The genus Aclophoropsis (Gastropoda: Triphoridae) in southern Australia, including four previously unknown populations

Abstract

A report is made on members of Aclophoropsis in temperate and subtropical Australian waters, including four previously undocumented populations (from Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia). Notes are made on the external anatomy, radula, jaws and habitat of Aclophoropsis festiva (A. Adams, 1854). New information on the protoconch morphology of Aclophoropsis maculosa (Hedley, 1903) and Aclophoropsis univitta (Laseron, 1954) is presented, with the distribution of the latter extended northwards by about 500 km. One new species is described from Western Port Bay, Victoria – Aclophoropsis leoensis n. sp. A second population from Western Port Bay and a third from South Australia are regarded as morphospecies, but not described due to paucity of material and/or taxonomic uncertainty. A planktotrophic morphospecies from the Great Australian Bight is mentioned for the first time. Confusion in the literature is noted between Notosinister robusta Laseron, 1954 and Aclophora robusta Laseron, 1958.