332 GRANOPUPA. 



Genus GRANOPUPA Boettger. 



Granopupa BTTG., Jahrb. Nassauischen Vereins fur Natur- 

 kunde, Jahrg. 42, 1889, p. 249, monotypic, for Pupa granum 

 Drap. 



Rupestrella MONTEROSATO, II Naturalista Siciliano, xiii, 

 June, 1894, p. 170. Pupa rupestris Ph. type by virtual tau- 

 tonymy. 



The shell is small, cylindric, conic or turrite, dull brownish 

 or pale brown, thin, striate or ribbed, of 4^ to 6 whorls. 

 Aperture having to 8 teeth, those present arranged as in 

 Abida, but n-ot entering deeply ; angular lamella short or 

 wanting. Lip slightly or not expanded, thin. Columellar 

 axis very slender. 



Radula (of G. rhodia) having bicuspid lateral teeth with 

 rather wide, squarish basal-plates, long mesocone and distinct 

 ectocone. 



Type G. granum. Distribution, borders of the Mediterra- 

 nean and east to Persia ; Canary Is. 



The radula of G. granum, type of the genus, is still un- 

 known; but that of G. rhodia has been examined by Prof. 

 Gwatkin and by myself, and proves to be of the type usual in 

 Pupillidce. This removes it from Chondrina. The concholog- 

 ical characters differ markedly from Abida, and make it ex- 

 pedient to treat the group as of generic rank. 



Prof. Boettger proposed Granopupa for the species granum 

 alone, and in associating the Rupestrellas with it I am assum- 

 ing that the radulae will be found similar. So far as the shells 

 are concerned, the genus as here constituted appears natural 

 enough. The species of Rupestrella have been associated 

 hitherto with the Chondrinas by all authors who have treated 

 of their affinities, but the dentition is not of the peculiar 

 Chondrina type. 



Granopupa is more primitive than Abida and Chondrina; 

 quite possibly both of these genera arose from Granopupid 

 ancestors. The connection existing between European genera 

 and the South African Fauxulus was probably through a com- 

 mon ancestral stock resembling the relatively unspecialized 

 Granopupa?, since the details of tooth specialization differ in 



