Systematic review of the land snail genus Neocepolis Pilsbry, 1891 (Pulmonata: Camaenidae) from north Vietnam

Abstract

By examination of the shell, radula and genital morphology and comparison with type material of the two known species, we reassess the status of Neocepolis Pilsbry, 1891, a poorly known genus of Vietnamese camaenids. Previously recognised solely on the basis of shell characters, we identify features of genital morphology that confirm the specific status of Neocepolis meracha (Mabille, 1888) and N. morleti (Dautzenberg and d'Hamonville, 1887) and the validity of Neocepolis as a distinct genus within a clade that includes Camaena and Camaena (Camaenella).

Keywords:

• Taxonomy
• Pulmonata
• Camaenidae
• Neocepolis
• systematics
• Vietnam

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to R. Janssen (SMF, Frankfurt); P. Bouchet, I. V. Muratov, V. Héros and D. Brabant (MNHN, Paris); R.G. Moolenbeek (ZMA, Amsterdam) for their kindly having permitted and helped our study of type material. We are also indebted to D.N. Can from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Hanoi, Vietnam, and S. Pholkoksung for field assistance. We are especially grateful to N. Kitana, S. Natsupakpong, P. Tongkerd and N. Pattaramanon for providing copies of key references. We also thank anonymous reviewers for providing helpful suggestions. This project was funded by an award from the Grants for Development of New Faculty Staff, Chulalongkorn University, jointly funded by the TRF and BIOTEC (BRT 248005), and the Darwin Initiative Project (no. 14‐653).