Molecular evidence for a polyphyletic genus Japonia (Architaenioglossa: Cyclophoridae) and with the description of a new genus and two new species

Cyclophoridae is the dominant family of operculated terrestrial snails in East Asia. The group consists of four subfamilies and approximately 300 species that are currently classified into 34 genera. The species occupy various habitatsand show a high morphological diversity. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of this group have not previously been discussed. In order to uncover the relationships within the family, we sequenced parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and of the 16S rRNA gene from 32 species of 10 genera of cyclophorid and established the phylogenetic tree using neighbor joining, Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses to construct phylogenetic trees. The results based on mtDNA sequences suggest that the genera Cyclophorus, Cyclotus, Leptopoma, and Cyathopoma are monophyletic while the traditional genus Japonia appeared polyphyletic and then J. zebra should be moved to the new genus Pilosphaera. In addition, Pilosphaera yentoensis n. sp. and Japonia boonkioensis n. sp. are described in this paper.