Molecular and morphological examinations show diversity in the genus Amphidromus (Camaenidae: Stylommatophora) in Bangladesh

Abstract

Establishing a robust taxonomic foundation is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Bangladesh harbours potentially unique biodiversity that remains inadequately explored. Concurrently, its biodiversity faces substantial pressure owing to environmental changes; thus, an urgent assessment of its current status is required. In this study, we focused on the understudied land snails of Bangladesh, the genus Amphidromus. Utilizing 45 samples collected from 13 sites during a 2018–2022 survey, as well as museum specimens and literature sources, we conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses and the haplotype network of the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1, examined shell shapes using elliptical Fourier features, and evaluated shell size and band patterns. Based on the molecular and morphological examinations, we identified five Amphidromus species in Bangladesh, including two potentially undescribed species, each recorded at a single site in the Chittagong Division. The dominant species, A. globonevilli, is widely distributed in central and eastern Bangladesh, revealing a geographically structured mitochondrial DNA diversity. Furthermore, in the museum specimens, we confirmed the occurrence of A. sinensis vicaria and A. sylheticus, the latter being newly discovered in Bangladesh. These two species may be limited to the eastern part of Bangladesh and represent low-density species. Although the taxonomic relationship of these species with A. globonevilli remains unclear and further studies with molecular data are warranted, our findings provide the basis for further understanding and conservation of biodiversity in Bangladesh.

Key words:

• arboreal
• deforestation
• endangered species
• flagship species
• land snails
• South Asia
• tree snails

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to S. Chiba for supporting molecular works and O. Kagawa for advice on morphological analysis. We also want to thank to J.U. Otani, S. Mithu, and S.A. Rakhaine for supporting the field investigation. We appreciate that the pictures of museum specimens were photographed by J. Goud (Naturalis Biodiversity Center), A.J. Baldinger (the Museum of Comparative Zoology), S. Hof (the Senckenberg Research Institute Frankfurt am Main), R. Heike (the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz), and J. Gerber (the Field Museum of Natural History). We also appreciate two anonymous reviewers and the editor, B. Páll-Gergely for valuable comments to our manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data accessibility statement

All data generated during this study are included in this published article, its Supplemental materials and deposited in GenBank [PP535572-PP535593, PP565242 now under submission].

Supplemental material

Supplemental material for this article can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2024.2338076.

Associate Editor: Dr. Barna Páll-Gergely

Additional information

Funding

This study was partially supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Grants‐in‐Aid for Scientific Research under Grant Number 20K15866; Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows under Grant Number 19J00392; Overseas Research Fellowship from JSPS under Grant Number 201860309; and the Shikata Memorial Trust for Nature Conservation, Japan.