Clenchiella Abbott, 1948

Clenchiella Abbott, 1948

Clenchiella Abbott, 1948: 76 .

Type species: Clenchiella victoriae Abbott, 1948 , original designation.

Diagnosis. Shell large for family ( 1.2–2.3 mm in maximum diameter, although Abbott incorrectly gives up to 4 mm for type species). Spire flat, umbilicus wide. Whorls typically with strong spiral mid-dorsal and mid-ventral keel and many distinct spiral cords ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ), keels subobsolete to absent in one species ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Aperture near circular, peristome simple, prosocline, external varix heavy, wide. Operculum near circular, thin, horny, of several whorls, nucleus near central; inner side lacks calcareous smear and has central projection (distinct peg to weak nipple-like protrusion). Head-foot usually with black pigment on cephalic tentacles and snout; posterior end of foot pointed. Radula as for family, cusps on inner outer marginal teeth slightly larger than those on outer marginals. Penis with two to four large, simple ( i.e. with no apocrine glands) swellings on distal portion. Bursa copulatrix small to extremely large; bursal duct straight or strongly curved. Two posterior seminal receptacles.

Remarks. Clenchiella is distinguished from the other three genera introduced below in having the following combination of characters: dorsal and ventral prominent to weak keels on the shell (absent in one species), a strong external apertural varix, a pigment band on each cephalic tentacle and the penis has a few distinct distal lobes.