Zoological Illustrations/VolIII-Pl152
ACHATINA melastoma,
Black-mouthed Achatina.
Generic Character.—See Pl. 30.
Specific Character.
- A. testâ strigis longitudinalibus, nebulosis, purpureis ornatâ; spirâ elongatâ; labio exteriore castaneo-nigro; columellâ crassâ, gibbâ; basi integrâ.
- Shell with clouded purple longitudinal stripes; spire lengthened; inner lip chesnut-black; columella thickened, gibbous; base entire.
- Helix regina. Ferussac Moll. liv. 19. pl. 119.
- Var. (reversed.) A. perversa. Zool. Illust. vol. 1. pl. 30.
I have not the least doubt that this shell is specifically the same with that figured at Plate 30 of this work: it has only recently come under my inspection, and I therefore hasten to give a further illustration of this beautiful species, and to substitute a new specific character, which will be applicable to both varieties.
Although much more ventricose than the reverse variety, this has the same unusual formation of that part of the columella seen at the base of the mouth, where it is very thick, and appears as if swelled: the epidermis, in this specimen, obscures the white ground colour of the shell. I have seen also another variety, even more slender than that at Plate 30, and with the aperture not reversed. These new facts point out the necessity of the specific name of perversa being changed to one more applicable.
The figure is from a specimen lent to me by Mr. Dubois, and is probably from Brazil.