Afrodonta pentodon Herbert 2020, sp. nov.

Afrodonta pentodon sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: ED136FF6-F319-4C79-9EBA-B225283F7F6D

Figs 6, 7 A–D, 17Q–R

Shell very small, spire distinctly raised; protoconch microscopically shagreened; teleoconch texture silky; sculpture of simple, close-set, microscopic axial riblets; aperture with two well-developed, inrunning parietal lamellae, lower one extending just beyond edge of aperture, upper one recessed a short distance, and a rounded baso-columellar denticle; palatal region with a low, broad, in-running, thickened pad situated well below mid-whorl, plus a small, narrow, deep-set, subsutural denticle; umbilicus narrow to moderate. Shell corneous-brown when fresh; diameter up to 1.5 mm.

From the Greek pente (πέντε): five, and odontos (ΟΔΟντΟς): a tooth; with reference to the five apertural teeth.

Material examined

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • KwaZulu-Natal, Ngele Forest; 30.533° S, 29.633° E; 1350 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 1997; D.G. Herbert leg.; mistbelt Podocarpus forest, sorted from dried leaf-litter sample; diameter 1.45 mm, height 0.84 mm; NMSA V6950/T4239.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 4 specimens; KwaZulu-Natal, Ngele Forest; 30.5309° S, 29.6846° E; 1290 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 1997; D.G. Herbert leg.; mistbelt Podocarpus forest, in leaf-litter and under logs; NMSA V8275/ T4240.

Other material

SOUTH AFRICA – KwaZulu-Natal • 1 specimen; Ngele Forest; 30.53° S, 29.63° E; 1350 m a.s.l.; 17 Feb. 1997; D. Barraclough leg.; mistbelt Podocarpus forest, sorted from leaf-litter; NMSA V4864 • 1 specimen; same collection data as for preceding; 27 Mar. 1998; C. Symes leg.; NMSA V6887.

Description

Shell very small, diameter up to 1.5 mm, H/D ratio ±0.58; spire distinctly raised; suture indented and apical portion of whorls strongly convex, whorls thus weakly shouldered; periphery more or less at mid-whorl; whorls slightly flat-sided; last adult whorl descendant. Protoconch comprising apical cap plus approx. 0.75 whorl; diameter ±310 μm; microscopically shagreened. Teleoconch of up to 3.25 whorls; surface texture silky; sculpture of simple, close-set, microscopic axial riblets; riblets alternating in strength and with even finer spiral threads in their intervals (sometimes scarcely evident). Umbilicus narrow to moderate.Aperture obliquely lunate, broader basally; parietal region with two well-developed, in-running lamellae, lower one extending just beyond edge of aperture, upper one recessed a short distance and with a flat-topped crest internally; baso-columellar region with a rounded denticle; palatal region with a low, broad, in-running, thickened pad situated well below mid-whorl, plus a small, narrow, deep-set, subsutural denticle. Shell corneous-brown when fresh.

A narrow-range endemic (Fig. 6), known only from Ngele Forest, near Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, at 1290–1350 m a.s.l.; living in leaf-litter of southern mistbelt forest. Although this forest is theoretically protected, access is completely uncontrolled and it is surrounded by exotic timber plantation heavily invaded by alien plants.

A distinctive species with characteristic dentition, including a thickened palatal pad.