Bakyietaia luuemxlong Zhang, Yen & von Rintelen, 2025

Bakyietaia luuemxlong Zhang, Yen & von Rintelen gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Figs 36–37 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

Shell small to medium in size (23.56 ± 2.58 mm), sturdy, whorls inflated, with weak primary keels, moderate keel above suture; columellar lip recurved, forming callus covering umbilicus completely; operculum with small nuclear region (around 1/5 of inner opercular region) with shiny grains or veins; outer marginal tooth of radula with 20 small sharp cusps; distributed in southern Hainan Island.

Etymology

According to the mythology of the Hlai people of Hainan Island, ‘luuemx long’, which means ‘forget to grow up’ in the Hlai language, is a race of dwarves living in the forest. Formed as a noun in apposition. The recommended Chinese name is 阑Dzṉ田ª.

Material examined

Holotype

CHINA • spec. preserved in ethanol; Hainan Province, Qionghai City, Huishan Town , creeks near farmland of Mutang Village , 0.1 m deep on mud substrate; 7 Mar. 2022; Le-Jia Zhang leg.; KIZ.240046 .

Paratypes

CHINA • 2 specs (preserved in ethanol); same data as for holotype; KIZ.240047 – 240048 • 1 spec. (preserved in ethanol); same data as for holotype; ZMB.122739 .

Other material

CHINA • 1 spec. (preserved dry); same data as for holotype; YHY-BAKLUU-MT-1.

Description

Adult shell ( Fig. 36A–E, H–J View Fig ) small to medium (23.56 ± 2.58 mm), thin but sturdy, conical, dark olive brown, with five whorls; teleoconch whorls inflated, with three weak but obvious primary keels, with one to two even weaker smooth secondary keels located between suture and first keel, always with one additional weak keel located between first and second/second and third keels, base of shell with two to four weak keels, all keels usually darker than rest of shell surface; aperture ovate, less than half of shell in height, inner shell surface bluish white, outer lip thin, always with an obvious angular periphery, columellar lip covered with thick inner shell layers, white, columellar lip folded outwards, covering umbilicus.

Operculum ( Fig. 36F–G View Fig ) corneous, ovate, thin, dark red; exterior surface smooth; interior surface with small nuclear region, around 1/5 of inner opercular region, with shiny grains or veins or smooth glossy surface.

Radular ( Fig. 37 View Fig ) (n = 1) central tooth with one broad central denticle and four small sharp cusps on either side; lateral tooth with one broad central denticle and three small sharp cusps on either side; inner marginal tooth narrow, about half of lateral tooth in width, with one broad central denticle and unknown number of small sharp cusps on either side (all heavily worn); outer marginal tooth wide, almost same as lateral tooth in width, with around 20 small sharp cusps.

Remarks

Bakyietaia luuemxlong gen. et sp. nov. is one of the species of Bakyietaia gen. nov. with weak primary keels. This species can be easily distinguished from all congeners based on the small- to medium-sized conical shell with inflated whorls and moderate keel above suture.

Habitat and distribution

Only known from the type locality on mud substrate in the shallow water of creeks in southern Hainan Province, China.