Pulcharopa Iredale, 1944: 320

Pulcharopa Iredale, 1944: 320 View in CoL . Type species Pulcharopa plesa Iredale, 1944 by monotypy. Feminine. Syn nov.

Remarks

Goweroconcha was described by Iredale (1944) for Endodonta waterhousiae Hedley, 1897 and new species G. wilsoni and G. wenda Iredake, 1944 . There was some question over the identity of E. waterhousiae ; the type locality was given by Hedley (1897) as Mt Gower, but Iredale (1944) stated that it is a lowland species and that Hedley’s locality was given in error. We show herein that G. waterhousiae is found throughout the lowlands but also on the lower slopes of Mt Lidgbird and Mt Gower, so it is possible that the original type locality is correct.

Gyropena and Pulcharopa were described by Iredale (1944) as monotypic genera, including G. verans and P. plesa , respectively. Goweroconcha was stated to differ from the other two genera in its larger size, radially sculptured protoconch, and discoidal shape with a slightly sunken spire and wide umbilicus. Gyropena is similar but much smaller. Pulcharopa has a subglobose shape, moderately wide, crateriform umbilicus, and a protoconch with fine radial sculpture and more widely spaced teleoconch ribs.

Gyropena minuta Shea & Griffiths 2010 was originally included in Gyropena based on its spirally lirate protoconch and distinct radial ribs while being minute in size and having a punctid-like appearance ( Stanisic et al., 2010).

Here, we determine that Gyropena minuta belongs to Punctidae , and it is therefore excluded from Gyropena . Its taxonomy will be revised elsewhere. We demonstrate that despite the wide variation in shell size and protoconch sculpture, all members of Goweroconcha along with G. verans and G. plesa form a single radiation. Because Goweroconcha as originally delineated is not monophyletic, we synonymize Gyropena and Pulcharopa to create a monophyletic taxon.

Goweroconcha differs from Pseudocharopa in its flat to sunken spire, less rapidly descending and/or expanding last whorl, and moderately to widely open umbilicus. Notable anatomical differences include the shorter second lobe of the kidney, a shorter free oviduct, a longer vagina, and a longer epiphallus than in Pseudocharopa . There are also differences in the penial retractor muscle attachment and the degree of demarcation of the penis and epiphallus.