Molecular phylogeny and systematics of Australian and East Timorese Stenothyridae (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea)

Abstract

The Australian and East Timorese species belonging to the truncatelloid family Stenothyridae are revised using molecular data and morphological characters from the shell, operculum, radula and external and reproductive anatomy. The Australian species Stenothyra australis is redescribed and two previously recognised subspecies are shown to be synonyms. The New Guinean species Stenothyra paludicola van Benthem Jutting, 1963 is redescribed and recorded from the Torres Strait region of northern Australia, and two new subspecies of S. paludicola are described from the Northern Territory and East Timor; S. paludicola topendensis n. subsp. and S. paludicola timorensis n. subsp. respectively. Stenothyra gelasinosa n. sp. is described from Australia, comprising three allopatric subspecies; S. gelasinosa gelasinosa n. sp. and n. subsp. from the eastern seaboard, S. gelasinosa phrixa n. subsp. from northern Australia and S. gelasinosa apiosa n. subsp. from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Stenothyra frustillum is considered a nomen dubium. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of these taxa and other Asian stenothyrids supports these systematic decisions and provides a preliminary interpretation of relationships within Stenothyridae.

Keywords:

• Rissooidea
• microgastropod
• mangrove
• estuary
• freshwater
• biogeography
• evolution
• taxonomy
• anatomy

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study (grant RF210-07) and the Australian Museum. The support of the Australian Museum Malacology department is gratefully acknowledged, in particular Mandy Reid, Alison Miller, Janet Waterhouse, Frank Köhler and Francesco Criscione. Vince Kessner and Li Yafang kindly contributed specimens to the study. Michael Hill and Stephanie Clark are thanked for their assistance during field work. Sue Lindsay is thanked for her advice and skill in obtaining SEM images. Thanks also to Winston Ponder for his advice and encouragement during this project. Jeroen Goud of the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre kindly provided photographs and measurements of type specimens from their collection, and Jon Ablett at the Natural History Museum in London confirmed the status of a type specimen. Constructive reviews by George Davis, Winston Ponder and Anders Hallan improved this manuscript.