Virpazaria (Virpazaria) stojaspali Reischütz et al., 2009

Fehér, Zoltán, Deli, Tamás, Erőss, Zoltán P. & Lika, Romilda, 2019, Taxonomic revision of the subterranean genus Virpazaria Gittenberger, 1969 (Gastropoda, Spelaeodiscidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 558, pp. 1-25 : 18-19

Virpazaria (Virpazaria) stojaspali Reischütz et al., 2009

Fig. 3 F–L

Virpazaria stojaspali A. Reischütz, P.L. Reischütz & Subai in A. Reischütz & P.L. Reischütz 2009: 58, figs 6–7.

Virpazaria stojaspali – Subai 2009: 109 , fig. 10. – Welter-Schultes 2012: 212 (in part).

Diagnosis

Disc-shaped shell, entirely flat on topside. Protoconch relatively large and somewhat prominent. Body whorl silhouette shouldered, umbilicus wide. Aperture very narrow crescent-shaped, entirely covered by a parietal flap in frontal view. Peristome thickened, without knobs.

Material examined

Holotype

MONTENEGRO • Rumija Mts , rocks above Bes ; Jul. 2008; A. Reischütz, N. Reischütz and P.L. Reischütz leg.; NHMW 106690 .

Paratypes

MONTENEGRO • 1 spec.; Mt. Kroništar , S slope , approx. 10 km E of Ðuravci, in direction to Ostros , S of Lake Skadar ; 350 m alt.; 21 Sep. 2005; P. Subai leg.; SMF 333502 • 29 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; NMBE 539839 • 1 spec.; same locality as for preceding; 16 Sep. 2006; P. Subai leg.; HNHM 96784 • 26 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; NMBE 539838 • 4 spec.; near preceding locality, on W slope ; 26 Sep. 2006; P. Subai and M. Szekeres leg.; NMBE 539840 .

Other material

MONTENEGRO • Donji Murići , above village , at junction of a minor road to Besa ; 42.1539° N, 19.2155° E; 200 m alt.; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103443 • Besa , Krone i Besit, 2 km S of Donji Murići junction on Virpazar–Ostros road ; 42.1424° N, 19.2197° E; 320 m alt.; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103216 • same locality as for preceding; 19 Oct. 2017; T. Deli, Z. Erőss, A. Hunyadi and B. Páll-Gergely leg.; DT • same collection data as for preceding; ER • SE of Virpazar , 7.3 km S (SE) of Ðuravci, 1.6 km NNW of Tejani; 42.1134° N, 19.2231° E; 455 m alt.; 19 Oct. 2017; T. Deli, Z. Erőss, A. Hunyadi and B. Páll-Gergely leg.; DT • same collection data as for preceding; ER • Rumija Mts , 2 km S of Arbnež, on Ostros–Ulcinj road , SW of Štegvaš Pass ; 42.0636° N, 19.3710° E; 480 m alt.; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103447 • Rumija Mts , 4 km S of Arbnež, on Ostros–Ulcinj road , 2 km S of Štegvaš Pass; 42.0582° N, 19.3535° E; 350 m alt.; 28 May 2015; T. Deli, Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103441 • same collection data as for preceding; NHMW 110430/MN/0997 • same locality as for preceding; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103449 .

Dimensions

H 1.7–2.0 mm; W 2.8–3.3 mm.

Distribution

This species lives in the Rumija Mts west of Lake Skadar. Type material came from two locations ( Reischütz & Reischütz 2009; Subai 2009), but none of them were georeferenced. Our findings extend the known species range and reveal its co-occurrence with three congeneric species, namely V. aspectulabeatidis , V. gittenbergeri sp. nov. and V. pesici sp. nov. The georeferenced occurrences are from Upper–Middle Triassic and from Upper–Middle Jurassic limestone.

Remarks

Referring to alleged morphological similarity, Welter-Schultes (2012) claimed that this species might be a junior synonym of V. adrianae Gittenberger, 1969 . In our opinion, the shapes of the shells of these two species are totally different; V. stojaspali is the only known species of Virpazaria with an entirely flat topside. Furthermore, the apertures are also very different, with three knobs in V. adrianae and without any knobs in V. stojaspali .

Figures

Fig. 3. Shells of species of Virpazaria Gittenberger, 1969. A–E. Virpazaria (Virpazaria) deelemanorum dhorai Reischütz et al., 2010. A–D. Holotype (NHMW 107224). E. Drisht (HNHM 103421). F–L. Virpazaria (Virpazaria) stojaspali Reischütz et al., 2009. F–J. Štegvaš Pass (HNHM 103441). K–L. Holotype (NHMW 106690). Scale bar = 1 mm.