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Microceramus
gossei (L. Pfeiffer, 1845) (Mollusca – Pulmonata) Steffen Franke and Alejandro Fernandez Published and ubpublished data on Micro-ceramus by various authors suggests that Microceramus gossei should be considered a valid species, keeping taxonomic status as per Pfeiffer and Pilsbry, Some taxonomic comments are explained. And new records are given for the species from the Mayari Municipality, Holguin Province, Cuba. Introduction A review of the published and unpublished literature in regards to the family Urocoptidae in Cuba was the first step in our study of the different species of the genus Microceramus Pilsbry and Vanatta, 1898. But a particular case, that of Microceramus gossei (Pfeiffer, 1845) which was recently collected in some localities in Mayari, Holguin, was brought to our attention. This species was not included in the listing of valid species in Torre and Bartsch’s work (1943, unpublished), the most complete work on Cuban Urocoptidae. nor in the work of Jaume and A. Torre (1980), but Espinosa and Ortea (1999) do include M. gossei as a valid species. It occurs in three provinces of Cuba: Remedios and Caibarien, Villa Clara Province; Nuevitas, Camagüey Province and Guisa and Cabo Cruz in Granma Province. Collection data in different museums – in Chicago, Florida, Frankfurt/Main – give a geographic range of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Bahamas for this species. In part this information agrees with Pilsbry (1903), Baker (1935), Negrea & Jacobson (1977) and Maceira (1998), but as mentioned above the species is not mentioned by Torre & Bartsch (1943, unpublished). In our point of view M. gossei is a valid species and some aspects on this will be presented in this paper. New localities for N. gossei in Holguin
Province, Cuba, brought our attention to the situation. And so
our research commenced. Fieldwork was carried out in the following municipalities of Holguin Province: Gibara, Rafael Freyre, Banes, Holguin, Calixro Garcia, Cacocum and Mayari. Samples were taken between 2003 and 2005. But only in the Mayari territory were specimens of M. gossei found. These four localities produced specimens: 1. Loma Guajerenal, Mayari (N 20° 36’ 19.6”; W. 75° 42’ 00.4”), 23 August 2005; 2. Blanquizal del Colorado, Mayari (N 20° 36’ 20.5”); W 75° 42’ 15.8”) 24 August 2005; 3. Loma de Guerrita, Cajimaya, Carretera de Mayari (N 20° 39.177’; W 75° 38.299’) Nov. 27, 2005; 4. Cantera de Pilon, Mayari (N 20° 38.893’; W 75° 38.147’) Nov. 17, 2005. The data was obtained by a solid GPS instrument Garmin Gecko 101. Results and Discussion Geographic Range This species is described from Jamaica after Grosse (Pfeiffer, 1848: 81) with a “var. B in Texas”. L. Pfeiffer (1852) had reports of this species from his friend, Gundlach, in Cuba, from Punta de San Juan de los Perros (now Canagüey Province) and noted that the wide distribution of this species was like that of “Achatina octona”. Crosse (1890) does a compilation of the occurrences of this species in Cuba with “Guisa et San Andres, in Bayamo; Casimba, en Cabo Cruz; Punta de San Juan de los Pernos (Gundlach); Nuevitas (Arango)” as well as being known from Jamaica and the Bahamas. Pilsbry (1903L 161) wrote: “… Among Cuban species, M. gossei is closely related to M. denticulatus of western Cuba; but it is larger, more slender and more regularly tapering. I have seen a single Cuban specimen, and can not see that it differs in any respect from the Jamaican typical form. Arango and others give the following localities, all in the western part of the Province of Santiago de Cuba and the eastern part of Puerto Principe: Guisa and San Andres in Bayamo; Casimba in Cabo Cruz (Gundlach: 1852, p. 175), and Nuevitas. Crosse (Jour. De Conch., 1890. p. 205) gives no additional information. …” Pilsbry (1930) described a new variety from Nasasau, Bahamas and referred to the species from Jamaica and Haiti. He also notes (p. 465) additions to previous de Mora, on rocks … reported by Gundlach from Punta de San Juan de los Peros, Camagüey (…) but we did not find it there…” H.B. Baker (1935) reported this species from two places in Jamaica. New for Cuba were the 11 specimens found in a cave near Mayariu Abajo, Oriente (Negrea & Jaconson, 1977). Silva Taboada (1988) reported this species from the Cueva Grande, Pilon, Mayari, Holguin (Maceira 1998). A comparative analysis of the specimens collected recently in Mayari agrees with the description of M. gossei in Pilsbry (1903-04) as well as to specimens in museums so labeled. These are in the following museums: La Habana, MNHN, coll. PAD (Pastor Alayo Dalmau) 1875: 9 specimens as “Macrocer-amus gossei, Loma de Cuellar, Caibarien, Villa Clara”. ANSP 101 175 M. gossei – Manchester, Jamaica. FHNH (Chicago) 41 821 M. gossei (4) Finca Cueto, Caibarien, Webb Collection; 41 822 M. gossei (10) Ramona Coralillo, Santa Clara, Webb Collection; 100234 M. gossei (1) “Holquin”, Cuba. Winter Collection; 295 233 M gossei (4) Vega Alta, Santa Clara, Zetek collection. UF (Florida Museum) SMF (Frankfurt/Main) New Records for M. gossei, Recently we have found M. gossei in four localities in Holguin Province: Loma Guajerenal, Mayari (N 20° 36’ 19.6”; W. 75° 42’ 00.4”) 23 Aug. 2005 on limestone hill, semi-shady area in semidisiduous forest near principal pathway. Blanquizal del Colorado, Mayari (N 20° 36’ 20.5”; W. 75° 42’ 15.8”) 24 Aug. 2005 live specimens found on rocks and stone walls in relatively open places, limited by pathway and living fences of Bromelia penguin Loma de Guerrita, Cajimaya, Carretera de Mayari (N 20° 39.177’; W. 75° 38.299’) Nov. 17, 2005, on limestone cliff close to the road, on walls in the semi-shady areas shaded by secondary vegetation Cantera de Pilon, Mayari ( N 20° 38.893’; W. 75° 38.893’) Nov. 17, 2005. this population was found in an open area, with some patches of grassland, bushes and secondry vengetaton; live specimens were on or under rocks and in crevices of the limestone rock The ecological preference of M. gossei of limestone rocks is similar with other calciphile urocoptids and agree with previous authors (Pilsbry, 1903, 1929, 1946; Paul, 1983). Paul (1983) said: “Microceramus [gossei] lives on rocks and stone walls in relative open situations” and Pilsbry (1946: 105) in North American Urocoptidae said “… on limestone cliffs and rocks; the foot of the animal and the movement is adapted to the minutely roughened and slightly porous surfaces of the limestone rocks and cliffs.” Microceramus gossei is adapted to a diverse microhabitat. It occurs on and under stones at limestone cliffs and karsts and may spend their whole life on and under the same rock (Bauer, 1987). All specimens of M. gossei found from August 23 to November 17, 2005 agree perfectly with the description and illustrations in Pilsbry (1903: 159-161) and in comparison with the SMF 28 643/6 “M gossei Pfr” from Jamaica and in the MNHN – coll. PAD 1875 “M. gossei – Loma de Cuellar, Caibarien, Villa Clara”. Systematic Comments on Today 18 species of Microceramus are included in a listing of Cuban terrestrial mollusks. 8 of these are confined to the Province of Pinar del Rio with other provinces having one to three species. (Espinosa & Ortea, 1999). C. Torre and Bartsch (1943, unpublished) included 65 species in the genus and made use of four subgenera: Aguayoceramus, Spiroceramus, Cryptoceramus and Microceramus. They differ from Clench (1947) regarding Spiroceramus and from Henderson (1915). Mesa and Jaume (1982) and Schileyo (1999) agree on 17 species of Microcera-mus in Cuba. We found an interesting case regarding the systematic placement of M. gossei. C. Torre and Bartsch (1943, unpubished) do not cite Pilsbry (1903-04) in their monographic work on Microceraminae. They rarely missed citing L. Pfeiffer in this work, but do not list M. grossei. M. grossei was considered a valid species
by Pilsbry (1903) and he also recognized its cose relationship
to M. denticulatus. We agree with these statements. |