Document of bibliographic reference 288576

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Description of a minute new chiton (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) from Sri Lanka

Abstract

Among a small collection of Polyplacophora from the Hans-Georg Müller collection at the Bavarian State collection we recognized an undescribed species of Leptochiton Gray, 1847, which is described herein. The species is minute (2.1 mm) and shows a strong sculpturing of roundish granules. The species’ small size, long intersegmental spicules, and the high tail valve with a concave postmucronal slope, easily separates this species from its congeners. In addition, based on the new material, we are able to raise the number of chiton species identified in Sri Lanka to 24, although three of them require further study. The former known species are compiled to make an easy tracing of the Sri Lanka chiton fauna possible. Within this evaluation we transferred the species Tonicia pectinoides Sykes, 1903 and Tonicia ceylonica Leloup, 1936 to the genus Lucilina, following the concept of Schwabe et al. [2008]. Besides the new species, Rhyssoplax maldivensis (E. A. Smith in Gardiner, 1903) and Acanthochitona leopoldi (Leloup, 1933), were the first time mentioned from Sri Lanka. Comparisons with the chiton faunas of the Andaman Sea area and the Maldives show that minimal species overlapping occurs, despite a similar species numbers in the three areas discussed.

Bibliographic citation

Sirenko, B.; Schwabe, E. (2011). Description of a minute new chiton (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) from Sri Lanka. Ruthenica 21(2): 113-121

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true