An Electrophoretic and Morphological Examination of Bothriembyron kendricki (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae), a New Species previously Considered Conspecific with B. bulla (Menke)

Abstract

Bothriembryon bulla (Menke) has previously been thought to include pale and melanic morphs. Studies of morphology and allozymes reveal that the two forms are reproductively isolated. The melanic is herein referred to as B. kendricki, sp. nov. Both species show large amounts of variation among populations for both shell morphology and allozymes, emphasizing the need for comprehensive geographic sampling in studies of the genus Bothriembryon.