Paropeas achatinaceum (Pfeiffer, 1846)
Bulimus decorticatus – “A shell of rather solid growth, longitudinally sculptured throughout with rude plicate striae.” (Reeve, 1849a)
Achatina javanica - “Characterized in some measure by a delicate waxen appearance.” (Reeve, 1849b)
For many years it has been uncertain what Opeas javanicum (Reeve, 1849) is like. The original diagnosis and accompanying figure (Conch. Icon. 4, no. 79) are not very satisfactory. Of the modern authors Pilbry (Man. Of Conch. (2) 18, 1906, p. 138) redescribed the species. Although he does not seem to have examined the type lot – at least he does not explicitly say so – his suggestion that O. javanicum has the sculpture of the members of the Prosopeas achatinaceum group, is certainly right. Of his javanicum figure, pl. 12, fig. 14 and 16 as well as pl. 16, fig. 88 represent Pr. achatinaceum. The other figures attributed by him to O. javanicum (Pl. 16, fig. 81 and pl. 22, fig. 9) resemble more Opeas clavulinum (Pot. & Mich.). Seeral years later Rensch brought O. javanicum into the relationship of O. gracile (1932, Zool. Jahrb. (syst.) 63, p. 108). From his discussion, however, it is evident that he meant O. clavulinum (Pot. & Mich.). This conclusion is confirmed by the samples from Bali and Celebes, identified by Rensch as O. javanicum which were kindly sent to me on loan by the authorities of the British Museum. Both samples were O. clavulinum. By the kind permission of Mr. W. J. Rees I could also examine the holotype and one paratype of Achatina javanica Reeve from Java. There is no doubt that they belong to Prosopeas achatinaceum (Pfr.). The measurements of these two shells are: height 10.95 mm (type), 10.75 mm (paratype), width 3.85 mm (type), 3.65 mm (paratype), and height of aperture 3.75 (type), 3.50 mm (paratype). As Prosopeas achatinaceum has three years priority over Achatina javanica, the species ought to bear the first name. Five other specimens from Hilo (Hawaiian Is.) identified as Opeas javanicum (Reee) and now preserved in the Brussels Museum, are equally Prosopeas achatinaceum. Hilo is the type locality of Opeas henshawi Sykes, 1904, a synonym of Opeas javanica = Prosopeas achatinaecum.” (Benthem-Jutting, 1952)
Pfeiffer (1846) original descriptions on Bulimus achatinaceus – “T. imperforata, elongato-turrita, solida, confertim ruditer striata, opaca, cerea; spira elongata, acutiuscula; anfr. 8 convexiusculi, ultimus 1/3 longitudinis subaequans; columella stricta, basin fere attingens; apertura oblongo-ovalis; perist. simplex, acutum, margine columellari brevissime reflexiusculo, adnato.”
Benson (1842) original descriptions on Achatina erecta – “Testâ albidâ solidiusculâ subulato-turritâ, epidermide foeda, scabra; anfractibus octo, planulatis, suturis impressis; apice obtuso.”
Reeve (1849a) descriptions on Bulimus decorticatus – “Shell subulate, rather solid, scarcely umbilicated, whorls eight in number, concentrically rather rudely plicately striated, columella thin, reflected, aperture rather small, oblongovate, lip thin; dull greenish horn.”
Reeve (1849b) descriptions on Achatina javanica – “Shell oblong-turreted, whorls eight in number, rounded, obscurely very finely rudely striated, columella thin, attenuately truncated, aperture small; pale straw-colour.”
Pilsbry (1906) translations of Pfeiffer’s Prosopeas achatinaceum – “Shell imperforate, long-turrited, solid, closely, rudely striate, opaque, waxen. Spire elongate, rather acute. Whorls 8, a little convex, the last about one-third the length. Columella straightened, nearly reaching the base. Aperture oblong-oval; peristome simple, acute, the columellar margin very narrowly reflexed, adnate.”
Haas (1912) original descriptions on Prosopeas hasta – “Shell imperforate, cylindric-turreted, densely and minutely striated, whitish corneous; spire very high and slender, apex obtuse, suture rather deep, impressed; whorls 10 ½, the upper ones somewhat convex, the others more flattened; aperture nearly vertically, narrowly piriform, acute above; peristome thin, columellar margin thickened, reflexed.”
Ghosh (1929) original descriptions on Opeas dimorpha – “The species is represented, like some other known species of Opeas, by an elongated .and a dwarfed form . Elongated form - Shell turretted, pale, thin and semitranslucent. Spire somewhat gradually tapering. Whorls 8½ or so, slightly convex, with closely arranged, more or less straight vertical ridges on the surface, whorls gradually increasing in size, the last one being proportionately wider than the others. Sutures not very impressed. Apex blunt. Aperture elongately oval. Outer border convex and slightly arched forward to a narrow, deep convexity; columellar margin convex in the middle and nearly straight in front and behind. Dwarfed form - Shell elongately conical, pale, thin and semi-translucent. Spire somewhat gradually tapering. Whorls 7½ or so, somewhat convex, with the markings on the surface similar to those in the elongated form; whorls gradually increasing in size, but the second one is out of proportion to the others. Sutures impressed: Apex blunt. Aperture elongately oval; outer border convex and somewhat arched forward to a convexity; columellar margin convex, being faintly concave (or straight) in front, sharply convex in the middle and again faintly concave (or nearly straight) behind.”
Benthem-Jutting (1952) descriptions on Prosopeas achatinaceum – “Shell high-turreted, with numerous whorls, rather solid. Yellowish or greenish, or brownish, with soft silky or waxen lustre; hardly or not transparent. Vertical striation distinct, in fresh specimens as close, thread-like ribs. The top whorls are not sculptured differently, as in Pr. acutissimum. Spiral striae very weak. Whorls 8 to 9, the young ones slowly increasing in size and with well-curved profile, the later ones more rapidly increasing in size and with flatter sides. Last whorl about 1/3 of the entire shell-length. Suture distinct, not margined. In fresh shells the entire surface is coated with a straw-coloured, fibrous epidermis, rendering the surface a “velvety” appearance. In this epidermis dust and mud are easily accumulating, hiding the shell from the eye. Top pointed, but not sharp. Base rounded. Umbilicus hair-like in immature shells, but closed in adult ones. Aperture somewhat oblique. Irregularly oval, pointed above, rounded below. Peristome not continuous, the free margin sharp, not thickened or reflected. Columellar margin slightly reflexed and adnate.”
“There is no jaw. The teeth of the radula are arranged in a transverse line in the middle, but the line is slightly curved at the margins. The median tooth has a single, elongately ovate, or club-shaped cusp. The lateral teeth are rather elongated. The median cusp is elongately oval and the lateral cusps small and triangular, all being bluntly pointed. The lateral teeth are 10-11 on each side. The marginal teeth have the basal portion long and wide with the median cusp very small, narrow and elongated and the lateral cusps minute. The marginals are 11-10 on each side. Five eggs were found in the female portion of the common duct in the elongated form, and 2-3 in the other type. A small pigment spot was found in the eyes.” (Ghosh, 1929)
Bulimus achatinaceus – “Long. 13, diam. 4½ mill.” (Pfeiffer, 1846); Prosopeas hasta – “Long. 16, diam. 4.5 mm.” (Haas, 1912); Prosopeas achatinaceum – “Length 13, diam. 4.5, aperture 4.5x2.66 mm.” (Pilsbry, 1906 after Pfeiffer); Prosopeas decorticatus – “Length 10.3 mm” (Pilsbry, 1906); Opeas dimorpha (elongated form) – “Greatest length 18·6 mm. Greatest diameter 5 mm. Greatest length of the aperture 6 mm, Greatest breadth of the aperture 2.5 mm.” (Ghosh, 1929); Prosopeas achatinaceum - “Das Exemplar von Buitenzorg ist sehr groβ: Höhe 16.3 mm. Die Serie vom Ranu Bedali hat dagegen viel geringere Maβe: Höhe bis 12.6 mm.” (Rensch, 1934); Prosopeas achatinaceum – “Dimensions: height 12 to 14 mm, width 4 mm, height of aperture 4 mm.” (Benthem-Jutting, 1952)
Type locality – Bulimus achatinaceus “Java” van dem Busch (Pfeiffer, 1846); Achatina erecta “Chusan, China” (Benson, 1842); Prosopeas decorticatus “Macao, China” (Pilsbry, 1906); Prosopeas hasta “Swela, Lombok” (Haas, 1912); Opeas dimorpha “Batu Caves (Dark Cave)” (Ghosh, 1929)
Other localities – “Le Sultanat de Sambas (Bornéo)” (Dautzenberg, 1903); Prosopeas hasta “Sadjang, Lombok” (Haas, 1912); “Mittel-Sumatra: See von Singkarak” (Rensch, 1934); W.-Java: Buitenzorg & Kalkquellen von Kuripan” (Rensch, 1934); “O.-Java: Wasserfall am Ranu Bedali” (Rensch, 1934)
Distributions – “Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Timor, Selayer, Carolinen” (Rensch, 1934); “Sumatra, Pulu Weh, Borneo, Java, Sebesi, Bawean, Nusa Kambangan, Bali, Lombok, Timor, Saleyer, Caroline Is., Hawaiian Is.” (Benthem-Jutting, 1952)
“Moss fauna, under wood and other vegetable debris, in the plains and in mountainous country. Recorded between sea-level and 1800 m altitude.” (Benthem-Jutting, 1952)