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Seven new species of very small Gulella Pfeiffer, 1856 are described from two regions in the interior of south-eastern South Africa within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot. In addition, the status of Gulella darglensis benthodon van Bruggen, 1980 is revised and raised to species level. All species are very small-shelled and are narrow-range endemics. Six species, G. judithmastersae sp. nov., G. kevincolei sp. nov., G. hlathikhulu sp. nov., G. nkandla sp. nov., G. mystica sp. nov. and G. libertas sp. nov. are each known from only one locality. The first two as well as G. benthodon and G. mcmasteri sp. nov. are found only in the Amathole Mountains, where poaching, illegal harvesting of plant products and uncontrolled access of cattle take place, including in protected areas. The other four species each occur at one locality in north-central KwaZulu-Natal. The localities of three of the last-mentioned species are in protected areas although they are isolated and surrounded by a heavily transformed cultural landscape rendering enforcement of conservation legislation a challenge. Six species occur in nature reserves, highlighting the importance of small pockets of protected habitat for the conservation of terrestrial snails.
Eight new species of Gulella Pfeiffer, 1856 are described from south-eastern South Africa, occurring over a linear distance of 550 km within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot. Seven species are narrow-range endemics, while Gulella kenbrowni sp. nov. occurs somewhat patchily over most of this distance. The very similar G. fordycei sp. nov. is recorded from only one small nature reserve in medium-altitude mistbelt forest. Six species, G. crookesi sp. nov., G. maraisi sp. nov., G. mkombeni sp. nov., G. abbotti sp. nov., G. donaikeni sp. nov. and G. calcicola sp. nov. each occur at one or a few isolated localities along a narrow strip of 140 km at or near the coast. The latter two are found only in the Marble Delta region, where mining has badly degraded and continues to threaten their habitat, and appear to meet the criteria for Red-Listing as Critically Endangered. Six species occur in nature reserves, highlighting the importance of small pockets of protected habitat for the conservation of terrestrial snails.
The genus Afrodonta s. lat. is shown to comprise several lineages with distinctive shell characters primarily associated with the microsculpture of the protoconch and teleoconch, and the manner in which the apertural barriers are deposited. These lineages comprise Afrodonta s. str. and five new genera: Amatholedonta gen. nov., Biomphalodonta gen. nov., Costulodonta gen. nov., Iterodonta gen. nov. and Phialodonta gen. nov. Twelve new species are described, doubling the diversity of aperturally dentate charopid snails known from southern Africa. All new species are narrow-range endemics. A new subspecies of one of the more widely distributed species of Afrodonta s. str. is also described. Keys to genera and species are provided. New species and subspecies: Afrodonta geminodonta sp. nov., Af. inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris subsp. nov., Af. mystica sp. nov., Af. pentodon sp. nov., Amatholedonta fordycei gen. et sp. nov., Biomphalodonta forticostata gen. et sp. nov., Costulodonta bidens gen. et sp. nov., C. pluridens gen. et sp. nov., Iterodonta ammonita gen. et sp. nov., Phialodonta agulhasae gen. et sp. nov., P. atromontana gen. et sp. nov., P. aviana gen. et sp. nov. and P. rivalalea gen. et sp. nov. New synonyms: Afrodonta bilamellaris londonensis Solem, 1970 = Afrodonta bilamellaris Melvill & Ponsonby, 1908. New combinations: Afrodonta acinaces Connolly, 1933, Afrodonta burnupi Connolly, 1933 and Afrodonta trilamellaris Melvill & Ponsonby, 1908 are transferred to Costulodonta gen. nov.; Afrodonta bimunita Connolly, 1939 is transferred to Amatholedonta gen. nov.; Afrodonta introtuberculata Connolly, 1933 and Afrodonta perfida Burnup, 1912 are transferred to Phialodonta gen. nov.
A new genus and eight new species of urocyclid snails are described from eastern South Africa. The supra-specific taxa Kerkophorus Godwin-Austen, 1912 and Microkerkus Godwin-Austen, 1912 are considered distinct from Sheldonia Ancey, 1887 and are treated as separate genera. The diagnostic morphological features of all three genera are detailed and a fourth genus, for which there is no existing name, is described as new: Selatodryas gen. nov. A provisional key to genus-level taxa within Sheldonia s.l. is provided. Eight species are described as new: Kerkophorus piperatus sp. nov., K. vittarubra sp. nov., K. scrobicolus sp. nov., K. terrestris sp. nov., Microkerkus sibaya sp. nov., Selatodryas roseosoma gen. et sp. nov., S. luteosoma gen. et sp. nov. and Sheldonia fingolandensis sp. nov.
One new genus and five new species of land snails are described from high altitude, insular, Afrotemperate forest habitats in northern South Africa. The distribution of these species is discussed in relation to other narrowly endemic land snails occurring in this and neighbouring regions. The new genus is Ptilototheca gen. nov.; the five new species are: Gulella davisae sp. nov., G. hadroglossa sp. nov., Ptilototheca soutpansbergensis gen. et sp. nov., Sheldonia monsmaripi sp. nov. and S. wolkbergensis sp. nov.