Glyptophysa caledonica

Glyptophysa caledonica
The syntype
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Superorder: Hygrophila
Family: Planorbidae
Genus: Glyptophysa
Species:
G. caledonica
Binomial name
Glyptophysa caledonica
(Morelet, 1857)
Synonyms
  • Physa caledonica Morelet, 1857; superseded combination
  • Physastra caledonica (Morelet, 1857); superseded combination

Glyptophysa caledonica is a small, dark-colored species of freshwater snail in the family Planorbidae. It is found in New Caledonia.

Taxonomy

Glyptophysa caledonica was originally described under the name Physa caledonica in 1857 by nautralist Pierre Marie Arthur Morelet. Specimens were collected from Balade, New Caledonia. In 1957, the species was moved to the genus Isidorella, and in 1961, moved again to Physastra.

Physa kanakina has been given as a taxonomic synonym of this species, but this is not always recognized. G. caledonica has also been considered a synonym of Glyptophysa nasuta.

One specimen used in Morelet's description (a syntype) is located in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London.

Description

The dark, oval-shaped shell of Glyptophysa caledonica measures 12 mm (0.47 in) in length and 7 mm (0.28 in) in diameter. Its color has been described as being dark, but also brown or yellow-brown. There are 4.5 shell revolutions, or whorls. The final (body) whorl in much larger than the others. The spire, a structure formed by stacks of whorls, is relatively short. The internal pillar of the shell (columella) is twisted. The shell opening (aperture) is oval-shaped. There may be a sculpture of raised lines on the exterior of the shell.

This species is similar to Glyptophysa hispida, but is darker in coloration.

Distribution and habitat

Glyptophysa caledonica is known from New Caledonia, where it has been described from Balade, as well as Hienghène.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Morelet, M. Arthur (1857). "Testacea nova Australiæ". Bulletin de la Société d'histoire naturelle du Département de la Moselle (in Latin). 8: 28–29. ISSN 3074-8011. OCLC 9928365.
  2. 1 2 3 Herbert, David (2024). Bieler R, Bouchet P, Gofas S, Marshall B, Rosenberg G, La Perna R, Neubauer TA, Sartori AF, Schneider S, Vos C, ter Poorten JJ, Taylor J, Dijkstra H, Finn J, Bank R, Neubert E, Moretzsohn F, Faber M, Houart R, Picton B, Garcia-Alvarez O (eds.). "Glyptophysa caledonica (Morelet, 1857)". MolluscaBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Solem, Alan (1961). "New Caledonian land and fresh-water snails: an annotated checklist". Fieldiana. Zoology. 41 (3): 437. ISSN 2162-4291. LCCN 45052932. OCLC 1426915.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Franc, André (1956). "Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de l-archipel Néo-Calédonien". Mémoires du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. A, Zoology (in French). 13 (1): 86.
  5. ↑ Starmühlner, F. (1970). "Die Mollusken der neukaledonischen binnengewässer" (PDF). Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer (in German). 4 (3–4): 96. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2024.
  6. ↑ "Glyptophysa caledonica (Morelet, 1857)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 Crosse, H. (1868). "Catalogue des Physes de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et description d'une espèce nouvelle". Journal de Conchyliologie. 3 (in French). 16 (8): 320–321. ISSN 0021-7719. OCLC 1605690.
  8. ↑ Gassies, J. B. (1863). Faune conchyliologique terrestre et fluvio-lacustre de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (in French). Paris: les auspices du Ministère de l'instruction publique. pp. 83–84. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.10949. OCLC 9605706.
  9. ↑ Crosse, Hippolyte (1894). Faune malacologique terrestre et fluviatile de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et de ses dépendances (in French). Chez H. Crosse. pp. 187–188. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.11481. OCLC 17725272.