Cyclophoridae is the dominant family of operculated terrestrial snails in East Asia. The group consists of four subfamilies and approximately 300 species that are currently classified into 34 genera. The species occupy various habitatsand show a high morphological diversity. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of this group have not previously been discussed. In order to uncover the relationships within the family, we sequenced parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and of the 16S rRNA gene from 32 species of 10 genera of cyclophorid and established the phylogenetic tree using neighbor joining, Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses to construct phylogenetic trees. The results based on mtDNA sequences suggest that the genera Cyclophorus, Cyclotus, Leptopoma, and Cyathopoma are monophyletic while the traditional genus Japonia appeared polyphyletic and then J. zebra should be moved to the new genus Pilosphaera. In addition, Pilosphaera yentoensis n. sp. and Japonia boonkioensis n. sp. are described in this paper.

No abstract

Aegista subchinensis (Möllendorff, 1884) is a widely distributed land snail species with morphological variation and endemic to Taiwan. Three genetic markers (partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI], the 16S rDNA and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 [ITS2]) were analysed to infer phylogenetic relationships and genetic divergence of closely related species of the genus Aegista, Aegista vermis (Reeve, 1852) and Aegista oculus (Pfeiffer, 1850). A new species from Aegista subchinensis has been recognized on the basis of phylogenetic and morphological evidences. The nominal new species, Aegista diversifamilia sp. n. is distinguished from Aegista subchinensis (Möllendorff, 1884) by its larger shell size, aperture and apex angle; wider umbilicus and flatter shell shape. The northernmost distribution of Aegista diversifamilia sp. n. is limited by the Lanyang River, which is presumed to mark the geographic barrier between Aegista diversifamilia sp. n. and Aegista subchinensis.

No abstract