A new species of the genus Macrochlamys Gray, 1847 (Stylommatophora: Ariophantidae) from Western Himalaya, India

ABSTRACT A new species of the genus Macrochlamys has been described from Western Himalaya, India. A total of 12 dry and seven live specimens of Macrochlamys leggeae sp. nov. were collected from the high-altitude region of Valley of Flowers National Park and are described here as a new species based on morph-taxonomy, conchological differences, and characters of the radula and genitalia. Collected specimens were compared with the closely related species Macrochlamys nuda (Pfeiffer, 1852), Macrochlamys vesicula (Benson, 1838), Macrochlamys glauca (Pfeiffer, 1846) and Macrochlamys kuluensis Blanford, 1904 and found to be significantly different in morphometric characters and in shell ratio. Additionally, high-resolution scanning electron microscope images of the radula with rechidian teeth measurements and a detailed description of the genitalia of M. leggeae are included. The new species is named after Joan Margaret Legge, Botanist of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, who lost her life during floral study in the Valley of Flowers National Park in 1939. In addition to the description of the new species, a complete list of Macrochlamys species recorded from India is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6934898C-A150-4163-8402-8A79EBEDE88C

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