Background: In this study, we clarify the classification of museum specimens of the family Viviparidae, which is composed of six species/subspecies in Japan, including three endangered species. We examined Viviparus sclateri specimens from the Tomotaro Iwakawa collection (1855-1933) in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. The Iwakawa's collection was catalogued in 1919 and Viviparus sclateri, labelled with Naga-tanishi, the current Japanese name for H. longispira, which was, at the time, equivalent to Viviparus sclateri, was listed in this catalogue. The catalogue noted localities of Viviparus sclateri (Naga-tanishi) from outside Lake Biwa, including occurrences in Lake Kasumigaura and Lake Suwa. However, Heterogen longispira (Naga-tanishi) is currently considered to be endemic to Lake Biwa drainage. The actual status of Viviparus sclateri in Iwakawa (1919) has not been clarified until now.
New information: Our examination revealed that Viviparus sclateri from Iwakawa's catalogue included H. japonica, H. longispira and Sinotaia quadrata histrica, based on current taxonomy. Specimens assigned to H. longispira occurred only in Lake Biwa drainage. Heterogen japonica was confirmed to be present in all lots and some H. japonica from Lake Suwa had a distinctive morphology. Sinotaia quadrata histrica was only confirmed to occur in Lake Suwa. Furthermore, some specimens from southern Lake Biwa and the Seta River had intermediate characteristics between H. japonica and H. longispira and their populations are currently almost extinct.
Keywords: Ancient lake; endangered species; extinct population; freshwater molluscs; taxonomic history.
Takumi Saito, Osamu Kagawa.