Brazilian species of Gadila (Mollusca: Scaphopoda: Gadilidae): rediscovery of Gadila elongata comb. nov. and shell morphometrics

ABSTRACT

Gadila elongata comb. nov. was described in 1920 from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Until recently, it was only known from the type locality. Herein we present the first record of G. elongata from Brazil (Northeast coast, Ceará state, collected at 177 m) and a morphometrics analysis of the Brazilian species of Gadila. A multivariate Discriminant Function Analysis, based on nine shell morphometric variables (length, maximum diameter, length to maximum diameter ratio, distance of point of maximum diameter from anterior aperture, maximum curvature, anterior aperture height to anterior aperture width ratio, apical aperture height, apical aperture width and apical aperture height to apical aperture width ratio) enabled the distinction between all species studied. Comparisons of shell morphometrics show that length and length to maximum diameter ratio are the most important variables in the differentiation of Gadila species.