Pinctada phuketensis sp. nov. (Bivalvia, Ostreida, Margaritidae), a new pearl oyster species from Phuket, western coast of Thailand

By

Grat︠s︡īanov, V. I.
Sangsawang, Akkarasiri
Mcmillan, Nichanun
Winitchai, Supanida
Inthoncharoen, Jitti
Liu, Shikai
Muangmai, Narongrit

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1119

Pages

181--195

Subjects

Indian Ocean , mollusk , new species , Phylogeny , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1119.87724

 

Abstract

A new species of the genus Pinctada is described from samples collected from the east coast of Phuket Island, Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Pinctada phuketensissp. nov. is distinguished from other species on both molecular and morphological data. Morphologically, the valves of P. phuketensis are characterized by a slightly developed to undeveloped posterior auricle, a small, narrow slit-like byssal notch, the absence of hinge teeth, and a pale to transparent non-nacreous border, with a few dark brown or red blotches. This new species resembles P. fucata but differs by its smaller size and the absence of hinge teeth. Phylogenetic analyses based on both mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (18S rDNA, ITS1 and ITS2) genes and species delimitation using COI data strongly support that P. phuketensis is a distinct species, which is closely related to Pinctada albina and Pinctada nigra.