Burnupia ingae Lanzer, 1991 (Gastropoda: Hygrophila): Contributions to the Knowledge on Its Morphology and First Records in Rio De Janeiro State, Brazil

Abstract

Burnupia Walker, 1912, is a genus of freshwater limpet traditionally considered as belonging to the Ancylidae (Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927; Hubendick, 1964; Brown, 1994; Lanzer, 1996; Hodgson & Healy, 1998), or included in the tribe Ancylini in the superfamily Planorboidea (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). However, its taxonomic position is controversial: based on similarity of radula morphology Pilsbry (1920) suggested a close relationship between Burnupia and South American Uncancylus Pilsbry, 1913. Brown (1965) placed this genus into the family Ferrissiidae, whereas Burch (1962) proposed a close relationship between Burnupia and Laevapex forming the subfamily Laevapecinae on the basis of the haploid chromosome number 17. Albrecht et al. (2004) tested whether the shell shape of Burnupia evolved independently and inferred its position within the Basommatophora. They concluded that the patelliform shell shape evolved at least three times in the Basommatophora, as previously proposed by Hubendick (1978), representing cases of convergent evolution. Currently, Burnupia is considered outside the Ancylinae according to Albrecht et al. (2007), who suggested a new “unnamed clade” for this genus. Burnupia not only appears to be distinct from the Ancylinae but also from all other representatives of the superfamily Planorboidea (Albrecht et al., 2007). In reference to the distribution of Burnupia, it has long been considered endemic to Africa (Basch, 1963; Wright, 1963; Hubendick, 1964; Albrecht et al., 2004), ranging from the highlands of Ethiopia and East Africa, southwards into Zaire, Angola and Zimbabwe, and widespread in South Africa (Walker, 1924; Hubendick, 1964). Subfossil MALACOLOGIA, 2016, 59(2): 333−339