More than just a dot: the enigmatic ‘large’ Punctidae of Lord Howe Island (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora)

A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the 'large' Punctidae snails on Lord Howe Island reveals that three nominal genera—Dignamoconcha, Pernastela, and Charopella—belong to a single radiation. The study, using morpho-anatomy and phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear (ITS2, ELAVI8) DNA, synonymizes Pernastela and Charopella with Dignamoconcha, reducing the group to three accepted species: D. dulcissima, D. charon, and D. wilkinsoni. Additionally, it clarifies that Scelidoropa is not part of Cystopeltidae but is sister to (Charopidae + Punctidae), while other Charopidae species are reclassified as cystopeltids. Radular morphology aids in identifying higher-level groups like Punctidae and Scelidoropa but cannot distinguish between Cystopeltidae and Charopidae.

Hyman, I. T., & Köhler, F. (2025). More than just a dot: the enigmatic ‘large’ Punctidae of Lord Howe Island (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 205(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf166