Gastrocopta joaoherminioi, Lima & Abreu, 2024

Gastrocopta joaoherminioi View in CoL sp. nov. ( Fig. 2)

Type material: Holotype – UFPB.MOL-44073 ( Figs.2 A-C,E) ; Paratypes – UFPB.MOL-44074 (9 shells) ( Fig. 2D), CMPHRM7521B(4shells),all from type locality ; CMPHRM7520B (5 shells), Brazil, Paraíba, municipality of Cajazeiras , EAEP, sampling area 9, 06°59′07″S, 38°27′34″W (410 m), litter (leaf and soil), 25.XI.2017, Evandro C. T. Abreu collector GoogleMaps .

Type locality: Brazil, Paraíba, municipality of Cajazeiras, EAEP, sampling area 8, 06°59′06″S, 38°27′32″W (401 m), litter (leaf and soil), 25.XI.2017, Evandro C. T. Abreu collector.

Etymology: The species is named to honor Prof. Dr. João Hermínio da Silva (1961-2023). Prof. João Hermínio, as he was called among his colleagues and students, obtained a degree in Mathematics from the Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE: 1984-1989), a master′s degree in Energy and Nuclear Technologies from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE: 1997-1999), a PhD in Physics from the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC: 2002-2007) and a Post-Doctorate from the Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI: 2015-2016). He was a professor at the Universidade Estadual do Tocantins (Unitins: 1995-1996), Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE: 1997-1999), UFC (2002-2006), Instituto Centro de Ensino Tecnológico (Centec: 2006-2007), Centro Universitário Farias Brito (FB UNI: 2007-2007), UFC (2010-2015) and finally Universidade Federal do Cariri (UFCA: 2016-2023). He was a research productivity fellow at the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) due to his important scientific, technological and innovation production involving raman and infrared spectroscopy, materials subjected to high temperatures and high pressures, vibrational properties of amino acid crystals, growth and characterization of amino acid crystals, application of radioisotopes, Physics and Microbiology, Physics Applied to Paleontology and Archeology and Teaching Physics. He dedicated part of his life to the study of fossils from the Araripe Basin (located between the south of the state of Ceará, the west of the state of Pernambuco and the east of Piauí) contributing to paleontological research, mainly in the Cariri of the state of Ceará, as well as the training of researchers and teachers in the areas of Physical, Geological, Paleontological and Biological Sciences. Prof. João Hermínio passed away at the age of 62.

Diagnosis: Apertural barriers with 11 very strongly developed teeth (except suprapalatal tooth) greatly obstructing aperture, not extending to lip margin. Parietal to angular region with five teeth – infraparietal tooth apparently semicircular, completely anastomosed with parieto-angular tooth 1; parieto-angular tooth 2 longest of all teeth, slightly or strongly anastomosed to adjacent teeth, recurved to left, bulbous in distal region, tapered in proximal region; parieto-angular tooth 3 semicircular, partially anastomosed to adjacent teeth, forming minute apical space between them or completely anastomosed to adjacent teeth not forming space between them; angular tooth moderately long, with similar thickness along its length, slightly recurved to right, connected in distal region or completely anastomosed to parieto-angular tooth 2. Palatal region with four well-spaced, rounded teeth – suprapalatal tooth minute, tubercular (inconspicuous in some shells); upper palatal tooth and interpalatal tooth semicircular, with similar size; lower palatal tooth semicircular, larger and more robust among palatal teeth. Basal tooth low, semicircular. Columellar tooth semicircular, strong, thick, moderately long, oblique (diagonal) or perpendicular to columellar axis, located at about midpoint of columellar wall. Columellar tooth and lower palatal tooth similar in size and outline.

Description: Shell dextral, whitish to light cream, thin, minute (length about 1.2 mm), pupilloid-conical ( Figs. 2 A-C), surface worn (mostly devoid of periostracum) marked by growth striations ( Fig. 2E). Apex obtuse, blunt, strongly domed. Protoconch smooth, bulbous, blunt, with about 1.5 whorl; proto-teleoconch transition marked by faint edge ( Fig. 2E). Spire weakly convex (about 45% of total length), blunt-obtuse ( Figs. 2 A-C). Teleoconch with 3.5 to 4.0 inflated, globose, greatly convex whorls, rather increasing conspicuously in size; sculptured by closely spaced, rather regular, faint, fine, prosocline axial riblets visible on an unworn surface ( Figs. 2 A-C, E). Body whorl with about 55% of total length, expanded, oval, width with about 60% of total length of shell ( Fig. 2A), contour strongly projected to left in ventral view ( Fig. 2A), lateral view with depression ( Fig. 2B). Umbilicus large and rounded. Suture deeply impressed, oblique (diagonal) to columellar axis ( Figs. 2 A-C, E). Peristome subcircular (not virtually complete) very slightly reflexed on columellar and parietal areas (parietal callus slightly distinct, thin). Lip thin, narrow. Aperture subcircular, about 35% of total length. Apertural barriers with 11 very strongly developed teeth (except suprapalatal tooth) greatly obstructing aperture, not extending to lip margin. Parietal to angular region with five teeth – infraparietal tooth apparently semicircular, completely anastomosed with parieto-angular tooth 1; parieto-angular tooth 2 longest of all teeth, slightly or strongly anastomosed to adjacent teeth, recurved to left, bulbous in distal region, tapered in proximal region; parieto-angular tooth 3 semicircular, partially anastomosed to adjacent teeth, forming minute apical space between them ( Fig. 2D) or completely anastomosed to adjacent teeth not forming space between them; angular tooth moderately long, with similar thickness along its length, slightly recurved to right, connected in distal region ( Fig. 2D) or completely anastomosed to parieto-angular tooth 2. Palatal region with four well-spaced, rounded teeth – suprapalatal tooth minute, tubercular (inconspicuous in some shells); upper palatal tooth and interpalatal tooth semicircular, with similar size; lower palatal tooth semicircular, larger and more robust among palatal teeth. Basal tooth low, semicircular. Columellar tooth semicircular, strong, thick, moderately long, oblique (diagonal) ( Fig. 2D) or perpendicular ( Fig. 2A) to columellar axis, located at about midpoint of columellar wall. Columellar tooth and lower palatal tooth similar in size and outline ( Figs. 2A, D).

Distribution: Known only from the municipality of Cajazeiras, Paraíba, Brazil.

Remarks: The shell morphology of Gastrocopta joaoherminioi sp. nov. differs substantially from the native and invasive congeners of Brazil, mainly in the greatly convex whorls ( Figs. 2 A-C) as well as in the number and configuration of apertural barriers ( Fig. 2D).The shell morphology of G. joaoherminioi sp. nov. and G. sharae correspond in their pupilloid-conical shape, markedly convex whorls associated with a deep suture and strongly developed apertural dentition.These species also have a columellar tooth and lower palatal tooth with similar outline and inclination. Gastrocopta joaoherminioi sp. nov. differs markedly from G. sharae due to the presence of 11 apertural barriers that greatly obstruct the region ( Fig. 2D). In contrast, this cave gastrocoptid discovered in the state of Goiás (Central-West of Brazil) only have four apertural barriers (upper palatal tooth, lower palatal tooth, columellar lamella and anguloparietal lamella) ( Salvador et al., 2017: 136-139, figs. 2-6). The new species has infraparietal tooth, three parieto-angular teeth, suprapalatal tooth, interpalatal tooth and basal tooth ( Fig. 2D), which are non-existent in G. sharae ( Salvador et al., 2017: 136-139, figs. 2-6).

Gastrocopta joaoherminioi sp. nov. and G. aliciae Miquel & Brito, 2019 [from the Galapagos Islands ( Ecuador)] have strongly developed teeth greatly obstructing aperture. Both species also share similar arrangement and strength of the columellar tooth, parietoangular tooth and angular tooth. The new species differs substantially from G. aliciae in having greatly convex teleoconch whorls, a greater number of teeth in the parietal region and absence of supracolumellar and subcolumellar teeth.

Gastrocoptajoaoherminioi sp. nov. has 11 strongly developed teeth greatly obstructing aperture ( Figs. 2A, D) while G. crucifera Hylton Scott, 1948 and G. pulvinata Hylton Scott, 1948 [both from Argentina] have six to seven apertural barriers that do not obstruct the aperture. The new species has a columellar tooth located at about midpoint of columellar wall ( Figs. 2A, D), while G. crucifera and G. pulvinata have columellar tooth locat- ed near the infraparietal region ( Hylton Scott, 1948: 245, fig. 1; 246, fig. 2, respectively). Gastrocopta joaoherminioi sp. nov. has a well-developed basal tooth ( Figs. 2A, D), while it is absent in G. crucifera ( Hylton Scott, 1948: 245, fig. 1). The aperture of G. joaoherminioi sp. nov. has three well-developed parieto-angular teeth and four palatal teeth ( Fig. 2A, D), while aperture of G. pulvinata presents only one parieto-angular tooth and two palatal teeth ( Hylton Scott, 1948: 246, fig. 2).