Cochlostoma (T.) affine (Benoit, 1881)

Figs 97 (red dot), 98E, 99

Pomatias affinis Benoit, 1881: 154 .

Types

Not seen.

Other specimens

ITALY • 1- Isnello (topotypical); 37.9289° N, 14.0131° E; 2010; Liberto leg.; EZ1016 .

Type locality

ITALY • “ Madonie ” (mountain range located on the north of Sicily) .

Description

SHELL. Closely spaced riblets on last part of th protoconch. Teleoconch spotless. Very strong, widely spaced white ribs not fading toward aperture. Whorls more or less covered by whitish powder. Rather weak lip with slightly and gently inwardly bent columellar lobe partially covering umbilicus.

MEASUREMENTS. 2 ♀♀: whorls= 8.1–8.1, H = 8.2–8.5 mm, H/W= 2.78–2.8, roundness= 0.15–0.15, ribs incl.= 57–59°, apert. incl.= 17–19°, ribs/mm 1 st wh.= 3–4, ribs/mm 4 th wh.=5–5.

FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS. As in C. (T.) nanum .

Remarks

Shells of this species are distinguishable from C. (T.) agriotes / crosseanum only by the stronger ribs. In the obtained phylogenetic trees, this taxon appears in a polytomy with the elegans / nanum cluster on one side and the crosseanum / agriotes on the other. The presence of this species in Sicily is highly important in a paleogeographic perspective (see discussion).