173 



NOTES OX THE GENUS EUFLECTA OF SEMPEE, WITH DESCRIP- 

 TIONS OF SUPPOSED NEW SPECIES FROM CEYLON. 



By Lieut, -Colonel H. H. GoDAvm-AusxEN, F.E.S., etc. 



Read 8ih Ja>iuary,]l897. 



PLATE XIV. 



Having had some small Ceylon Helices placed in my hands by 

 Mr. E. R. Sykes, attention has been called to the genus Mqjleefa 

 of Semper.' In 1880 Mr. W. T. BlanfoixP referred to Semper's work, 

 pointed out the confusion that inevitably arises fi'om describing two 

 species as the type of a genus, and adopted the one that stood first, 

 A-iz. ^. subopaca. There are several marked differences between this 

 and Semper's second species, SJ Layurdl. The jaw of the first has 

 a central projection, while in JE. Laynrdi there is none ; in the radula 

 the elongate form of the central teeth of the first species is veiy 

 different to the shorter, blunter form of the second ; the number of 

 teeth in each row is as 100 to 140-160 respectively, this being the 

 most striking difference, and pointing to a veiy dissimilar foim of 

 buccal mass, and one in which the radula is broad in comparison to its 

 length. The genitalia of these two species are, however, very much 

 alike : in both there is a short sessile spermatheca, perhaps a more 

 impoi'tant generic character and one less liable to change than the 

 odontophore, which depends so much on the nature of the food 

 consumed. Mr. W. T. Blanford was the first to examine this genus 

 from an anatomical point of view, when treating of the position of other 

 Indian species unknown at the time to Semper. Taking the form of 

 the animal (which is without shell lobes) and the radula, he placed 

 in Euplecta a number of Eastern Himalayan and Assam species, 

 where it is correct they should remain until examination of the internal 

 anatomy, especially the generative organs, should prove them some- 

 thing very different to that which Semper has shown E. suhopaca to be. 

 Taking the shell characters, the species now included in the genus 

 may be distinguished by the very well-marked filiform costulation, 

 which in some shells is most regular and strongly developed. Semper's 

 four described species are : — 



Euplecta suhopaca, Pfr. Ceylon. 



Layardi, Pfr. Ceylon. 



rotmidata, Semper. DigoUorin. 



hicariyiata, Semper. Luzon. 



' Reisen im Arcliipel der Philippiuen, iii (1870), p. 14. 



^ Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, vol. xlix, pt. 2 (ISbO), p. 191. 



