Hemiplecta buttikoferi Schepman, 1896
“Of the specimen from Mt. Liang Koeboeng, with broken shell, I have made the anatomical notes. This species is allied to H. densa, but the shell is much larger than the largest specimen recorded by V. Martens (Ostas. Landschn. p. 230) which is only 54 mill, in diameter; the aperture is proportionately larger, the shell thinner, the umbilicus much smaller, and the last whorl broader. The sculpture is rather similar in both species.” (Schepman, 1896)
Schepman (1896) original descriptions on Hemiplecta büttikoferi – “Shell dextral, depressedly conoid, with a narrow umbilicus, sharply angulated at the periphery, rather thin covered with a brownish yellow epidermis and provided with a black line below the suture and a narrow reddish brown zone, upon the keel of the last whorl; the sculpture consists of rather faint lines of growth; nuclear whorls nearly smooth, with only faint plicae near the suture, next whorls with spiral striae, the two last whorls moreover with oblique grooves, which give to the surface the appearance of being covered with oblique rugosities, which extend below the keel, but towards the umbilicus the spiral striae prevail, the other sculpture becoming obsolete. Spire conical, moderately elevated; whorls 5½, rather flat, with a superficial suture, last whorl large and with a rather sharp keel; base of the shell more inflated, somewhat compressed near the keel. Aperture large, not descending, slightly oblique rhomboid, peristome straight, obtuse; upper margin siuuous, lower margin regularly rounded, passing without angle in the columellar margin, which is only slightly reflected near the umbilicus.”
“Anatomy: The buccal mass is large, long 9, high 10 mill., rounded triangular, the radula-sac very slightly projecting; from the upper part proceeds a long oesophagus, which shows two enlargements, the first immediately behind the buccal mass and followed by a sudden constriction; from this latter the second reaches unto the place where the salivary glands are affixed; these latter are long (measuring about 18 mill.), the ducts are long and narrow (length about 30 mill.). The salivary glands are nearly grown together over their total length, the right half being produced into a point, the right duct is consequently the shortest. The jaw, measuring 5 1/3 mill, in latitude, is smooth, dark brownish yellow, arched, with rounded extremities; the free margin is provided with a blunt tooth. The radula, which was rather brittle, is about 12 mill, long, with a breadth of about 6 mill; on account of their brittleness the margins were generally damaged, and the number of the rows of teeth could not be stated with accuracy; the largest number of rows in length is about 145, in breadth 301; the central tooth of each row is conical, oblong, with one cusp; the next lateral ones are slightly larger and unsymmetrical but for the rest similar; about the 20th lateral tooth on each side grows more slander, and between the 24th and 21th a rudimentary second cusp makes its appearance at the outer side of the principal one, and, gradually descending at each successive row, it becomes nearly equal to the principal cusp, from between the 50th and 60th tooth up to the margin.” (Schepman, 1896)
“The generative organs consist of a hermaphrodite gland, imbedded in the liver; it has a long duct, measuring 40 mill, in its natural position, moreover it is strongly twisted, and, if extended, it would be still considerably longer; albumen gland moderate, 15 mill, in length, oviduct strongly developed and wrinkled; upper part of the vagina much swollen; below this part a short, oval spermatheca, apparently
without duct, is inserted; its top is affixed on the ovosperraiduct by a short, broad muscle; a cylindrical part of the vagina leads to the generative cloak, which has on one side a very long, cylindrical, wormlike amatorial organ, which shows a single coil, and has a muscle at its top; the length is about 85 mill. Opposite to it, the penis is situated, which is bent on itself; the part adjacent to the cloak is about 15 mill, in length, then it is divided ia a short flagellum of3 ½ mill., with a thin muscle which was united with the prostata; the bent part of the penis is nearly 5 mill.; on its top a long, slender retractor and the vas deferens, leading to the prostata, are inserted.” (Schepman, 1896)
Hemiplecta büttikoferi – “Diam. maj. 64, min. 53, alt. 33 mill.; apert. lat. 35, alt. 27 mill.” (Schepman, 1896)
Type locality – “Nanga Raoen” leg. Büttikofer/May 1894 and “Liang Koeboeng” leg. Büttikofer (Schepman, 1896)
Sarawak, MALAYSIA