Bensonella microdentata Gojšina & Páll-Gergely, 2025

Bensonella microdentata Gojšina & Páll-Gergely sp. nov.

Figs 39 L View Figure 39 , 64 View Figure 64 , 65 View Figure 65 , 95 View Figure 95

Type material.

Holotype. Thailand • 1 shell (SH: 2 mm; SW: 1.5 mm); Lampang Province limestone dome at pass 11 km SSW of Ban Pang La ; 18°27.9667'N, 99°48.3833'E; 610 m a. s. l.; 14. May 1988; F. G. Thompson leg.; UF 346912 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. Thailand • 1 shell; same data as for holotype; CUMZ 14437 View Materials GoogleMaps • 6 shells; same data as for holotype; UF 591333 GoogleMaps .

Additional material examined.

Thailand • 3 shells (juveniles, not paratypes); same data as the holotype; UF 583726 GoogleMaps .

Type locality.

Thailand, Lampang Province limestone dome at pass 11 km SSW of Ban Pang La; 18°27.9667'N, 99°48.3833'E; 610 m a. s. l.

Diagnosis.

Bensonella species with concave-conical, glossy shell that is spirally striated. Apertural barriers (usually eight or nine) and the surface around them prominently spiniferous.

Description.

Shell slightly concave-conical, glossy, light brownish, consisting of 5–5.5 convex and rounded whorls separated by a deep suture. Protoconch spirally striated, its boundary with the teleoconch not clear. There are ~ 12 widely spaced spiral striae on the protoconch and they are stronger at the base of the whorl. Teleoconch with relatively coarsely spaced, raised spiral striae (space between two striae equals the width of two or three striae) and with fine radial growth lines. On initial teleoconch whorls, radial lines are more densely arranged (similar to the spacing between the spiral striae) and are crossing the spiral striae forming a reticulated sculpture. Towards the last whorl, radial lines become coarser and the reticulated sculpture becomes weaker. Last whorl rounded, adnate to the penultimate, slightly descending near the aperture (~ 20 ° compared to the shell axis). Peristome whitish, expanded but not reflected. Sinulus parabolic due to the position of the angular lamella and the palatal tubercle. Aperture equipped with numerous barriers which have the typical Bensonella arrangement. These are: angular, parietal, upper palatal, interpalatal, lower palatal, palatal tubercle, basal, columellar, and infraparietal. Parietal lamella strong and moderately high, angular separated into inner and outer parts of almost equal height and width and a strong sinuation between them. Upper and interpalatal plicae positioned close together and almost equally as strong. Lower palatal plica situated some distance from other palatals and stronger than both of them. Palatal tubercle strong and sitting on the edge of the palatal lip. Basal plica weak, low, and short. Columellar lamella nearly as strong as the lower palatal. Infraparietal lamella only very slightly stronger than the basal plica. Surface of all apertural barriers is roughly spiniferous. Umbilicus narrow but relatively deep, measuring ~ 1 / 6 of the shell width.

Differential diagnosis.

This species is most similar to B. nitens (see under that species for differences). See also under B. paviei and B. tamphathai .

Measurements

(in mm, n = 4). SH = 1.73–2; SW = 1.47–1.61; AH = 0.73–0.83; AW = 0.63–0.75.

Etymology.

This species is named for its small apertural barriers.

Distribution.

This species is known only from the type locality.