
crawl onto the bird while it is sitting in their locality. Perhaps the
warmth of the bird attracts the snails. Since the snails, in most
cases, were taken from the base of the feathers, perhaps the snails
are feeding on some material at that point. The reason remains
to be determined.
In any case, these are not the only records of the occurrence of
snails on migratory birds. Rees (1965) , in summarizing the work
of others, points out that Physa sp. has been found on the upland
plover (Bartramia longicauda) and Succinea riisei (Pfeiffer) on
the bobolink (Dolichonyx oxyzivorous) and on the western vesper
sparrow (Pooecetes gramineiis). All these birds are migrants also.
Recaptures of the banded woodcock have occurred in many
places in their migratory range: Ontario, Michigan, Massachusetts,
January, 1967 nautilus 91
etc. Here, again, is evidence of one of the means of distribution
of our molluscan fauna. We have no records of snails on these re-
captures since there is no program of examination for snails after
recapture. Such would be ideal.
We owe thanks to Mr. Don J. Bethancourt of the Louisiana
State University School of Forestry and Wildlife Management for
his aid with this paper.
Literature cited
Rees, W. J. The Aerial dispersal of Mollusca. Proc. Malac. Soc.
Lond. 36: 269-282. 1965.
NEW AND OLDEST RECORDS OF PELECYPOD MYA
FROM WEST NORTH AMERICA, SOUTH OF ALASKA
By 0LU\VAFEYIS0L.\ S. ADEGOKE
Department of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley^
During a detailed biostratigraphic study of the Neogene For-
mations of the Coalinga region, California, the writer collected two
specimens of the pelecypod My a (figs. 1-3) from the middle of
the Middle Miocene Temblor Formation. The significance of these
occurrences, constituting the oldest known records of the genus
from the northeastern Pacific, south of Alaska, and their bearing
on the evolutionary history and the biogeogiaphy of the genus
are discussed briefly below.
The earliest recorded occurrences of Mya in America are from
the upper part of the Acila shumardi zone (Middle Oligocene) of
Popof Island, south of the Alaskan Peninsula, and from the lower-
most part of the Poul Creek Formation of the Yakataga district,
Alaska (MacNeil, 1965, p. G14) . This oldest American species
was identified as Mya kusiroensis Nagao and Inoue 1941, by
MacNeil, who regarded the species as a trans-Arctic migrant from
the western Pacific (MacNeil, op. cit., p. G2) . The same species
occurs in Middle Oligocene strata of Hokkaido, Japan (Fujie,
1957; 1962), and is believed to have evolved directly from Mya
ezoensis Nagao and Inoue, a species known from the Late Eocene
or Early Oligocene Wakkanabe Formation of Hokkaido, Japan
(MacNeil, 1955, pp. G13-14). In addition, MacNeil (op. cit.) has
recognized Mya salmonensis Clark and a doubtful occurrence of
M. grewingki Makiyama from the middle and upper parts of the
Present address: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
92 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
Poul Creek Formation (Late Oligocene and Early Miocene) of
Alaska. These species are abundant in chronologically equivalent
strata in Hokkaido and Sakhalin, and the latter persisted until
Middle Miocene times in Hokkaido. However, none of these
species had ever been recorded from other parts of western North
America, outside of Alaska.
To date, the oldest indisputable western North American record
of species of Mya from outcropping strata south of Alaska^ is Mya
fujiei MacNeil, 1965 (see MacNeil, op. cit., p. G30) .
The holotype of this species came from the Takinoue Forma-
tion (early Middle Miocene) of Hokkaido (see Fujie, 1957; 1962;
MacNeil, 1965, p. G14) . The single Calif ornian specimen doubt-
fully referred to the species by MacNeil was collected from the
Briones Sandstone (Late Miocene) of the San Pablo Bay area
(Univ. Calif, Mus. Paleo. locality 197) . This specimen had earlier
been designated as one of the paratypes of Mya dickersoni by
Clark (1915, p. 478, pi. 63, fig. 4).
The Middle Miocene specimens collected by the writer from the
Temblor Formation of the Coalinga area are shown in figures 1-3.
They have relatively elongate anterior and posterior dorsal mar-
gins, and broadly rounded anterior and posterior extremities. They
are tentatively identified as Mya (Arenomya) fujiei MacNeil,
though they appear to be morphologically intermediate between
the latter and M. kusiroensis Nagao and Inoue. They are slightly
less bulky and more slender than M. kusiroensis, but not quite so
elongate or acutely tapering posteriorly as M. fujiei. Inasmuch as
the spoons of these Temblor specimens could not be prepared
without doing considerable damage to the valves, the affinities of
the species could not be more accurately determined here.
The following fossil taxons occur at the two localities in
association with M. fujiei:
Locality B-7085. Temblor Formation, Joaquin Rocks Quadran-
gle, T.19S., R.15E., Section 21. N.W. \/^ of S.W. 14 of Sec. 21.
From Vaquerosella-hea.ring resistant ledges outcropping near the
2 Specimens earlier reported as Mya n. sp.? by Loel and Corey (1932, p. 233,
pi. 45, fig. 2) from theVaqueros Formation, Piano Trabudo, Santa Ana
Moimtains, Orange County, California (Univ. Calif. Mus. Paleo. loc. 6128)
were apparently misidentified. The figured hypotype (UCMP no. 31844) was
examined by the writer. The specimen was poorly preserved and badly
crushed. Despite this, characters such as the subquadrate outline, nature of
the hinge, and the thin, flat valves show that it is certainly not a Mya but
a Tellinid.
January, 1967 nautilus 93
hill top on the east side and just south of the junction of a north-
south dirt road with an east-west dirt road from Oil Canyon.
Asteroidea
Astropecten sp. indet.?
Pelecypoda
Aequipecten andersoni (Arnold)
Amiantis diabloensis (Anderson)
Anadara (Scapharca) obispoana (Conrad)
Anadara (Anadara) osmonti (Dall)
Psarnmotreta biangulata (Carpenter)
Chione temblorensis Anderson
dementia (Egesta) pertenuis (Gabb)
Dosinia margaritana Wiedey
Lucinoma acutilineata (Conrad)
Macoma piercei Arnold
Mactra sectoris Anderson and Martin
Miltha sanctaecrucis (Ai^nold)
Mytilus rnathewsonii expansiis Arnold
Ostrea ashleyi Hertlein
Ostrea sp. indet.
Pseudocardium panzanum (Loel and Corey)
Zirjaea dentata Gabb
Gastropoda
Calliostoma pacificum Anderson and Martin
Calyptraea filosa (Gabb)
Calyptraea inornata (Gabb)
Cancellaria dalliana Anderson
Neverita reclusiana Deshayes
Sinum sp. indet.
Tritonalia topangensis (Arnold)
Forreria gabbianum cancellarioides (Arnold)
Tiirritella ocoyana Conrad
Brachiopoda
Discinisca loeli Hertlein and Grant
Porifera
Cliona sp. indet.
Annelida
Serpiila sp. indet.
Locality D-1059. Temblor Formation, Reef Ridge Quadrangle,
T.23S., R. 16E., Section 3: 1,085 feet north, 1,390 feet west. From
lowest two of the four prominent Tiirritella beds that crop out on
the north bank of Garza Creek, a few feet above the creek bed.
Pelecypoda
Aequipecten andersoni (Arnold)
Anadara (Anadara) osmonti (Dall)
Psarnmotreta biangulata (Carpenter)
94 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
Diplodonta orbella Gould
Macoma nasuta Conrad
Pseudocardiiim densatum minor (Arnold)
Semele morani Anderson and Martin
Solen gravidus Clark
Spisula albaria Conrad
Tellina ocoyana Conrad
Trachycardiiim vaquerosense (Arnold)
TraJisennella joaqiiinensis Anderson and Martin
Zirfaea dentata Gabb
Gastropoda
Bruclarkia barkerianum santacruzanum (Arnold)
Crepidula rostralis (Conrad)
Tritonalia topangensis (Arnold)
ForYeria gabbionum cancellarioides (Arnold)
Turritella bosei Hertlein and Jordan
Turritella ocoyana Conrad
Turritella wittichi Hertlein and Jordan
Discussion and inferences. The fauna associated with Mya fujiei
MacNeil at both localities (see above) are interesting and signifi-
cant in that a number of the genera represented are commonly
regarded as indicators of a warm (tropical-subtropical) climate
(see Smith, 1919; Durham, 1950, p. 1256) . Such genera include
Anadara, Chione, Dosinia, Miltha, dementia, Psammotreta,
Semele, and Turritella. The abundant occurrences of these genera
in the Early Miocene faunas of this region was taken by Durham
(1950, p. 1256) as inidcative of a minimum water surface tem-
perature of 19° or 20° C. Living representatives of Forreria and
Miltha live today in tropical waters with a minimum surface
temperature of about 20° C. MacNeil {op. cit., p. G30) similarly
noted that Fujie's (1962, p. 404) assignment of the Japanese
representatives of M. fujiei implied that the species was a warm-
water form. This, and the present records of Mya in the Temblor
Formation in association with taxa with apparently tropical affini-
ties indicate that the latitudinal restriction to cold climates char-
acteristic of the distribution of Mya today is not in harmony with
the latitudinal distribution of the genus in the geologic past. Most
of the older species (including all the California Late Miocene
species mentioned below) appear to have been tolerant to a greater
range of climatic variations than are the modern representatives
of the genus.
Apart from Mya fujiei, MacNeil (op. cit.) recognized the fol-
January, 1967 nautilus 95
lowing species from the Late Miocene San Pablo Group of Cali-
fornia: M. arrosis MacNeil 1965 (Briones, Cierbo and Neroly
Formations), M. dickersoni Clark 1915 (Neroly Formation), and
M. arenaria Linnaeus 1758 (Late Miocene to Recent) . According
to MacNeil {op. cit., p. G15) , M. arrosis evolved from M. fujiei,
and the former is directly ancestral to M. japonica Jay.
The present Middle Miocene record of M. fujiei MacNeil is
significant in that it supplies another stage in the evolution of
the California Late Miocene species from the Alaskan and Japanese
Early Miocene form such as M. kusiroensis Nagao and Inoue.
These records further indicate that southerly migrations of Mya
from Alaska probably occurred in pre-Middle Miocene times. More
careful search in Lower and Middle Miocene strata especially in
Oregon and Washington may reveal the occurrences of still older
species.
Literature cited
Clark, B. L. 1915. Fauna of the San Pablo Group of Middle Cali-
fornia. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bull. Dept. Geo!., 8 (22) : 385-572,
pis. 42-71.
Durham, J. W. 1950. Cenozoic marine climates of the Pacific
Coast. Geol. Soc. Amer., Bull. 61: 1243-1264, text-figs. 1-3.
Fujie, Tsutomu. 1957. On the myarian pelecypods of Japan, pt. 1.
Summary of the study of the genus Mya from Hokkaido. Hok-
kaido Univ. Fac. Sci. Jour., 4th ser., P (4) : 381-413, 8 pis.
. 1962. On the myarian pelecypods of Japan, pt. 2. Geological
and geographical distribution of fossil and recent species, genus
Mya. Ibid., 11 (3) : 399-430.
Loel, Wayne and W. H. Corey. 1932. The Vaqueros Formation,
Lower Miocene of California. L Paleontology. Univ. Calif. Publ.
Bull. Dept. Geol. Sci., 22 (3) : 31-410, pis. 4-65, 2 maps.
MacNeil, F. S. 1965. Evolution and Distribution of the Genus Mya,
and Tertiary Migrations of Mollusca: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof.
Paper 483-G, 51 pp., 11 pis.
Smith, J. P. 1919. Climatic relations of the Tertiary and Quater-
nary Faunas of the Coalinga Region. Calif. Acad. Sci., Proc,
ser. 4, 9: 123-173, pi. 9.
96 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
MURICANTHUS MELANAMATHOS, A WEST
AFRICAN MURICID
By ANTHONY DATTILIO
Associate, American Museum of Natural History
Through the generosity of Mr. Israel Bendersky, of the New
York Shell Club, I received a muricid specimen which has proved
to be of more than ordinary interest. Its identity was easily estab-
lished as it agrees with numerous published figures of Murex mela-
namathos Gmelin. However, because of its apparent rarity, the true
locality of this species has remained questionable until the dis-
covery of the present specimen. This specimen, with a few other
mollusks, was sent to Mr. Bendersky from Lobito, Angola on the
west coast of Africa. The collector, a skin diver, stated that the
specimen had been found by him in the vicinity of Lobito.
I should like to thank my colleague, Mr. William E. Old, Jr.,
for bibliographic assistance. Dr. R. Tucker Abbott kindly read the
manuscript and provided helpful information.
Annotated Synonymy of Murex melanamathos Gmelin,
PL 5, Figs. 1, 2
1791, Gmelin, J. F. Systema naturae, ed. 13, Murex, p. 3527, sp. 9.
For a figure Gmelin refers to Martini, Conchylien Cabinet, vol.
3, pi. 108, fig. 1015, locality "East Indies." This drawing, though
poorly executed, is a recognizable illustration of this species.
1798, Roding, P. F. Museum Boltenianum, pt. 2, p. 141, no. 1776,
as Purpura tuberosa Roding. Refers to Martini, vol. 3, pi. 108,
fig. 1015.
1801, Bosc, L. A. G. Histoire naturelle des coq., vol. 4, p. 207.
Refers to Martini, (vol. 3, pi. 108, fig. 1015.
1807, von Waldheim, G. Fischer. Museum Demidoff, Moscow,
vol. 3, p. 194. Refers to Martini, vol. 3, pi. 108, fig. 1015; [teste
R. T. Abbott].
1816, Lamarck, M. Encyclopedic et Methodique, pi. 418, fig. 2b.
A passable figure, as M. melanomathos (sic.) .
1817, Dillwyn, L. W. Descriptive catalog of recent shells, vol. 2,
p. 686, [sp.] 11, East Indian Seas, as M. melanomathos (sic).
Besides referring to Gmelin, Dillwyn cites, Schroeter, Einl., i,
p. 548; Argenville, Zoom t. 11, fig. K; and DAvila, t. 15, fig. H.
1818, Wood, W. Index testaceologicus or a catalogue of shells, p.
120, no. 11, East Indian Seas, as M. melanomathos (sic.). Refers
to Martini, vol. 3, pi. 108, fig. 1015.
1828, Wood, W. Index testaceologicus or a catalogue of shells, p.
120, pi. 25, fig. 11, East Indian Seas. This very small figure may
be taken to illustrate the species.
anuary, 1967
NAUTILUS
97
I'igures 1-3. M\a (Arcnomya) fujiei MacNeil. Temblor Formation, Coalinga.
California. 1. 2. hinge and side views of Univ. C^alif. Mus. Palco. no. 36779.
localitv B-70Sr), X 1. 3, side view of Univ. Calif. Mus. Palco. no. 37680.
localitv D-l().')9. X 1.
1828, Sowerby, G. B. |uii. Genera ol recent and tossil shells, vol. 2,
pt. 30, Miirex, fig. 6. This is an excellent figine of this species
which was presented in this '»vork as an example ot the genus
Miirex.
1843, Kiener, L. C. Coquilles vivantes, Murex, pp. 62-63, pi. 29, fig.
2-2. 1 he species is well figined in this work and Kiener notes that
specimens were to be found in the collection of Lamarck, with
the locality: Indian Ocean, as M. melanomathos (sic).
1845, Reeve, L. A. Conchologia iconica, vol. 3, Murex, species 48.
An excellent figure, but no locality is given, as M. melanomathos
{sic).
1878, Krister, H. C. and Kobelt, \V. Gonchylien cabinet, Murex,
pp. 12-13, pi. 4, fig. 5, pi. 4b, fig. 3, Indian Ocean, as M.
melanomatJios (sic).
1879, Sowerby, G. B. Thesaurus conchyliorum, Murex, p. 30, sp.
13, fig. 144, Habitat?
1880, Tryon, G. W. [in part]. Manual of conchology, Muricinae
and Purpurinae, pi. 26, fig. 230. Tryqn incorrectly synonymizes
Murex melanomathos (sic.) with Murex oxyacantha Broderip,
1833, and cites the locality as Real Llejos, west Central America
(now known as Corinto, Nicaragua) .
Discussion. The specimen from Lobito agrees generally with
Reeve's (1845) excellent figure of this taxon, but it has only 7
varices instead of 8 as shown by that author. The shell is white
with black varices and spines. The spines are comparatively short
and develop as the ends of 5 major spiral cords on the body whorl
98
NAUTILUS 80 (3)
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (3)
PLATE 5
Figs. 1, 2. Muricanthus melanamathos (Gmelin) , Lobito, Angola, Africa.
Figs. 3, 4. M. oxyacantha (Broderip) , San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Both x^-
January, 1967 nautilus 99
and one major cord on the canal. Between these major cords there
are present secondary and lesser cords. Spiral cords and spines occur
on the shoulder close to the suture.
Muricanthus oxyacantha (Broderip, 1833), on the other hand,
has many more major spiral cords, the shell is mostly white with the
spines commonly stained with a little brown. The cords and spines
are wanting on the region above the shoulder to the suture, and
there are only a few minor cords between the major ones (see pi. 5,
figs. 3, 4) . Keen (1958, p. 356) noted in her remarks to M. oxya-
cantha "the species has been identified as Murex melanamathos
Gmelin, 1791 by some authors, but that form, which is apparently
Indo-Pacific in distribution, has black spines on all eight varices,
and the published figures show spines above the aperture that are
lacking in M. oxyacantha.''
That a species from west Central America should find a counter-
part in west Africa is not surprising considering the presence on
the west African coast of a ninnber of species that have twin species
in the tropical west American and the eastern American regions.
As for one example, in the Muricidae, Purpurellus pinniger (Brod-
erip) of the Panamic province is very similar in conchological char-
acters to Purpurellus gambiensis (Reeve) from west Africa.
Literature cited
Broderip, W. J., 1833. Characters of new species of Mollusca and
Conchifera. p. 176, Hab. in America Centrali (Real Lleijos) .
Murex oxyacantha was first illustrated in the following work:
Sowerby, G. B. Jun., 1834. The conchological illustrations,
Murex, A catalogue of recent species, sp. 80, pi. 59, fig. 11.
Keen, M., 1958. Sea shells of tropical west America, p. 356, sp. 345.
FRESHWATER MOLLUSCA FROM JAMES RIVER, VA.
AND A NEW NAME FOR MUDALIA OF AUTHORS.
By WILLIAM J. CLENCH and KENNETH J. BOSS
While on our way to the American Malacological Union meet-
ings in Chapel Hill (1966), the authors and Mr. Morris K.
Jacobson of New York collected along the central reaches of the
James River, Virginia. Four stations were made, three in the James
and one in a tributary, the Rivanna River near Columbia. Good
fortune was with us because the river was low and clear, two most
important factors in fresh water collecting.
Twenty to forty miles west of Richmond, where we made most
100 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
of our stations, the James River was over 300 feet wide but rather
shallow, probably not more than 10-15 feet deep in the main chan-
nel of the stream and about 2 or 3 feet deep for much of its area.
The substrate of the river is largely sand with extensive patches of
smooth flattened boulders or rocks and with occasional areas of
gravel; much of the bank was soft black mud.
We are indebted to Mr. R. I. Johnson for the determination of
several species of the Unionidae.
Stations made in the James River System on August 21, 1966.
(Museum of Comparative Zoology, Mollusk Department Field
Numbers)
2288, James River, Powhattan County, across the river from Maid-
ens, Goochland County, Virginia.
2289, James River, near Cartersville, Cumberland County, Vir-
ginia.
2290, James River, near Columbia, Fluvanna County, Virginia.
2291, Rivanna River, 2 miles west of Columbia, Fluvanna County,
Virginia.
List of the species
Viviparidae
Lioplax subcarinata (Say, 1817), Stations 2288, 2289.
Campeloma lima (Anthony, 1860), Stations 2288, 2289, 2290.
Hydrobiidae
Gillia altilis (Lea, 1841) , Stations 2288, 2289, 2290.
Pleuroceridae
Goniobasis virginica (Gmelin, 1791), Stations 2288, 2289, 2290.
Anculosa (Alleghenya) carinata (Bruguiere, 1789) , Stations 2288,
2289, 2291.
Planorbidae
Helisoma anceps (Menke, 1830) , Station 2291.
Physidae
Physa infiata Lea, 1841, Stations 2289, 2290, 2291.
Sphaeriidae
Sphaerium striatinum (Lamarck, 1818), Station 2288.
Unionidae
Lexingtonia subplana (Conrad, 1837), Stations 2288, 2289, 2291.
Elliptio complanata (Solander, 1786), Stations 2288, 2289, 2290,
2291.
Elliptio lanceolata (Lea, 1828) , Stations 2288, 2289, 2290, 2291.
Alasmidonta undulata (Say, 1817), Stations 2288, 2289, 2291.
Lasmigona subviridis (Conrad, 1835) , Stations 2288, 2289, 2291.
Strophitus undulatus (Say, 1817) , Stations 2288, 2289, 2290.
Alasmidonta collina (Conrad, 1837), Stations 2288, 2291.
Unio collinus Conrad 1837, Monography of the Family Union-
idae of North America, Philadelphia, no. 8, p. 65, pi. 36, fig. 2
January, 1967 nautilus 101
(type-locality. North River, a branch of James River, Vir-
ginia) ; Conrad 1840, Ibid., no. 12, p. 109, pi. 60, fig. 3.
Alasmidonta collina .(Conrad). Simpson 1900, Proc. U.S. Na-
tional Museum, 22:669; Simpson 1914, A Descriptive Cata-
logue of the Naiades, Detroit, Michigan, 7:501.
Villosa constricta (Conrad, 1838), Stations 2288, 2289.
While writing up the list of mollusks collected in the James
River System, we discovered that the Mudalia of Haldeman 1840
has been used in error for the species complex containing Anculosa
carinata (Bruguiere 1789) diud Anculosa dilatata (Conrad 1834) .
Since the only available synonym of Mudalia of authors non Halde-
man 1840 is Nitocris H. and A. Adams, which itself is preoccupied,
we propose, in accordance with the International Code of Zoologi-
cal Nomenclature, the new name:
Alleghenya.
Mudalia of authors, non Haldeman 1840.
Nitocris H. and A. Adams 1854, The Genera of Recent Mol-
lusca, 7:308 (type-species, here designated, Paludina dissimilis Say
1819 [=1 Bulimus carinatus Bruguiere 1789]. non Nitrocris Rafin-
esque 1815 (Hymenoptera) , Thompson 1858 (Coleoptera) , Kin-
berg 1866 (Vermes) and Guenee 1868 (Lepidoptera) .
Bulimus carinatus Bruguiere 1789 is here designated as the type-
species of Alleghenya.
Mudalia Haldeman 1840: 1) never has been given a correct
type-species designation and 2) embraces a species complex widely
separated geographically from the east coast-middle-western com-
plex represented by carinata and dilatata. Most authors have
claimed consistently and incorrectly that Bulimus carinatus Bru-
guiere was the type-species of Mudalia (Hannibal, H. 1912, Proc.
Malac. Soc. London, 10:\6S; Morrison, J. P. E. 1954, Proc. U. S.
Nat. Mus., 103:561; Wenz, W. 1939, Handbuch Palaozoologie,
6 (I) :701) . Bruguiere's name was not even used or ever mentioned
by Haldeman in connection with his name Mudalia.
In Ocober 1840, Haldeman introduced Mudalia as a subgeneric
name under Anculosa in his Monograph of the Limniades, Supple-
ment to No, 1, p. 1, and on p. 2 he described the species A. (M.)
turgida without locality data; he mentioned that A. (M.) turgida
resembled the Paludina dissimilis of Say. Later, he described an-
other species of Mudalia, A. (M.) affinis Haldeman 1841, Mono-
graph, inside of back cover of number 3. Goodrich (1932, Nauti-
102 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
lus, 46: 40) mistook the 1841 citation of Mudalia as the introduc-
tion of the generic name by Haldeman and considered A. (M.)
affinis as the type-species of the genus and, further, made it a syno-
nym of Lithasia obovata Say; he also suggested that the name
Nitocris H. and A. Adams be usde for the group of A. carinata
(Bruguiere) (Goodrich, C. 1942, Occ. Papers Mus. Zool., Univ.
Mich., no. 456, p. 2), Haldeman {[in] Chenu 1848, Illustrations
Conchyliologiques, vol. 3, Leptoxis, p. 5, pi. 5, fig. 151) gave the
locality of L. (Mudalia) turgida as Alabama. We here designate
Anculosa (Mudalia) turgida as type-species of Mudalia Haldeman
1840 and restrict the type-locality to the Black Warrior River,
Alabama.
LOCALITIES FOR NEW BRUNSWICK LAND MOLLUSKS
By N. J. REIGLE, JR.^ and H. B. HERRINGT0N==
There are very few published records of the land and fresh-water
mollusk fauna of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. La
Rocque (1961) provided a review of the literature and a summary
checklist of the non-marine mollusks of the province. Since that
work Dimelow (1962) working near the Nova Scotian border has
provided some additions to the faunal record and a checklist of his
collection.
The authors collected in New Brunswick from September 2 to
September 10, 1961. The primary purpose of his trip was to collect
fresh-water mollusks, particularly Sphaeriidae; however a second-
ary effort was made to procure as many specimens of land mollusks
as time permitted. Land mollusk collections were made near
Lincoln in Sunbury and York Counties and during brief stops at
various localities along Number 2 Highway and the St. John River
en route from the Quebec border to Lincoln. In all, collections
were made at 9 localities in 5 counties. A total of 16 species of land
snails and 3 species of slugs were collected. The material has been
deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan
and the National Museum of Canada. Since many of these records
are county records and due to a general lack of information con-
cerning the distribution of New Brunswick mollusks, all land mol-
lusks collected during the trip will be listed here.
^ U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Ann Arbor, Michigan,
^Westbrook, Ontario, Canada.
January, 1967 nautilus 103
We would like to thank Dr. Henry van der Schalie of the Mu-
seum of Zoology, University of Michigan, for the use of facilities
at his disposal and making the trip possible. Dr. Lowell L. Getz,
University of Connecticut, kindly determined the species of Dero-
ceras. Collecting expenses were defrayed in part by a research
grant 2E-41, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, U. S. Public Health Service.
List of species collected
Triodopsis albolabris (Say) . Sunbury Co.; along Nevers Road
2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Stenotrema fraternum (Say) . Sunbury Co.; along Nevers Road
2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway and along Camp Road 2 miles
south of No. 2 Highway.
Eiiconulus fulvus (Miiller) . Sunbui7 Co.; along Nevers Road
2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway and along Camp Road 2 miles
south of No. 2 Highway.
Zonitoides arbor ens (Say) , Madawaska Co.; along No. 2 High-
way 4 miles south of Edmundston and along No. 2 Highway 4
miles south of Green River: Victoria Co; along St. John River at
Andover: Carleton Co.; along No. 2 Highway 2 miles north of
Route 5 near Woodstock: York Co.; western edge of Lincoln:
Sunbury Co.; along Baker Brook I1/9 miles each of Lincoln, along
Nevers Road 2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway and along Camp
Road 2 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Oxychilus cellarius (Miiller) . York Co.; along St. John River at
the Princess Margaret Bridge in Frederickton.
Hygi^omia hispida (Linne) . York Co.; along St. John River at
the Princess Margaret Bridge in Frederickton.
Deroceras laeve (Miiller) . Carleton Co.; along No. 2 Highway
2 miles north of Route 5 near Woodstock: Sunbury Co.; along
Camp Road I1/2 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Deroceras reticulatum (Miiller) . Victoria Co.; near St. John
River at Andover: Carleton Co.; along No. 2 Highway 2 miles
north of Route 5 near Woodstock: York Co.; along St. John River
at Princess Margaret Bridge in Frederickton and near the western
edge of Lincoln: Sunbury Co.; along Baker Brook I1/2 miles east
of Lincoln, along Nevers Road 2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway
and along Camp Road 2 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Anguispira alternata (Say) . Victoria Co.; near the St. John River
104 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
at Andover: Carleton Co.; along No. 2 Highway 2 miles north of
Route 5 near Woodstock.
Discus cronkhitei (Newcomb) var. catskillensis (Pilsbry) . Mad-
awaska Co.; along No. 2 Highway 4 miles south of Edmundston:
Victoria Co.; near St. John River at Andover: Sunbury Co.; along
Baker Brook II/2 miles east of Lincoln, along Nevers Road 2.3
miles south of No. 2 Highway and along Camp Road 2 miles south
of No. 2 Highway.
Helicodiscus parallelus (Say) . Victoria Co.; near St. John River
at Andover: Sunbury Co.; along Nevers Road 2.3 miles south of
No. 2 Highway and along Camp Road 2 miles south of No. 2
Highway.
Arion circumscriptus (Johnston) . Victoria Co.; near St. John
River at Andover: Carleton Co.; along No. 2 Highway 2 miles
north of Route 5 near Woodstock: York Co.; along St. John River
at Princess Margaret Bridge in Frederickton and near the western
edge of Lincoln: Sunbury Co.; along Baker Brook I1/9 miles east
of Lincoln.
Oxyloma cf. decampi gouldi Pilsbry. Sunbury Co.; along Baker
Brook I1/2 miles east of Lincoln.
Succinea ovalis Say. Madawaska Co.; along No. 2 Highway 4
miles south of Green River: York Co.; western edge of Lincoln:
Sunbury Co.; along Baker Brook 114 miles east of Lincoln, along
Nevers Road 2.3 miles south of No. 2 Highway and along Camp
Road 2 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Catinella avara (Say) . York Co.; western edge of Lincoln: Sun-
bury Co.; along Baker Brook I1/2 miles east of Lincoln.
Strobilops labyrinthica' (Say) . Sunbury Co.; along Camp Road
2 miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Vertigo gouldi (Binney) . Sunbury Co.; along Camp Road 2
miles south of No. 2 Highway.
Vallonia pulchella (Miiller) . Victoria Co.; near St. John River
at Andover.
Cionella luhrica (Miiller) . Madawaska Co.; along No. 2 High-
way 4 miles south of Green River: Victoria Co.; near St. John
River at Andover: York Co.; along St. John River at Princess Mar-
gciret Bridge in Frederickton; Sunbury Co.; along Baker Brook li/^
miles east of Lincoln.
January, 1967 nautilus 105
Literature cited
Dimelow, E. J., 1962, Land mollusks of Sackville, New Brunswick,
Canada, Nautilus 75(2) :51-53.
LaRocque, Aurele, 1961, Checklist of New Brunswick non-Marine
Mollusca, Sterkiana 5:40-42.
THIRTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
AMERICAN MALACOLOGICAL UNION
By MARGARET C. TESKEY, AMU. Secretary
On August 22nd to 26th, the American Malacological Union
met at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North
Carolina. It was the thirty-second such session and 151 members
and their guests made it the best attended. The North Carolina
Shell Club was co-host with the University and each hard working
club member made every effort to ensure that the AMU. would
never forget the 1966 annual meeting.
Dr. Ralph W. Dexter occupied the presidential chair, and during
a four day period introduced the following papers:
Significance of larval development in bivalve taxonomy, Paul
Chanley. An observation of captive Murex celluosus Conrad, Doro-
thy Raeihle. Care and feeding of incubated marine snails, Dorothy
Raeihle. Snails on migratory birds, Dee Dundee. Small beginnings,
Adlai B. Wheel. Evolutionary sequence in Phyllodina, Kenneth Jay
Boss. Genetic and ecophenotypic relationships in northern Andonta
populations, Arthur H. Clarke. Observations on the distribution
of the naiad Cumberlandia monodonta (Say) 1829, David H. Stans-
bery. Lymnaeidae of western Montana - Taxonomy and distribu-
tion, Richard H. Russell. Commercial scalloping, anyone? Mrs.
Kay Lawrence. Shell damage in the sea scallop, Placopecten magel-
lanicus, Arthur S. Merrill. Oyster production and research in
Tampa Bay, Lulu B. Siekman. Utilization of naides by prehistoric
man in the Ohio Valley, David H. Stansbury. Aeromonas in the
pathology of the giant African snail, Albert R. Mead (read by
title) . Zoogeography of Montana mollusks, Royal Bruce Brunson.
Systematics and zoogeography of the Ctiloceratidae, Donald R.
Moore. Zoogeography of the family Amblemidae, Joseph P. E.
Morrison, Raising of Segmentina hemisphaerula (Benson) for the
study of fasciolopsiasis, Chin-Tsong Lo. The Species Groups of
African Bulinus S. S., J. B. Burch and Rajah Natarajan. Some
106 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
serological relationships in the African genus Bulinus, J. B. Burch
and Gene K. Lindsay. Progress in surf clam research, 1965, Robert
M. Yancey. Instant Oysters, Bill Shaw. Salinity tolerance and dis-
tribution of Spisula solidissima, Mulinia lateralis and Rangia
Cuneata (Family Macteridae) , Michael Castagna and Paul Chan-
ley. What is the true Spisula similus (Say) ?, Morris K. Jacobson
(read by title) . Land and freshwater mollusks from the outer
banks of North Carolina, Dorothy E. Beetle. Population sexuality
in Anodonta (Pelecypoda: Unionidae) , William H. Heard. Pre-
liminai^ report on a study of the Illinois River, William C. Star-
rett and Gerald Root. Some nudibranch names, Henry D. Russell.
There was a mid-week break for field trips, one group going
to sea on Duke University's research vessel Eastwind, while another
beach-combed and a third sought land and freshwater species in
the vicinity of Durham and Raleigh. There wore two informal
evening sessions and the annual banquet wuth Scotch bonnet motif
was greatly enjoyed.
The following officers were elected to serve in 1967 at which time
the thirty-third annual meeting will be held in August at the
National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
President, Leo G. Hertlein. Vice-president, Arthur H. Clarke.
2nd Vice-president, Gale G. Sphon, Jr. Secretary, Margaret C.
Teskey. Treasurer, Mrs. H. B. Baker. Publications Editor, Morris
Karl Jacobson. Councillors-at-Large, J. Frances Allen, Emile A.
Malek, William E. Old, Jr., Robert Robertson.
NOTES AND NEWS
UNioNm INTRODUCTION IN MASSACHUSETTS: Results. — In 1958
and 1959 an experiment was begun to determine if hybridization
could be brought about between Elliptio complanata and
E. dilatata and between Anodonta grandis and A. cataracta, and
also to observe the effects of semi-controlled gene flow between
Lampsilis radiata radiata and L. r. siliquoidea (see Nautilus 73 (1) :
36-37, 1959).
Between September 5 and 8, 1958, I transferred 7 living speci-
mens of Elliptio dilatata, 16 of Anodonta grandis, and 70 of Lamp-
silis radiata siliquoidea from Base Line Lake, Livingston Co.,
Michigan to a newly created reservoir-lake in the Putnamville
section of Danvers, Massachusetts. On July 21, 1959, 9 living
January, 1967 nautilus 107
specimens of Elliptio complanata from Silver Lake, Wilmington,
Mass., and 14 of Anodonta grandis and 24 of Lampsilis radiata
radiata, both from Wakebee-Mashpee Pond, Mashpee, Mass., were
also introduced at the Danvers locality. All specimens were meas-
ured and classed for morphological characters before introduction.
As a control, on September 8, 1958, 66 living specimens of L. r. sili-
quoidea /rom lime-rich Base Line Lake were also placed in Silver
Lake, Wilmington, Mass. This was done in the hope of providing
criteria for recognizing any phenotypic modifications which might
result from exposure to lime-poor northeastern Massachusetts
water and for separating such modifications from those which might
result from genetic interchange. Both the Danvers and Wilming-
ton lakes are in the Ipswich River System.
High water in northeastern Massachusetts prevented inspection
of the Danvers specimens in the fall of 1959. The Wilmington
locality was more accessible, however, and brief examination of the
area of introduction revealed 8 living specimens and 3 pairs of
empty valves of L. r. siliquoidea. The living specimens were im-
mediately replaced. They all appeared to be paler in color than
when they were first introduced.
On July 1, 1964, the Danvers locality was revisited. Although
water was low and visibility was good, during two hours of careful
searching no living unionids were found. Only one corroded valve
of Elliptio complanata was seen. On May 22, 1966, the Wilming-
ton locality was also revisited and no L. r. siliquoidea was seen;
only the native E. complanata and a few A. cataracta were found.
L. r. siliquoidea appears now to be absent from Silver Lake.
Water samples were also taken from both localities on May 22
and tested for hardness. The Danvers water measured only 40
p. p.m. CaCO^ and the Wilmington water only 35 p. p.m. Water
from Base Line Lake, Livingston Co., Michigan, sampled on June
5, 1966, measured 260 p. p.m. CaCOg, however.
Apparently the attempted introduction of the Michigan species
E. dilatata, A. grandis, and L. r. siliquoidea into the Ipswich River
System has failed and those species have not survived there. Both
of the Massachusetts localities support abundant fish populations
(PerccL fluviatilis fiavescens, Esox americanus, Lepomis spp., etc.)
and seem to be physically suitable for unionids. Excessively soft
watei' in these lakes appears to be the most probable cause of the
108 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (3)
failure although it does not explain why even native Massachusetts
species apparently did not survive in the Danvers reservoir. Further
experiments in hybridization would be of interest.
I wish to thank Mr. John Tottenham, Museum of Zoology, Uni-
versity of Michigan, for kindly collecting the water sample from
Base Line Lake. — A. H. Clarke, Jr.
NiTOCRis. — Rafinesque, 1815, Analyse de la Nature: 123
[Palermo] stated simply: "37. Nitocris R. Nomia Latr." Was this
"substitution" in the sense of article 16 (a) (iii) of the code?
According to (b) (ii) it apparently did not "constitute an indi-
cation," even though the usual order of synonymy was reversed.
— H. B. B.
Pedro de Mesa. — With much regret, we hear that this well
known collector died Nov. 17, 1966, at the age of 86, in Manila,
Philippines.
Lntroduced slugs still spreading. — Through repeated col-
lections in the same localities over a period of several years, it has
been possible to observe the gradual distribution of various
mollusks.
When our collecting began here in 1958, the only record of
Limax marginatus Miiller was in Shreveport, Louisiana by H.
Harry in 1948. An attempt to collect more from that locality in
1949 failed. The following new records now exist: 1961: Pineville
Cemetery, Pineville, Louisiana; 1962: Texas Cemetery, Shreveport,
Louisiana; City Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi; 1963: Vienna
Cemetery, Vienna, Louisiana; vacant lot on river road near down-
town Natchez, Mississippi; 1965: Delhi Cemetery, Delhi, Louisi-
ana; Hattiesburg Cemetery, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Otherwise Limax marginatus Miiller is known from: Virginia:
Danville; Gretna; Richmond. Arizona: Tucson. California: 21
localities throughout the state. Colorado: Boulder. Missouri: green-
house in St. Louis.
In addition, Milax gagates (Draparnaud) now occurs in City
Cemetery in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Previously it was known from:
California: 22 localities. Virginia: Danville. Colorado: Boulder
greenhouse. Neiv Jersey: Clifton.
THE NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 April, 1967 No. 4
NEW BRUNSWICK SPHAERIIDAE
By H. B. HERRINGTON and N. J. REIGLE, JR.
Westbrook, Ontario, and U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries,
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Little data has been published concerning the sphaeriid fauna
of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The first published
record of this fauna was included in a paper by Nylander (1944)
who listed Sphaerium striatinum in the St. John River. Athearn
(1961) added S. rhomboideum from the St. John River and S. sul-
catum (= S. simile) (see Herrington, 1965) from the Tantramar
River. In his 1962 revision of the Sphaeriidae, Herrington added
to the fauna 3 species of Sphaerium: occideutale, partumeium and
securis; and 5 species of Pisidium: adamsi, casertanum, ferrugi-
neum, variahile and nitidum.
This paper is based primarily on collections made by the authors
in the St. John River drainage from September 2 to September 10,
1961 and by the senior author in northwestern New Brunswick
from August 17 to August 23, 1960. In addition, locality data for
New Brunswick Sphaeriidae in the Museum of Zoology of the Uni-
versity of Michigan are also included. The latter data are pre-
ceded by UMMZ. in the species list. This paper lists 15 species
and one form of Spaeriidae from New Brvmswick. Five of these
constitute new records for the province. Species new to the fauna
of New Brunswick are Sphaerium lacustre, Pisidium aequilaterale,
P. compressum, P. milium and P. nitidum form pauperculum.
We would like to thank Dr. Henry van der Schalie of the
Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, for the use of facili-
ties at his disposal and for making the 1961 trip possible. Col-
lecting expenses were defrayed in part by a research grant 2E-41,
from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
U.S. Public Health Service.
Sphaerium (Musculium) lacustre (Miiller). St. John River at
Princess Margaret Bridge, Frederickton, York County. Baker Brook,
11/2 miles East of Lincoln, Sunbury County.
Sphaerium occidentale Prime. Baker Brook, li/o miles East of
109
no NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
Lincoln, Sunbury County. UMMZ: vicinity of Bay of Fiindy, col-
lector— Huntsman, August 5, 1911.
Sphaeriitfn (Musculhim) partumeium (Say) . Listed by Herring-
ton (1962).
Sphaerium rhomboideum (Say) . Small tributary of the Jemseg
River, 3^ mile southwest of Jemseg, Cambridge Parish, Queens
County.
Sphaerium (Musculium) securis Prime. Listed by Herrington
(1962) . UMMZ: vicinity of Bay of Fundy, collector — Huntsman,
August 5, 1911.
Sphaerium siriatinum (Lamarck). Oromocto River, li/g miles
East of the south end of Sunpoke Lake, Lincoln Parish, Sunbury
County. Grand Lake at Waterboro, Queens County. UMMZ:
vicinity of Bay of Fundy, collector-Huntsman, August 5, 1911.
Petitcodiac River at River Glade, 19 miles WSW, of Moncton,
collector— A. H. Clarke, June 22, 1960.
Sphaerium simile (Say) . Listed by Athearn (1961) .
Pisidium adamsi Prime. Baker Brook, I1/9 miles East of Lin-
coln, Sunbury County. UMMZ: Crecy Lake, Charlotte County,
collector — AL \V. Smith, May- August, 1954.
Pisidium aequilaterale Prime. St. John River at McNally Ferry,
Kingsclear Parish, York County. St. John River at McKinley Ferry,
Kingsclear Parish, York County. St. John River at Princess Mar-
garet Bridge, Frederickton, York County. Baker Brook, 114 miles
East of Lincoln, Sunbury County. Oromocto River, 14 mile East
of the south end of Sunpoke Lake, Lincoln Parish, Sunbury County.
Small tributary of the Jemseg River, 3^ mile Southwest of Jemseg,
Cambridge Parish, Queens County. UMMZ: Trout Creek, just
East of Sussex, collector — A. H. Clarke, June 25, 1960.
Pisidium casertanum (Poll) , Small pond on road to Beacons-
field, Andover Parish, Victoria County. St. John River at McKinley
Ferry, Kingsclear Parish, York County. Baker Brook, li/^ miles
East of Lincoln, Sunbury County. UMMZ: Gas well pool near
Frederick, Albert County, August 25, 1940. Crecy Lake, Charlotte
County, collector — M. W. Smith, 1954. Trout Creek just East of
Sussex, collector — A. H. Clarke, June 25, 1960.
Pisidium compressum Prime. Aroostock River, y^ mile above
mouth at No. 2 Highway, Andover Parish, Victoria County. Little
Prescjuisle River below sa\\'mill at Waterville, Wakefield Parish
April, 1 967 nautilus 1 1 1
Carleton County. St. John River at McKinley Ferry, Kingsclear
Parish, York County. Bakei^ Brook, U/^ miles East of Lincohi,
Sunbury County. UMMZ: Trout Creek just East ot Sussex, col-
lector—A. H. Clarke, June 25, 1960.
Pisidhim jerrngineum Prime. St. John River at McKinley FeiTV,
Kingsclear Parish, York County. Baker Brook, 1 i/g miles East of
Lincoln, Sunbury County.
Pisidium milium Held. Little Presquisle River below sawmill at
Waterville, Wakefield Parish, Carleton County. Pond on Lovelly
Brook, 21/2 miles South of Perth-Andover Bridge, Perth Parish,
Victoria County.
Pisidium nitidum Jenyns. Little Presquisle River below sawmill
at Waterville, Wakefield Parish, Carleton County.
Pisidium nitidum Jenyns, form pauperculum Sterki. Little Pres-
quisle River below sawmill at Waterville, Wakefield Parish, Carle-
ton County. St. John River at Princess Margaret Bridge, Freder-
ickton, York County. Baker Brook, 1 1/9 miles East of Lincoln, Sun-
bury County.
Pisidium variabile Prime. Pond on Lovelly Brook, 21/0 miles
South of Perth-Andover Bridge, Perth Parisli, Victoria County.
Lake Edward, Denmark Parish, Victoria County. Little Presquisle
River below sawmill at Waterville, Wakefield Parish, Carleton
County. St. John River at McKinley Ferry, Kingsclear Parish, York
County. Baker Brook, 1 1/9 miles East of Lincoln, Sunbury County,
Small tributary of the Jemseg River, 3/^ mile Soiuhwest of Jemseg,
Cambridge Parish, Queen's County.
Literature cited
Athearn, Herbert D. (1961) . Additions to the New Brunswick
checklist. Sterkiana (4): 33-34.
Herrington, H. B. (1962) . A revision of the Sphaeriidae of North
America (Mollusca: Pelecypoda). Misc. Pub., Mus. of Zool.,
Univ. of Mich., No. 118, pp. 1-74
Herrington, H. B. (1965) . Corrections of sphaeriid nomenclature.
Nautilus 79 (2) : 42-45.
Nylander, Olof O. (1944) . Distribution of some freshwater shells
of the St. John's River Valley in Maine, New Brunswick, and
Quebec. Nautilus 27: 139-141.
112 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
A NORTHERNMOST RECORD AND ECOLOGICAL DATA
ON HYDROBIA SALSA IN MAINE
By JAMES F. GORE
Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit^
This note reports ecological data and an apparent northernmost
record for Hydrobia salsa, Pilsbry. Articles containing ecological
data on American species of mollusks are for the most part lacking
(Morrison, 1965a) . Therefore, such information should be re-
ported to help guide those studying salt marsh ecology. H. salsa
was first described in 1905 and its type location was reported as
Cohasset, Massachusetts (Pilsbry, 1905) . He first called the species
Paludestrina salsa, but Paliidestrina has since been changed to
Hydrobia.
The current salt marsh study was conducted under the super-
vision of Malcolm W. Coulter, Assistant Leader, Maine Coopera-
tive Wildlife Research Unit, Orono, Maine, to whom I am most
grateful. Special thanks are also extended to Dr. Joseph P. E.
Morrison, Associate Curator of the Division of Mollusks, Smith-
sonian Institution, Washington, D. C, for his advice and identifi-
cation of snail specimens.
The study was conducted on the Weskeag River salt marsh,
located in South Thomaston, Knox County, Maine. The Weskeag
River flows into West Penobscot Bay slightly southwest from the
town of Rockland. The marsh is 41/3 miles from the mouth of the
river, and has a normal range of high tides from 8 to 1 1 feet.
This marsh was drained long ago to facilitate the harvesting of
salt marsh hay. Many deep (2-5 feet) , narrow (2-4 feet) ditches
still remain. Samples of H. salsa were taken from bottom samples
in 9 of these ditches.
Salinity, temperature and pH measurements of the water were
taken once a week from June 10 through September, 1964. The
results are presented in Table 1.
Morrison (1965b) believes that these collections of H. salsa
represent a new northernmost record for this species. Stickney
(1959) reported finding H. salsa in the Sheepscot River estuary
^ Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Orono, Maine: University of
Maine, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game, Wildlife Man-
agement Institute, and U. S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, co-
operating.
April, 1967 nautilus 113
Table 1. Water Analyses Data from Nine Drainage Ditches
On the V/eskeag River Salt Marsh
near Boothbay Harbor, Lincoln County, Maine. This estuary is
approximately 31 air miles southwest from the Weskeag study area.
He found H. salsa on intertidal sediments and in water ranging
in salinity from 0 to 27 0/00 (parts per thousand) .
Hartman (1960) , studying estuarine ecology at Bucksport, Han-
cock County, Maine, did not find H. salsa. However, he did find
H. totteni, Morrison, in marsh areas along the Penobscot Estuary,
about 39 miles northeast from the site of the present collection of
H. salsa. The annual salinity for his area ranged from 2 to 18 0/00,
while salinity for the summer months ranged from 8 to 18 0/00.
Literature cited
Hartman, F. E. I960. Ecology of black ducks wintering in the
Penobscot Estuary. M.S. Thesis, Univ. of Maine, Orono. 142 pp.
Morrison, J. P. E. 1965a Personal communication, March 23, 1965.
. 1965b. Personal communication, March 4, 1965.
Pilsbry, H. A. 1905. A new brackish-water snail from New England
[Paludestrina salsa]. Nautilus, 19 (8) : 90, pi. 3, fig. 10.
Stickney, A. P. 1959. Ecology of the Sheepscot River Estuary. U. S.
Dept. Interior, Spec. Sci. Rept., Fisheries No. 309, Wash., D. C.
21 PP-
^ 3 weeks. ' 5 weeks. * 4 weeks.
114 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
TWO NEW SONORELLA FROM SONORA, MEXICO
By WALTER B. MILLER
Department of Zoology, University of Arizona
The dedicated efforts of Pilsbry and Ferriss, over a period of
more than 20 years, in collecting and examining Sonorella in the
Southwest, have provided science with a relatively excellent state
of knowledge on the speciation and distribution of the genus in
the U. S. By contrast, similar data for the contiguous regions ot
Mexico are extremely sketchy. Only 4 species are known from
Chihuahua, namely S. nelsoni and S. goldmani Bartsch, and
S. pennelli and S. mormonum Pilsbry; 2 more species are known
from Sonora, S. mearnsi Bartsch and S. magdalenensis (Stearns) .
For years, whenever an opportunity came to travel in north-
west Mexico, the author gazed at the distant mountain ranges of
eastern Sonora and wondered what molluscan treasures lay waiting
to be discovered. On 29 Dec. 1964, a progiam of systematic ex-
ploration for Sonorella was finally begun in the region, with im-
mediate rewards of new and interesting species. Well known U. S.
species were also found established in many localities south of the
border. Progress has necessarily been slow, for one cannot ade-
quately describe new species unless one is thoroughly familiar with
species already described; this, in turn, has required the collecting
and dissecting of nearly every known species and subspecies, in-
cluding those whose anatomy was previously unknown, such as
mearnsi, magdalenensis, ashmuni, superstitionis, neglecta, etc. Prog-
ress is being made, nevertheless, and the following are two new
species from eastern Sonora:
Sonorella greggi new species. Plate 6, figs. A-F.
Description: Shell depressed, globose, heliciform, thin, translu-
cent, with a dull, silky sheen, more glossy at base, dilute brownish,
with a chestnut spiral band on the well-rounded shoulder; umbili-
cate, the umbilicus contained about 8 times in the diameter. Em-
bryonic shell of 1 and 14 whorls covered with radial ripples upon
and between which are superimposed fine radial wrinkles and
round papillae; there is no trace of spiral threads; in life, the
papillae bear periostracal bristles. Post-embryonic whorls with
larger growth striae; the superimposed radial wrinkles break up
into lengthened gianules, giving a densely granular-wrinkled ap-
pearance to the entire shell; numerous papillae present on all
April, 1967 nautilus 115
whorls, with periostracal bristles persisting on live, adult shells,
creating a hirsute appearance. Last w^horl descends markedly to
the aperture. Aperture oblique, nearly circular, the peristome thin,
only slightly expanded, its margins converging.
Holotype measurements: Height 10.0 mm.; max. diam. 16.9 mm.;
umbilicus 2.1 mm.; ^vhorls Ai/-^.
Genitalia of holotype (Plate 7, figs. C, D) : The large penis
contain a stout, cylindric verge Avith an abruptly truncate tip. The
verge is prominently spirally grooved, with 13 to 14 right-handed
spirals; the seminal duct orifice is terminal on the verge and is
raised slightly on a short conic papilla. The epiphallus is slightly
longer than the penis and bears a very small, barely detached
epiphallic caecum at its junction with the vas deferens. Penial
sheath 1/3 to % the length of the penis. Vagina about 34 the
length of the penis and about 3 times the length of the free oviduct.
Measurements of
genitalia, in mm.
Penis
Verge
Penial sheath
Epiphallus
Vagina
Free oviduct
Spermathecal duct
Type locality: Sierra Purica, Sonora, Mexico, in igneous rock
outcroppings in northeast-facing ravine, on south bank of large
canyon which runs easterly from saddle between the two highest
peaks at the south end of the range. Lat. ca. 30° 31' N, X ca. 109°
45' W. Elev. ca. 6300 ft. (W.N. Miller and W.B. Miller, 29 July,
1965 and 27 July, 1966). Holotype ANSP 310363. Paratypes in
collections of ANSP. 310364, Dept. of Zoology, University of Ari-
zona (2564) , and the author (4788, 4904).
Maximum diameter of paratype varies from 15.3 mm. in the
smallest specimen to 18.2 mm. in the largest. This snail combines
features of many diverse groups of Sonorella and has unique char-
acteristics of its own. By the lack of embryonic spiral threads, the
granular surface of the shell, and the conformation of the verge,
it clearly belongs in the group of S. graniilatissima Pilsbry.
The spirally grooved verge has been seen heretofore only in the
116 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
group of S. tumamocensis P. & F. The very pilose periostracum,
persisting in live adult shells, is somewhat similar to that of
S. apache P. & F.
Two other characteristics stand out as unique: (1) the mantle
is strongly pigmented with large, dark-grey, polymorphic spots,
from the mantle collar all the way to the apex of the hepato-
pancreatic gland, similar to the pigmentation seen in most species
of Helminthoglypta but heretofore never described in Sonorella;
(2) the mantle collar is permeated by a greenish-yellow mucus.
This coloration of the mantle collar has been observed at all times,
in freshly collected animals as well as in animals kept in the
terrarium, regardless of feeding or aestivating conditions. In other
species of Sonorella, the color of the mantle collar varies among
various shades of brown, orange, and white, from the deep orange
of sabinoejisis to the milk-white of tumanocensis.
The Sierra Purica lies to the west of the Agua Prieta-Nacozari
road, about 15 to 20 road miles north of Nacozari. The type
locality lies in an ecotone between the Upper Sonoran and the
Transition life zones, on the eastern slope of the range, near the
southern end. The vegetation consists predominantly of Qiicrciis
arizonica, Q. liypoleucoides, Rhus trilobata, Arbutus arizonica,
and Pinus ponderosa. In the same rocks, two live specimens each
of a Sonorella of the hachitana group and Pallifera pilsbryi Miles
and Mead were also taken.
This species is named after Dr. Wendell O. Gregg, an eminent
malacologist and specialist on western land and fresh water mol-
lusks, who painstakingly taught me his technique for making
stained whole-mounts of snail genitalia, and with whom I have
enjoyed innumerable collecting trips.
Sonorella nixoni new species. Plate 6, figs. G-I.
Description: Shell depressed-globose, heliciform, thin, glossy,
light tan, with chestnut spiral band on the well-rounded shoulder;
umbilicate, the umbilicus contained about 9 times in the diameter.
Embryonic shell of about 1 whorl with sculpture of the binneyi
type; its apex and first half whorl with weak, irregular radial
wrinkles giving a malleated effect; the second half whorl with
weakly raised striae arranged in ascending and descending spirals.
Later whorls marked by light growth wrinkles and occasional
scars of worn-off periostracal projections. The periostracum pre-
April, 1967 nautilus 117
sents a silky, lustrous appearance. The last whorl descends sharply
to the peristome. Aperture oblique, rounded, slightly wider than
high. Peristome slightly expanded, the margins converging; parietal
callus thin.
Hoiotype measurements: Height 10.6 mm.; max. diam. 17.0 mm.;
umbilicus 1.8 mm.; whorls Ay^.
Genitalia of hoiotype (Plate 7, figs. A,B) ; The large penis con-
tains a stout, cylindric verge with a bluntly rounded end from
which protrudes a narrower, terminal papilla; the orifice of the
seminal duct is not at the tip of the verge, but rather at the base
of the terminal papilla. The epiphallus is about 3^ the length of
the penis and bears a distinct, well detached epiphallic caecum.
The penial retractor inserts on the epiphallus a short distance
above the penis. Penial sheath about half the length of the penis.
The vagina is about 3^ the length of the penis; anteriorly, at
the genital orifice, its diameter is about equal to that of the penis,
ca. 1.0 mm., as is usual in Sonorella; posteriorly, however, the
diameter increases to a maximum size of about 2.5 mm. near the
junction of the spermathecal duct, giving it an overall club-shaped
appearance; interiorly, the walls of the vagina have a pleated,
accordion-like structure. The free oviduct is narrow and short
(ca. 3.0 mm.) , in the usual manner for Sonorella.
Measurements of
Type locality: La Angostura, Sonora, Mexico, in rocks just south
of the main road at the village, overlooking the west rim of La An-
gostura Dam on the Rio de Bavispe; elevation ca. 3100 ft. (W.N.
Miller and W.B. Miller, 8 Aug., 1965). Hoiotype ANSP. 310361.
Paratype in collections of ANSP. 310362, Dept. of Zoology, Uni-
versity of Arizona (2565) , and the author (4796).
Other localities: In rockslide on mountain south of road from
El Tajo (on Agua Prieta-Nacozari road) to La Angostura, at a
118 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
point 8.4 road miles from El Tajo, elev. ca. 4800 ft. (W.N. Miller
and W.B. Miller, 7 Aug., 1965) Pilares de Nacozari, about 1 mile
east of Nacozari, at base of cliffs, in rockslides; elev. ca. 4200 ft.
(W.N. Miller and W.B. Miller, 30 Dec, 1964, 31 July, 1965).
S. nixoni belongs to the group of S. binneyi. The mantle collar
and the border of the foot are strongly pigmented with orange
mucus, as in binneyi and bowiensis. Although the type and 5
paratypes were dissected at various times during the year, they all
showed the unusual, club-shaped vagina. One specimen from
Nacozari, however, did not show this characteristic; instead, it
had a cylindrical vagina of relatively uniform diameter through-
out. Large numbers of dissections from several populations would
be required in order to determine whether the variation in vagina
morphology might be of subspecific value. The shell of nixoni
varies much in diameter. Specimens from the type locality are
generally larger than those from Nacozari. The largest paratype
measures 19.6 mm. and the smallest, 16.1 mm. The smallest shell
in a lot from Nacozari measures 15.6 mm. The embryonic spiral
threads vary in intensity, but are present, at least to some degree,
on all specimens examined, as in S. binneyi.
S. nixoni most closely resembles S. bowiensis in shell character-
istics; it has a slightly smaller umbilicus, ho\vever, and the embry-
onic spiral threads are generally less distinct. In the genitalia,
nixoni differs from both bowiensis and binneyi by the large size
and stout shape of the verge, the terminal papilla on the verge,
and the relative length of penis to epiphallus.
In bowiensis, the verge, examined in three topotypes, is widely
cylindrical all the way to the tip, with a subterminal seminal duct
orifice, but without a smaller papilla at the tip (Plate 7, fig. F) ;
the epiphallus is as long as or longer than the penis; the vagina
is narrowly cylindrical throughout.
In binneyi, the verge, examined in two topotypes, has a large
swollen, heart-shaped tip, with a subterminal seminal duct orifice
which opens in a circular depression in the side of the verge;
a small, pointed papilla lies in the middle of this depression,
attached to the verge at the upper edge of the depression, above
the duct orifice (Plate 7, figs. G,H) ; the vagina is narrowly cylin-
drical throughout.
S. nixoni inhabits the range of mountains between the Agua
April, 1967 nautilus 119
Prieta-Nacozari road and the Rio de Bavispe. At the type locality,
several specimens were found crawling over the rocks early in the
morning, after a violent thunderstorm; there, it is associated with
Bulnnuliis nigromontanns Dall, also crawling in the same rocks.
Along the road from El Tajo to La Angostura, just south of CeiTo
Pinitos, it was found associated with Sonorella walkeri P. & F. In
the Pilares de Nacozari, just east of town, dead shells of S. nixoni,
S. walkeri, and B. nigroinontaniis were found in quantity, but only
one live nixoni was collected, a moribund adult, and a clutch of
eggs from which only one individual survived in a terrarium. This
individual was raised to maturity in just one year. Dissection re-
vealed genitalia similar to those of the population from La Angos-
tura, with the exception of the uniform diameter of the vagina
mentioned above.
This species is named for my son, W. Nixon Miller, who found
the first specimen and whose help was invaluable in making
possible several arduous collecting expeditions into the mountains
of northeastern Sonora.
NEW SPECIES OF HELICODISCUS FROM VIRGINIA
Bv F. WAYNE GRIMM
Division of Medical Entomology, University of Maryland Medical, School,
Baltimore 21201
Helicodiscus diadema, new species. Page 123, figs. A to E.
Shell discoidal, spire flat or slightly depressed; dull greenish-
brown, opaque, whorls 41/^ to 5; umbilicus wide and shallow,
showing all whorls, occupying from 40 to 47% of the diameter
of the shell; whorls rounded, slowly increasing, the last descending
slightly; sculptured with coarse growth-wrinkles and 11 to 13
pinched spiral threads bearing prominent, curved hairs; sutures
deep, impressed; aperture lunate, peristome simple, slightly thick-
ened within; within the last quarter whorl are 2 to 3 pairs of large,
radially elongate teeth, and alternating with them, 3 parietal teeth.
The teeth on the outer and basal walls precede those on the parie-
tal wall, are borne on a thick callous ridge, and separated by a
deep, rounded sinus. The teeth on the outer wall are larger and
more pointed than those on the basal wall. The cupped parietal
teeth are twice as broad as high, the ends turned forward, and the
upper end is longer than the lower. As the shell grows, the inner-
120 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
most set of teeth is absorbed and a new set appears near the
aperture. In some examples, the innermost parietal tooth remains
and only the innermost teeth on the outer and basal walls are
absorbed.
Dimensionsin mm.
Diameter
of Umbilicus Whorls
1.78 47/8 holotype
1.30 41/4 paratype
1 .96 5 paratype
1.61 41/2 paratype
Distribution: Virginia: Rockbridge Co.: leaf litter at base of limey
shale outcrop along U. S.-60, 9.2 mi. northwest of jet, U. S.-ll at
Lexington. Allegheny Co.: base limey shale outcrop 4.9 mi. west
of jet. U. S.-60 and U. S.-220 at Covington; thinly wooded (Robinia)
limestone hillside near quarry on U. S.-220, 7.6 mi. northeast of
Covington city limit and 1.8 mi. southwest of Bath Co. line, holo-
type U.S.N.M. 683586; paratypes U.S.N. M. 683587, A.M.N. H.
128744, A.N.S.P. 310365, M.C.Z. 256812, U.M.M.Z. 228931, col-
lection of Leslie Hubricht (35749) , and collection of the author
(1640).
The apertural dentition of Helicodiscus diadema is almost iden-
tical to that of H. multidens Hubricht and H. enneodon Hubricht.
Helicodiscus diadema differs from both species by having fewer,
coarser fringes on the body whorl, and fiom all other previously
described species by possessing large, curved hairs on the lirae.
"H. multidens has between 25 and 30 fringes on the body whorl.
They are so fine that it is hard to count them accurately." (Hu-
bricht, in litt.) The hairs wear off with age, for the youngest
examples are the most conspicuously hirsute, and the old adults
bear only scattered traces of their previous adornment. In the field,
these hairs, visible to the unaided eye and bearing tiny droplets
of condensed moisture, gave the shells the appearance of being
crowned with rings of gems.
At the type-locality, Helicodiscus diadema is abundant in the
topmost layer of damp leaf litter on an exposed, locust-scrub clad,
limestone hillside. Living specimens are quite rare in the deeper
layers of leaves and soil, where H. notius Hubricht, H. intermedius
Morrison, and H. jacksoni Hubricht were found.
April, 1967
NAUTILUS 80 (4)
NAUTILUS
121
PLATE 6
Plate 7. Lower genitalia. A. Holotype, ,S. tii\())ii W . B. Miller; B. Verge of
paratype 4796-E. C. Holotype. 5 greggi \V. B. Miller; D. \'ergc of para type
4788-A. E. Verge of .S'. graJiiilatissituo Pils. F. \'erge of .S. boivieusis Pils.
G. Verge of S. biuneyi P. Sc F., #491 0-A, front view. H. X'erge of S. binneyi
P. Sc F., #4802-A, side view. ec. epiphallic caecum; ep. epiphallus; fo, free
oviduct; pe, penis; pr, penial retractor; ps, penial shcvth; sd. seminal duct;
sp, spermathecal duct; va, \agina, vd, vas deferens ve, verge. All drawings to
scale indicated, from stained whole mounts.
122
NAUTILUS 80 (4)
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (4)
PLATE 7
Plate 6. Holotypes. A-F. Sonorella greggi VV. B. Miller. G-I. S. tiixoni
W. B. Miller. Upper scale for A-F; lower scale for G I.
April, 1967
NAUTILUS 80 (4)
NAUTILUS
123
PLATE 8
Helicodiscus diadenia Grimm. A - C, holotype. D, aperture of paratype
showing mature dentition. E, paratype, with base removed to show teeth.
124
NAUTILUS 80 (4)
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (4)
PLATE 9
F IG. 4 .20 MM
.OMM
21 23 26 29 34
FIG. 3
lOO/'
Plate 9, figs. 1-5. Lymnaea stagnalis brimsoni Miller. 1, holotype shell.
2, paratype. 3, radiilar teeth. 4, upper jaw. 5, penial complex.
April, 1967 nautilus 125
A NEW SUBSPECIES OF LYMNAEA STAGNALIS
FROM MONTANA
By RICHARD H. RUSSELL
Department of Zoolog}', University of Montana
In lecent years, extensive collecting of land and fresh-water
mollusks in western Montana has resulted in many range exten-
sions and several new varieties of recent Mollusca. The subspecies
here described represents one of these new varieties,
Lymnaea STAGNALIS BRUNSONi new subspecies. Page 124, figs. 1-5
Shell (figs. 1, 2) medium in size, color light horn; surface with
fine impressed growth lines. Whorls 51/9, flat-sided; sutures indis-
tinct; body whorl large, rounded. Spire acute, the nuclear whorl
rounded. Aperture roundly ovate, elongate in immature shells.
Inner lip folded over columella leaving a narrow umbilical chink.
Columella with distinct plait.
Holotype: Height 28.5 mm.; width 16.0 mm.; aperture length
17.2 mm.; aperture width 11.9 mm. USNM 683584. Paratypes
in the Inveitebrate Museum, Department of Zoology, University
of Montana, and the collection of the author.
Measurements of paratypes are as follo\vs, in mm.;
Type locality: East shore of Flathead Lake, north of point of
land at Yellow Bay; 18 miles north of Poison, Lake County, Mon-
tana. Township 24 N., Range 19 W., Section 4, Principle Merid-
ian, Montana. Elevation 2983'. Collected during a period of ex-
tremely low water. Found 8-10 feet below usual lake level. March
26, 1966.
126 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
Animal: Mantle dark with white patches. Body grey, foot broad;
tentacles broadly triangular. Other characterictics as in L. stag7ialis
appressa.
Radula and Jaw: Radula (fig. 3) with 11 laterals, first lateral
tricuspid in some specimens. Mesocone of seventh lateral long and
acute, becoming smaller in laterals eight through eleven. Entocone
of intermediates with one to four cusps. Entocone of marginals one
through 7 having from 3 to 6 cusps. Marginals 8 through 23 show
a gradual reduction in the number of cusps. Formula: 23/4-6 -\-
3/3-4 + 11/2 -f 1/1 -f 11/2 -f 3/3-4 + 23/4-6 (37-1-37).
In some specimens the central tooth shows a small cusp on the right
side of the main cusp. Superior jaw (fig. 4) well-arched, higher
than in L. stagnalis appresa. Median cusp worn and indistinct.
Genitalia (fig. 5) : Similar to L. stagnalis appressa. The penis
sheath retractor is inserted in the posterior preputium retractor.
The preputium retractors consist of two heavy muscles. Protractors
two in number. Vas deferens about seven times the length of the
penis sheath and preputium. Length of preputium in holotype
3.88 mm., penis sheath 1.15 mm., vas deferens 36 mm.
Remarks: This race resembles in shell characters the Great Lakes
L, stagnalis sanctaemariae Walker and L. s. occidentalis Hemphill
from Lake Whatcom, Washington. However, the characters of the
genitalia and radula are closer to F. C. Baker's L. stagnalis lillianae.
The cosmopolitan occurrence of Lymnaea stagnalis is probably
the result of a southward ingression from a circumboreal distribu-
tion. The northein populations of this species were adversely
affected by glaciation during the Pleistocene as were many other
animals and plants. Few of the organisms which did survive this
period were able to compete with and remain distinct from those
which later moved into these areas. Lymnaea stagnalis brunsoni
lives in a restricted environment which has existed from pre-
glacial times. Anatomical and shell characters are unique among
North American Lymnaeas, and some features are closer to the
European forms of Lymnaea stagnalis. Lymnaea stagnalis brunsoni
represents a microgeographical race and can be considered as a
Pleistocene relict, probably restricted to Flathead Lake.
This subspecies is named after Dr. Royal Bruce Brunson of the
Department of Zoology, University of Montana.
April, 1967 nautilus 127
CARUNCULINA PULLA (CONRAD), AN OVERLOOKED
ATLANTIC DRAINAGE UNIONID
By RICHARD I. JOHNSON
Museum of Comparative Zoology
The present paper is a result of a study of the Unionidae of the
south Atlantic states begun in 1961 and now largely completed.
All the extant types of the various named forms mentioned here
have been examined and photographed. Call (1896) illustrated
his paper with line drawings of all the types of Cariinculina known
at that time. Reproduced here are only the type figure of C. pulla
and photographs of some specimens, including two topotypes of
C. patrickae.
I wish to thank Mr. John AL Bates for allowing me to examine
his specimens of Cariinculina in the Museum of Zoology, Univer-
sity of Michigan, prior to the appearance of his paper declaring
them to represent a new species. Thanks are also extended to
Drs. K. J. Boss, W. J. Clench, and R. D. Turner for reading the
manuscript of this paper and for making several suggestions to^vard
its improvement.
The following abbreviations have been used:
ANSP. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania.
MCZ. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
UMMZ. Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
USNM. United States National Museum, Washington, D. C.
Bates (1966) in his original description of this species, Cariincu-
lina patrickae, (Savannah River at approximately mile point 134.5
[U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Map] on the South Carolina bank,
holotype UMMZ. 85274) stated that, "The beak sculpture, promi-
nent posterior ridge and heavy growth lines clearly distinguish
this species from all others in the genus." Further he erroneously
contended that, "None of the 3 species (C. pulla [Conrad,
Wateree River, South Carolina, type lost]; C. paula [Lea, Chatta-
hoochee River, Columbus, Muscogee Co., Georgia, holotype
USNM. 85274]; C. minor [Lea, Lake George, Florida, holotype
USNM. 85310]) from this general geographic area (Southeastern
U. S., Atlantic drainage) appear to be closely related to this form."
128 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
The Atlantic drainage Carunculina, C. pidla, was first described
by Conrad (1838, p. 100, pi. 55, fig. 2, Wateree Rivei, South Caro-
lina) . The figured type (fig. 1) was collected by Dr. William
Blanding and is presumed to have been in the Academy of Natural
Sciences of Philadelphia, but it is lost. The specimen mentioned by
Conrad from Warm Springs f=Hot Springs, Madison Co.] North
Carolina was probably a Villosa, and the locality is in the Ten-
nessee River system. Conrad's figured specimen was a male shell
which shows the sharp, double, posterior ridge and the prominent
growth lines. The posterior ridge is especially clear in colored copies
of Conrad's plate.
Call (1896, p. 109) recognized that C. paida and minor were
synonyms of Carunculina parva Barnes, 1823 (Fox River, Wis-
consin, type lost) a variable species which ranges from western
New York to Minnesota, to Texas, Arkansas and Florida. He un-
fortunately placed C. piilla in the synonym of C. glajis Lea, 1830
(Ohio River, type not found in USNM) on the basis of their both
having purple nacre. Call probably never saw a specimen of pulla
and based his synonymy on Conrad's description. Bates first pointed
out that the color of the nacre varies. "Nacre salmon colored and
somewhat iridescent, becoming purplish at posterior extremity."
Simpson (1914, 1:160) recognized Conrad's species, but was una-
ware of its distribution, since it was known from very few specimens
until Bates found it, in some abundance, in the Savannah River,
South Carolina.
Bates did not illustrate the beak sculpture of patrickae, but said
the beaks were, "Sculptured with sharp ridges which, posteriorly,
form small double-loop ridges curving acutely upward to the very
prominent posterior ridge." He further claimed that, "The closest
affinity of this species would be with C. haleiana [Lea, 1842]
(group of C. texasensis [Lea, 1857]) which has raised beaks that
often exhibit a rudimentary posterior loop." I have examined the
holotype, which was the only specimen seen by Lea, of C. haleiana
(Mississippi River, thirty miles above New Orleans [corrected on
shell by Lea to: Alexandria, Louisiana] holotype USNM 85306).
The holotype is more than twice the size of any Carunculina, and
is a male shell of Villosa lienosa Conrad, 1834. The beak sculpture
of topotypes of C patrickae do not appear to be appreciably differ-
ent from parva in the tendency to be somewhat double looped.
April, 1967
NAUTILUS
129
"'^:
Figs. 1-4. Caruncidina pulla (Conrad). I. fic)ii< W'atercc Ri\cr. South Caro-
lina. Ivpe lost. Length 33. height 19. width 13.3 mm. Male. Figures after
C'.onrad. 2. from Savannah River, Johnsons Landing. 10 mi. W. Allendale,
Allendale Co.. South Carolina. MC7.. 255220. Length 32, heigh L 19. width
15.5 mm. Female. .\ topotype of C. pattichoe which lacks the sharp posterior
ridge. (1.25 x). 3, from Savannah River. Johnsons Landing. 10 mi. W. .\llen-
dale. Allendale Co., .South Carolina. MC:Z. 25522. Le!igth 22, height 13.5,
width 10 mm. Male. A topotype of C. pantckae which closely resembles Bates'
sketch of the allotvpe. 4, from LIniversity Lake, an empoundment on Morgan
Creek, 1 mi. ^V. Chapel Hill, Orange Co., North Carolina. MCZ. 261347.
Length 25, height 17. width 11 mm. Male. Specimen showing strong, double,
posteiior ridge.
K-JO NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
The only characters which tend to distinguish Caninculiua in
the Atlantic drainage from typical parva are the sometimes heavy
growth lines, and a generally present, sharp posterior ridge ^vith a
second less prominent ridge above it. Most probably the growth
lines are caused by environmental conditions. The posterior ridge
is not usually present in typical parva, and when it is, it is gen-
erally not as acute as in the Atlantic drainage form. Occasional
specimens of C. piilla have an indistinct posterior ridge, as does
one of the topotypes of pairichae figured here. Nevertheless, the
sharp posterior ridge is so generally present, that the Atlantic
drainage form of Cariinculina, C. piilla, can be resognized as a
species in the modern sense, with C. patrickae as a synonym of it.
C. pulla is relatively isolated from parva in its distribution.
Distribution: Atlantic drainage: Altamaha River system, Georgia
to the Neuse River system. North Carolina. C. parva is abundant
in Black Creek, northern Florida, but no Cariinculina have been
reported from the two systems, the St. Mary's and Satilla, between
Black Creek and the Altamaha River system. To the north no
Carunculina have been found in the Atlantic drainage beyond the
Neuse River. Presumably the ancestors of C. pulla entered the At-
lantic drainage through a mingling of the headwaters of the Chatta-
hoochee and Savannah River systems.
Specimens of C. pulla examined.
Altamaha River system
Ocmulgee River drainage, Georgia: Ocmulgee River, below
Lumber City, Telfair Co. (H. D. Athearn) .
Altamaha River drainage, Georgia: [Altamaha River] Darien,
Mcintosh Co. (USNM.) .
Savannah River system
Savannah River drainage, South Carolina: Savannah River, ap-
proximately mile point 134.5 (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Map) ^ Johnsons Landing, 10 mi. W. Allendale, Allendale Co.
(UMMZ. and MCZ.; figs 2 k 3)
Santee River system
Wateree River drainage. North Carolina: [headwaters of] Ca-
tawba River; Pfeiffers Pond, Stewarts Pond, Bissels Pond, Beaver
Creek, all Charlotte, Mecklenberg Co. {all ANSP.). South Caro-
lina, Wattree River (Conrad) .
Cape Fear River system
New Hope River drainage. North Carolina: University Lake, an
empounJment on Morgan Creek, 1 mi. W. Chapel Hill, Orange
Co. (MCZ., fig. 4)
Neuse River system
.\piil, 1967 NAUTILUS 131
Neuse River drainage, North Carolina: Neiise River, Raleii^jh,
Wake Co. (Lea) .
Literature cited
Bates, John M., 1966. A new species of CarimcuUna (Unionidae:
Pelecypoda) from the Savannah River, South Carolina. Ore.
Papers, Miis. Zo)l., Univ. Michigan, no. 646, pp. 9, 3 text figs.
1 pi. 8vo.
C^all, R. Ellsworth, 1896. A revision and synonym of the parvus
group of Unionidae. Proc. Indiana Acad. Sci. for 1895, pp. 109-
'll9, 6 nls. 8vo.
Conrad, Timothy A., 1835-40. Mongraphy of the Family Unionidae
or Naiades of Lamarck, pp. 1 18, 64 pis. Philadelphia, Penn. 8 vo.
Quoted here is part 11, printed in November 1838.
Simpson, Charles T., 1914. A descriptive catalogue of the naiades,
or pearlv freshwater mussels. Parts 1-3, pp. 1540. Bryant Walker,
Detroit, Michigan. 8vo.
NOTES ON CYCLOSTREMISCUS SCHRAMMII
Bv JOSEPH HOIBRICK
nepartinent of Biology, TJni\ersitv of Miami
Cyclostrennscus schmrnmii (Fischer) has not been discussed or
illustrated since it was first described and figured by Fischer in
1857. Olsson and McGinty (1958) merely included it in their
check list ot the marine mollusks of the Caribbean coast of Panama.
Dr. Donald R. Moore, personal communication, informed the
writer that he made a search for Fischer's types of Vitrinellidae
while at the Laboratoire du Malacologie in Paris in 1963.
C. schratufiiii (Fischer) was not foimd, and is either lost or
misplaced.
Fischer placed this species in the genus Cyclostrema, but Olsson
and McGinty (1958) included it under the genus Cyclostremisrus.
Fischer's original description is confusing and his illustration is
poor. Since nothing seems to have been recorded about this species
since Fischer's publication, his original descrpition is given here
along with an augmented description, new figures, and an addi-
tional locality record.
"Cyclcstremo schrammii." Figs. 1 to 3.
"Planorbid-like shell, compressed, orbicular, horn-white, widely
umbilicate; adorned with strong, radiating ribs, a median crested
keel with insertion of ribs, and with two keels, one situated above,
one below, with worn nodes. Three tiuns, rounded aperture;
132
NAUTILUS
Vol. 80 (4)
Figs. 1-3. Cxdosheinisciis sclnainniii (Fischer). I, upper, 2. lower, and
'5. apertural \ic\vs. Diameter 1 ;iini.
ig. 4. Pliysa anatiua (p. 144). Usual and scalariform shells.
1
April, 1967 nautilus 133
pointed right margin. Dimensions: 8/10 mm. to 1.00 mm. Habitat
— Guadeloupe."
Fischer further stated that G. shrammii resembles a small am-
monite with 3 rows of spines and an elegant form.
The writer found 7 specimens in beach drift collected at Portete,
Limon Province, Costa Rica, during the month of July, 1966.
Judging from the amount of beach drift sorted and the paucity of
specimens taken, this species of vitrinellid may be equally un-
common in its natural state.
The specimens are white, translucent and shining, show a convex
spire little elevated except for the protoconch, and a moderately
obtuse apex. There are about 2i/2 whorls, the last one being wide
and elevated above the spire. Each whorl has five rows (keels) of
nodes. Of these, there are two rows on the periphery of the whorl,
one row on the upper surface, and two below, the second of these
two being weaker and bordering the umbilicus.
Since the holotype is missing, the specimen illustrated (figs. 1-3)
in this paper has been deposited in the Division of Mollusks, U. S.
National Museum.
Acknowledgements — The writer wishes to thank Donald R.
Moore of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, for
his help and direction in the preparation of this paper.
Literature cited
Fischer, Paul. 1857. Etudes sur un groupe de la famille des Trochi-
dae (Fin) 8. J. Conchyliol. 6: 284-288, pi. 10, fig. 10.
Olsson, Axel A. and McGinty, Thomas L., 1958. Recent marine
mollusks from the Caribbean coast of Panama with the descrip-
tion of some new genera and species Bull. Am. Paleontol., vol.
39, n. 177: 1-58, pis. 1-5.
EROTOLOGY OF THREE SPECIES OF PRATICOLELLA,
AND OF POLYGYRA PUSTULA
By GLENN R. WEBB
Kutztown State College, Kutztown, Pa.
The present paper deals with the courtship, mating, and sex-
organ functioning of Praticolella mohiliana floridana Vanatta,
Polygyra pustula (F^russac) , Praticolella berlandieriana (Mori-
cand) and P. griseola (PfeifEer). The data on the last two species
is further supplemented by studies on development patterns of
genitalia. This part of the work was done at the University of
IM NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
Oklahoma in the Zoology laboratory; I am indebted to Drs. Harley
P. Brown and John T. Self for permitting me to use a large
portion of the available table-space for concrete snail-cages and
otherwise aiding in the procurement of research supplies. I am also
indebted to the Graduate College and Dr. Carl D. Riggs for a re-
search assistantship on the Biological Survey staff which made my
presence at the University possible. Since these data were not
direcdy involved in an already somewhat lengthy thesis, they are
presented here with additional data which has accumulated and
seems to be adequate to justify publication at this time, particu-
larly since the specific validity of some of the taxons are currently
under evaluation (Hubricht, 1961, p. 29-30).
Because the configuration of the genitalia of P. beiiandieriana
just prior to maturity is seemingly nearly like that of P. griseola at
maturity, a study of random samples of the genitalia of the two
taxons may be misleading and inadequate in evaluating taxonomic
status (compare figs. 18 and 24). For such a study, both the con-
figuration of the developing genitalia and of the functioning sex-
organs of topotypic material seem mandatory. My data do not
qualify for such a study because topotypic material was not avail-
able; yet the data do indicate differences of genitalia in the two
taxons, and imply that a sex-organ barrier to inter-mating could
exist. Any study of typotypic material should test this possibility:
Can these two cross-copulate and effectively cross-fertilize? Any
hybrids secured, further, would have to demonstrate an ability
to reproduce either among themselves or with the parental stocks.
For the above reasons, the present data are pertinent but not
final on the question of inter-species distinctness of berlandieriana
and griseola. The data illustrate the dangers of bland statements
of taxonomic conclusion not supported by verifying evidence. To
an increasing degree, the literature of modem malacology may not
benefit from the publishing of bare opinions, despite the ubiquity
of such procedures in the past decades.
Praticolella berlandieriana: The material was collected Dec. 21,
1953 on the bluff above Comal Creek, at New Braunfels, Comal
Co., Texas. The specimens were active on dead vegetation, espe-
cially compositae, other forbs and glass following fog and light
rain; none were noted near the creek. The mating-anatomies were
from collected specimens; the genital development series was de-
April, 1967 nautilus 135
rived partly from laboratory-raised young.
On Jan. 5, 1954 a pair weie noted head-on suspended trom the
cage cover-glass; the sex-organs quickly everted and almost im-
mediately the two snails sexually disengaged and separated. Then
another pair was noted head-on. Boiling ^vater now being at hand,
when the penes engaged a moment later, the pair was scraped off
the cover-glass into the boiling water to fix the exserted organs in
the extended condition. As observed, the engaged penes seemed not
to entwist but to evert into reciprocal contact as in species of
Euchcmotrema (Webb, 1947, 1948) . A fellow student at this
time, Virgil Dowell, then placed a pair head-on and they exserted
the penes into contact a few seconds later, and provided another
pair of mating-anatomies.
On Jan. 6, 1954 another glimpse of courtship was secured when
a pair of specimens were noted head-on, biting at each other.
Biting had not happened in previously noted courtships. The pair
soon separated, however, without mating.
Mating-an atomy data: Four mating-anatomies have been avail-
able lor study; three are illustrated (figs. 22, 23, 30) . In t^vo mat-
ing-anatomies the main part of the penis, essentially the basal half
of the retracted organ exclusive of the accessory gland, appears
pendant on a stalk-like part. The stalked condition is probably
due to the exserted organs having been withdra^vn into the aper-
ture of the shell as the bodies of the snails cooled. As shown in
figure 23, the complete eversion of the atrium causes the nominal
vagina to open as a pore high up on the side of the everted sex-
organs near the atrium. The main bulk of the exserted sex-organs
is made up of the basal penis. In non-mating anatomies, a circular,
lobed pilaster (basal discoid body) occupies the basal part of the
penis, and forms the body of the everted penis; it holds the orifice
of the accessory gland, and from its mass everts the recurved, digiti-
form, apical penis which terminates in the ejaculatory pore. Inside
tlie apical penis are the descended parts of the epiphallus-vas
deferens complex. I interpret the basal discoid body to be homol-
ogous to the penis-clasping disk or organ in Ashrminella (Webb,
1954).
The orifice of the accessoiy gland of the penis would seem to
receive the penis tip and ejected semen from the mate; how far
into the accessory gland lumen [if at all] the penis tip enters
136 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
must be determined by further observations.
The bulk of the accessory gland descends passively into the
everted basal penis. In form the accessory gland may be nearly
straight or recurved (figs. 30, 22, 23) . The lumen of the gland
is variably capacious, and its size in the mature, resting anatomy
causes the penis tip to seem to insert laterally and to be 1/2 to 14
as large as the gland Pilsbry (1930) has shown; he did not describe
the internal parts of the sex-organs.
Praticolella griseola: I am indebted to Jim Campbell for helping
to collect part of the specimens. All were taken Dec. 24, 1953 from
Harlingen, Cameron Co., Texas, or were offspring raised in the
laboratory. The first courtship was seen Jan. 3, 1954, when two
snails were noted head-on clinging to the cage cover-glass. The
foreparts were detached from the glass. The pair lost each other
w4iile pivoting. On Jan. 4, another head-on pair were noted as
before, and head arching and biting followed, the foreparts of each
being detached from the glass and the jaws making biting actions
at the other. This was a mutual behavior. They wandered apart
after pivoting.
On Jan. 5th, again a pair were noted head on, biting at each
other, with foreparts detached from the cage cover-glass. A few-
seconds later they w^ei^e noted with the sexual organs exserted but
were found to have become sexually disengaged a few seconds later,
and on Jan. 8th a head-on pair also were noted to suddenly evert
the sex organs which attained a marked volume relative to that
of the snails. Two entwining processes spiralled horizontally free
from the main mass of the united penes. The pair were plunged
into boiling water and mating anatomies were secured (figs. 31,
32) . The eversion of the organs had required only seconds.
No more matings happened to be observed. On Jan. 23, 1954
large numbers of young, which were not hirsute, were seen ap-
pearing in the cage. Many dead and dying adults were noted in
the cage on Feb. 17, 1954. Prolonged exposure to moisture, with
temperatures in excess of 74° F., are seemingly fatal, and possibly
so at even lesser temperatures. This seems also true of P. herlan-
dieriana. In the culture of these two taxons, alternate wet-dry
periods are indicated as being necessary.
Mating-anatomy data: Two mating anatomies were available
(figs. 31, 32) . The anatomy shown in fig. 32 is probably abnor-
April, 1967 nautilus 137
mally elongate below the atrium due to the extruding organs being
drawn into the aperture of the shell as the body of the killed snail
cooled. The mating anatomy of fig. 31 is believed not to exhibit
this defect. The female-organs (vagina, free-oviduct, and basal
sperma thecal duct) are not everted, although the orifice of the
vagina opens onto the side of the everted penis just below the
atrium, and to this degree the nominal vagina has descended into
the everted penis. The discoid body of the basal penis is seemingly
ring-like (fig. 24, 25) and bears a more enlarged edge-lobe than in
berlandieriana. This causes the edge of the main body of the penis,
the basal part, to be calicular, with the narrowed orifice of the
accessory gland opening on the rim of the cup. A mass of ma-
terial occupies the orifice and adjacent duct in the anatomy of
fig. 31, but less conspicuously so in fig. 32. The body of the entire
accessory gland occupies the interior of the basal portion of the
penis. The proportionately smaller accessory gland in giiseola is
about half the length of the everted penial tip, whereas in ber-
landieriana the tip is larger than the gland. The penis tip, as in
berlandieriana, is everted from the basal penis, but is much larger
and more elongate, being narrowly funnel-shaped. The tip seems
not intrinsicly recurved as it is in berlandieriana. The epiphallus
and vas-deferens which are merged indistinguishably, open to the
exterior at the ejaculatory pore at the tip of the everted penis-tip.
In both, semen is visible in these ducts.
No semen is present in the slightly enlarged part of the vas
deferens at its point of seeming origin from the base of the
prostrate. In most preparations the path of the sperm duct above
the vas deferens is not evident in macroscopic, Avhole mounts of
the entire genitalia. But in the two available mating-anatomies,
conspicuous masses of semen are present in the sperm duct just
above the point at which the vas deferens hangs and appears as
a free tube parallel to the free oviduct and vagina. A restudy of
the berlandieriana slides fails to reveal a comparable feature, due
possibly to less perfect staining and tissue clearing, or to the semen
having already been discharged. The semen mass above the vas
deferens in griseola is about as wide as the prostate, but only about
half as long. The material is more copious in one example than
the other. In one a thin line of the material seems to reveal the
path of the sperm duct up to about the region of the insertion of
the hermaphroditic duct at the talon.
138 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
The mode of seminal transfer during mating is not clearly evi-
dent. The seeming entwisting of tubular bodies noted during one
mating may have been the eversion and entwistment of the penial
tips. The narrowed tip of the everted penis is about as large as
the accessory gland pore, but its situation in the rim of the basal
disk would seem to render it difficult for the everting, entwisting
tip of the penis to engage the pore of the gland. Semen transfer
seems mechanically different than in berlandieriana. Possibly the
horizontally entwisting, tips merely eject semen into the cup-like
basal penis; then accessory gland secretions cement the deposited
semen to the cup to facilitate engulfment and withdrawal as the
entire oigan is retracted.
Heretofore, data on the genitalia of P. griseola seem not to have
been pubhshed. The uterus, prostate, albumen gland and talon
are as in berlandieriana. In some dissections, the spermatheca in
berlandieriana is more inflated and egg-shaped; none of those avail-
able from griseola showed this feature. In comparing adult griseola
with berlandieriana, one may characterize the anatomical differ-
ences thus: in griseola the penial tip is larger than the accessory
gland which is lateral; the penis retractor trifurcates before
its insertion on the epiphallus-penis junction and sends two
strands (penis-retcntor muscles) on each side of the vas deferens
to the central part of the main body of the penis. At this point the
two strands may radiate variously just before insertion on the
penis side (figs. 20, 24, 25) . I have never found such a pronounced
trifurcation of the penis retractor in berlandieriana; the retractor
continues as a main mass to an insertion on the epiphallus-penis
junction ^vith a minor strand, sometimes two strands, (penis-re-
tentor muscles) reaching the basal penis. In the Polygyridae, the
trifurcation of the penial retractor is exhibited in species of
Allogona, Vespericola, Cryptomastix, Trilobopsis, immature Eu-
cliemotrema, and probably others. For this reason the trifurcate
condition is probably a primitive one, but not the most primitive.
The condition seems correlated with a massive basal disk, and a
rather elongate, sometimes verge-bearing penial tip. The retentor
strands probably aid the retraction and retain or prohibit too
much eversion of the everting, penial disk; especially when the
penis tip is further everted therefrom. Because the epiphallus and
lower part of the vas deferens must descend into the penis to
permit eversion of the penial tip the retentor strands in P. griseola
April, 1967
NAUTILUS
139
Figs. 1-6, 8, 11. Practicolella griseola (Pfr.) . Harlingen, Cameron Co., Texas.
1-6, 8. development of genitalia. 11, adult genitalia. Figs. 12-17. P. berlandier-
iana (Moricand) , New Braunfe'.s, Comal Co.. Texas. Maturation shown in
figs. 7, 9 and 10.
140 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
may not insert diffusely but must insert to leave the epiphallus-vas
deferens free to move; the insertion of the retractor muscle near
the penis tip at the epiphallus-penis union prohibits excessive
eversicn, and probably aids the retraction of the penis tip. In
berlandieriana the penis-retractor muscle system is thus believed to
have lost the trifurcate configuration. The changed muscle struc-
ture may help cause the recurvature of the everted penial tip
toward the orifice of the accessory-gland, and to prohibit twisting
such as occurs in the everting tip in griseola. The changed condi-
tion m berlandieriana is indicated by the potentially trifurcate
condition (fig. 7) at one stage of organ development; the final
condition is probably adapted to the changed organ function which
is evolving in berlandieriana.
(To be continued)
NOTES AND NEWS
Ruth E. Coats, 1911-1966 — Conchology suffered a severe loss
in the passing of Miss Ruth E. Coats. Ruth was born on March
2, 1911, in Seattle, Washington, and passed away on Oct. 19, 1966,
in Carlsbad, California. Surviving are her mother, Mrs. Emma
Coats of Carlsbad, and two brothers.
Ruth received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science
degiee from the University of Washington. She had a major in
zoology and a minor in geology. She taught geology for a number
of years at Palomar College.
Ruth Coats was the first elected chairman of the American
Malacological Union, Pacific Division. Her first meeting, in 1949,
was held in the Long Beach Municapal Auditorium, but Ruth
was hospitalized and unable to attend. Latei^ she served as Secre-
tary-Treasurer of the A.M.U.P.D. for several years. In 1954, Miss
Coats was President of the Conchological Club of Southern Cali-
fornia. She conducted a shell study class at the Burch home.
The shell house at Carlsbad, California (some would call it a
museum) reflected her originality. It was remarkable for its artistic
beauty and contained an excellent library of many rare volumes.
Around 1950, she bought the famous Raymond Collection. In
1954 she purchased the superb second Belle Whitmore collection.
These were added to her large collection made over the years from
personal collecting, purchase, and by exchange — Rose L. Burch.
April, 1967 nautilus 141
Joyce Allan (in private life, Mrs. H. W^ Kirkpatrick) died
on September 1, 1966, after a long illness, in Sydney, Australia.
She was Curator of Mollusca at the Australian Museum from 1944
to 1956, and was author of "Australian Shells" and "Cowry Shells
of World Seas."
N.S.F. GRANTS. — The following is a list of malacologists or those
working in aspects of molluscan research who have received awards
from the National Science Foundation. This information ^vas ex-
tracted from the section on Biological and medical science research
projects of the category of Basic research support from the recently
published report "National Science Foundation, grants and awards
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1965."
Arnold, John M. Influences of the egg cortex on the develop-
ment of the molluscan embryo (GB3202): 36 months; $35,900.
Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology.
Burch, John B. Biological studies of Thiaridae (GB3006) ;
12 mos.; $6,900. Univ. of Michigan.
Burch, John B. Cell and tissue cultiue methods for mollusks
(GB3133) ; 24 mos.; $15,000.
Burch, John B. Cytotaxonomic studies of aquatic pulmonate
snails (GB787 — Amend. No. 1; S14,000. Univ. of Michigan.
Costlow, John D. Environmental effects on larval development
and shell formation in "Littorina picta" Philippi (GB3270) ; 24
mos. S26,300. Duke Univ.
Costlow, John D., Jr. Environmental effects on larval develop-
ment and shell formation in "Littorina picta" Philippi (GB3270
— Amend. No. 1); $12,800. Duke Univ.
Franzen, Dorothea S. Recent Succineidae of central North
America (GB2715) ; 36 mos.; $13,900. Illinois Wesleyan Univ.
Friedl, Frank E. Nitrogen catabolism in the snail "Lymnaea
stagnalis jugularis" (GB3158) ; 24 mos.; $11,300. Univ. of South
Florida.
Levins, Richard and Heatwole, Harold. A study of insular popu-
lations (GB2906); 36 mos.; $25,800. University of Puerto Rico.
Hanna, G. Dallas. Biological effects of the Alaska earthquake
(GB3533) : 6 mos.; $32,600. California Academy of Sciences.
Harry, Harold W. Systematic studies on selected taxa of fresh
and brackish water mollusks (GB2753) ; 24 mos.; $19,200. Texas
A and M Univ.
142 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
Hillman, Robert E. Comparative study ol free amino acids
among allopatric populations of "Crassostrea virginica" (GB2724) ;
24 mos.; $5,100. Univ. of Maryland.
iMcClary, Andrew. Cues involved in vertical movement and static
orientation of Gastropods (GB3672) ; 24 mos.; |9,000. Michigan
State Univ.
Mead, ;\lbert R. Population decline and decimation in "Acha-
tina fulica" (GB3768) ; 12 mos.; $20,100. Univ. of Arizona.
Mellon, DeForest, Jr. Reflex pathways in the surf clam
(GB3623) ; 24 mos.; $14,800. Univ. of Virginia.
Moore, Donald R. Systematics and zoogeography of western
North Atlantic Caecidae (GB3104); 12 mos.; $11,100. Univ. of
Miami.
Olsson, Axel A. and VVoodring, Wendell P. Comparative study
of moUuscan faunas of Tertiary stages (GB3892) ; 4 mos.; $6,800.
Smithsonian Institution.
Solem, G. Alan. Classification and zoogeography of the Endo-
dontidae (GB3384) ; 24 mos.; $20,500. Chicago Natural History
Museimi, Chicago. — Kenneth J. Boss.
TuRBONiLLA sEcuRA. — Under different authorship, Turbonilla
(Striotiirboiiilla) secura was twice proposed as a replacement name
for Turbonilla obeliscus Gould. Though the species is South
African, all critical references were published in the North Ameri-
can literature. A brief synonymy is as follows:
Turbonilla (Strioturbonilla) secura Dall and Bartsch, 1906.
1861. Turbonilla obeliscus Gould, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist.,
V. 7, p. 406. Not Chemnitzia obeliscus C. B. Adams, 1850,
Contrib. Conch, jd. 72. [Turbonilla (Strioturbonilla) obeliscus
(C. B. Adams) ] .
1906. Turbonilla (Strioturbonilla) secura Dall and Bartsch, Proc.
U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 30, p. 339. (Replacement name.)
1915. Turbonilla (Strioturbonilla) secura Bartsch, U. S. Nat. Mus.
Bull. 91, p. 76, pi. 17, fig. 7. (Replacement name.)
1964. Turb on ella '■ (sic) (Striothurbonilla) (sic) secura "Bartsch"
Johnson, Smithsonian Inst. Bull. 269, p. 147 —
James X. Corgan, Sinclair Oil and Gas Company, Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
April, 1967 nautilus 143
Further comments on Brachystyloma caribbeana — The
genus Brachystyloma and the type species B. caribbeana, from the
Abisinia Formation (Pleistocene) of northern Venezuela, were
named, described, and illustrated by Weisbord (1962, Bulls.
American Paleo., -/2 (193): 18, 28, 335-337, 485, pi. 29, figs. 23-
24) . Three specimens were available for study, all badly worn and
broken on the outer lip and spire. On all three specimens also,
there is a deep and wide excavation under the columella, impart-
ing to the aperture and anterior canal the outline of a broad
inverted and reversed comma. Mainly on this character, the genus
Brachystyloma was erected. After examining one specimen of Brach-
ystyloma, the holotype, Robertson (Nautilus, 77 (1), p. 32) came
to the conclusion that the character in question "is an erosional
feature that would be found only in broken and abraded shells,"
that "Brachystyloma is a worn and badly broken columbellid
probably the abundant and variable Anachis (Costonnachis) hotes-
sieriana Orbigny or a closely related species in the same subgenus,"
and that ''Brachystyloma Weisbord (1962) is a subjective junior
synonym of Anachis H. R: A. Adinus (1853) and of Costoanachis
Sacco (1890) ."
Onlv recently, f happened to read Robeitson's note or I would
have commented on it earlier. I might state at the outset, that at
the time I was working on the shells, I too was apprehensive that
the peculiar shape of the aperture might be due to weathering
rather than to its genetic structure; and, if the excavation under
the columella is attributable wholly to erosion (or, as I once
thought, to a burrowing organism) , then the validity of the genus
Brachystyloma is indeed questionable. However, after re-examin-
ing the two topotypes in our collection at Florida State University,
I am again persuaded that the "excavation" is a true morphologic
character and not a fortuitous one. It would be more than passing
strange for all three specimens of B. caribbeana to be eroded or
burrowed into in exactly the same complex pattern, and I must
contend that the inverted comma effect is an inherent one. Sec-
ondly, breakage cannot be invoked to account for the excavation,
since sharp, ragged edges are not present in the critical areas as
one might expect along breaks, but are rounded and thickened
instead. Thirdly, the smooth, slightly arcuate columella seems to
me to be foreshortened naturally, and extends down into the
144 NAUTILUS Vol. 80 (4)
aperture as a small projection considerably distant from the basal
lip. The lower end of the columella is subtruncate and is thickened
or emarginate, the emargination continuing along the edge of the
lower and basal lips. Truly the spire of Brachystyloma resembles
that of AnacJiis (Costoajiachis) as stated by Robertson, and even
the residual color pattern of our specimens is similar to that of A.
hotessieriana (Orbigny) . However, the aperture of the Venezuelan
shells is completely different than that of Anachis (Costoanachis),
and is so unique (genetically, in my judgment) that the new genus
Brachystyloma Avas proposed. — Norman E. Weisbord, Florida
State University.
Coiling abnormality in Physa anatina. — On October 15,
1965, the junior author, searching for tardigrades on some flat
rocks (heavily laden with algae) , inadvertently transported the
eggs of Physa anatina Lea to his laboratory. The eggs hatched.
Among the hundreds of normal individuals, a single "un-coiled"
individual was observed (page 132, fig. 4). It measured 5.5 mm
in greatest length. — Branley A. Branson, Eastern Kentucky
University and Clark W. Beasley, University of Oklahoma.
Montacuta floridana commensal with annelid Onuphis
MAGNA. — A number of bivalve mollusks of the eulamellibranch
superfamily Erycinacea have been found in symbiotic association
with annelids. Boss (1965, Malacologia, 3: 183-195) has reviewed
these occurrences. Along the Atlantic coast of North America,
Stimpson (1855, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 5: 110-117) first
described Lepton [Ceratohornia] longipes as occumng in the
"holes of marine worms and fossorial crustaceans." More recently
Sanders et al. (1962, Limn, and Oceanogr., 7; 63-79) found Ali-
gena elevata (Stimpson) attached to the lower end of Clymenella
torquata (Leidy) at Barnstable Harbor, Massachusetts. The pres-
ent note documents the commensal relationship of Montacuta
floridana Dall with the annelid Onuphis magna (Andrews) . Speci-
mens of these species in association were collected in a muddy sand
bar about 200 yards south of the mouth of Hall's Creek (south of
Matheson Hammock, Dade County, Florida) . The burrows of
O. magna at this locale were among Thalassia rhizomes. The
substrate below the thin layer of detritus and mud was anaerobic.
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