Erhaia xiaoboqiani H. Chen, Y. - M. He, H. - Q. Xiang & X. - P. Wu, 2025

Chen, Hui, Xie, Guang-Long, Li, Jun-Xi, Chen, Zhong-Guang, Dai, Yu-Ting, He, Yue-Ming, Xiang, Hong-Quan, Huang, Xiao-Chen & Wu, Xiao-Ping, 2025, Hidden diversity in China's Sky Islands: Three new freshwater snail species of Erhaiidae (Gastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (3), pp. 1359-1368 : 1359-1368

Erhaia xiaoboqiani H. Chen, Y. - M. He, H. - Q. Xiang & X. - P. Wu sp. nov.

Figs 4 G, H , 5 D

Material examined.

Holotype: • NCUEX 250301 , shell height 1.82 mm (Fig. 4 G ), Zijiangdifeng , Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China, 26.9078°N, 107.0533°E (Fig. 1 ).

Paratypes: • 16 specimens, NCUEX 250302–17 , August 2023, shell height 1.68–1.94 mm, collected by Xiao Bo Qian, locality and habitat same as holotype .

Diagnosis.

Shell small, greyish-white, conical in shape. Aperture nearly circular, featuring a triangle, thick tooth on the columella.

Description.

Shell small, white, ovoid, consisting of six convex whorls separated by a deep suture. Shell surface exhibits fine irregular growth lines and periostracal ridges. Apex usually eroded and obtuse. Peristome continuous and thickened. Without umbilical chink (Fig. 4 G, H ). Aperture nearly circular, featuring a triangle, thickened tooth on the columella that extends around the entire body whorl (Fig. 5 D ).

Etymology.

The species name “ xiaoboqiani ” is derived from the name of “ Qianxiaobo, ” the discoverer of the species. The suggested Chinese common name is “ 钱氏洱海螺 ” (Qiánshì Ěrhǎi Luó).

Biology.

This species inhabits mountain springs and streams, often attaching to stones on the riverbed, with a lower density. It does not prefer deep water and is typically found in slow-moving water at depths of 0–30 cm. Its distribution is recorded at elevations of around 1,100 m.

Remarks.

E. xiaoboqiani sp. nov. differs from E. bailong sp. nov., E. guizhouensis sp. nov., E. liui , E. shimenensis , and E. tangi in having a more slender shell (W / H = 0.41, Table 3 ) and a triangular, thickened columellar tooth (Fig. 5 D ).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of Erhaia species across Asia.

Figure 4. Species of Erhaia. A. Original figure of E. daliensis Davis & Kuo, 1985; B. E. daliensis NCUED 250101; C. E. bailong sp. nov. holotype, NCUEB 250101; D. E. bailong sp. nov. paratype, NCUEB 250102; E. E. guizhouensis sp. nov. holotype, NCUEG 250201; F. E. guizhouensis sp. nov. paratype, NCUEG 250202; G. E. xiaoboqiani sp. nov. holotype, NCUEX 250301; H. E. xiaoboqiani sp. nov. paratype, NCUEX 250302.

Figure 5. SEM photo of the Erhaia species with artificial breakage at the body whorl to expose columella teeth. A. E. daliensis; B. E. bailong sp. nov.; C. E. guizhouensis sp. nov.; D. E. xiaoboqiani sp. nov. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A – D).