The first proven oxychilid land snail endemic to China (Eupulmonata, Gastrodontoidea)

Abstract

A new and the first proven oxychilid species endemic to China is reported from Sichuan Province. Sinoxychilus gen. nov. is established based on this new species and has diagnostic traits of the sculptured protoconch, partial epiphallus wrapped by developed penis sheath, penial retractor muscle inserting on the top of penial caecum, spinelets on penial pilasters, absence of epiphallic papilla and perivaginal gland present on vagina and proximal bursa copulatrix duct. In light of shell morphology and through geometric morphometric analyses, Zonites scrobiculatus scrobiculatus Gredler and Z. scrobiculatus hupeina Gredler are proposed to be included in the new genus. A phylogenetic inference based on ITS2 gene indicates that the new genus is systematically close to Oxychilus Fitzinger, which is known from the Western Palearctic and the Southwestern Arabian Peninsula, regions that are geographically far from the distribution range of the new genus.