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

Figs 4 E, F , 5 C

Material examined.

Holotype: • NCUEG 250201 , shell height 2.06 mm (Fig. 5 E ), Lengshuihe River , Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China, 26.9011°N, 106.8728°E (Fig. 1 ).

Paratypes: • 26 specimens, NCUEG 250202–27 , August 2023, shell height 1.68–2.13 mm, collected by Xiao Bo Qian, locality and habitat same as holotype .

Diagnosis.

Shell small, white, ovoid in shape. Aperture nearly circular, with a thick tooth on the columella.

Description.

Shell small, white, ovoid; five convex whorls separated by a deep suture. Surface with fine, irregular growth lines. Peristome continuous and thicked. Without umbilical chink. Apex usually eroded and obtuse (Fig. 4 E, F ). Aperture relatively large, nearly circular, with a thick tooth on the columella, tooth surrounding the entire body whorl of the columella (Fig. 5 C ).

Etymology.

The species name “ guizhouensis ” refers to Guizhou Province, where the species was discovered. The Chinese name is “ 贵州洱海螺 ” (Guìzhōu Ěrhǎi Luó).

Biology.

This species inhabits mountain springs and streams, often attaching to stone on the riverbed, where it occurs in high densities. It avoids deep water and is typically found in slow-moving water at depths of 0–30 cm. Its distribution is recorded at elevations of around 1,200 m.

Remarks.

E. guizhouensis sp. nov. differs from E. bailong sp. nov., E. liui , E. shimenensis , and E. tangi in having fewer whorls, a nearly circular aperture, and lacking periostracal ridges on the shell surface.

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).