Integrative systematics reveals the new land-snail genus Taphrenalla (Eupulmonata: Ariophantidae) with a description of nine new species from Thailand

Abstract

The endemic terrestrial Crown Snail from Southern Thailand formerly in Macrochlamys Gray, 1847 is now described as Taphrenalla Pholyotha & Panha gen. nov., based on comparative morphology and molecular data. Overall, eleven Taphrenalla species are now recognized, including two nominal species: T. asamurai and T. diadema. A total of nine new species are proposed: T. alba sp. nov., T. conformis sp. nov., T. corona sp. nov., T. dalli sp. nov., T. incilis sp. nov., T. macrosulcata sp. nov., T. parversa sp. nov., T. pygmaea sp. nov. and T. zemia sp. nov. The molecular phylogeny constructed from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) and 16S rRNA gene fragments plus the nuclear 28S rDNA gene fragments revealed that Taphrenalla gen. nov. is monophyletic with a well-supported clade. The diagnostic characters of Taphrenalla gen. nov. are the shell sculpture with several radial grooves, body with well-developed colourful stripes running from the head to tail, and genitalia similar to Macrochamys but with an un-coiling epiphallic caecum. The spermatophore has one or two spines near the sperm sac and a spineless tail.