Reassessment of Asian Mesoneritina spp. (Gastropoda, Neritidae), with the description of a new genus and species from middle Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar

Abstract

The genus Mesoneritina was first described to contain a single fossil neritid from the Lower Cretaceous of Nebraska, USA. Further Jurassic and Cretaceous neritids from the USA, Greenland, Europe and China were later classified in this genus. However, while the North American species all share similar morphologies, the Chinese forms seem to be a distinct group. In this study, we review the Chinese species presently classified in Mesoneritina and erect a new genus to contain them, Panneritina gen. nov. (with the exception of one species, now classified as Bellamya liaoningensis comb. nov.). We also describe a new species, Panneritina ambrae sp. nov., from the middle Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. The new genus contains the following species: P. ambrae sp. nov., P. crassa, P. dakangensis, P. gansuensis, P. nanshanensis, P. opima, and P. pustula.