Siciliaria leucophryna (L. Pfeiffer, 1862)

De Mattia, Willy, Reier, Susanne & Haring, Elisabeth, 2021, Morphological investigation of genital organs and first insights into the phylogeny of the genus Siciliaria Vest, 1867 as a basis for a taxonomic revision (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Clausiliidae), ZooKeys 1077, pp. 1-175 : 1

Siciliaria leucophryna (L. Pfeiffer, 1862)

Figs 1.F, 11.1-11.5, 12.1-12.6, 13.12-13.14

Clausilia leucophryna Pfeiffer 1862: 204.

Siciliaria leucophryne [sic!] - Boettger 1877: 34.

Clausilia leucophryne var. laudabilis [sic!] Boettger 1879: 34.

Clausilia lencophryna [sic!] - Benoit 1881: 108.

Clausilia confinata merens Westerlund 1892: 47.

Clausilia leucophryne laudabilis [sic!] - Westerlund 1892: 48.

Charpentieria leucophryna - Beckmann 2004: 188.

Siciliaria leucophryna - Welter-Schultes 2012: 341.

Siciliaria leucophryna - Liberto et al. 2012: 560.

Siciliaria leucophryna - Nordsieck 2013b: 7.

Siciliaria leucophryna - Liberto et al. 2015: 489.

Charpentieria leucophryna - De Mattia 2017c.

Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis Sparacio et al. 2021: 598.

Remarks.

Siciliaria leucophryna in the mt tree forms a separate subclade within the big S. calcarae clade (mean p distance 11.3%). As depicted in the combined tree (Fig. 6 ), the close relationship of this species with S. calcarae appears clear. Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis Sparacio, Surdo, Viviano, Liberto & Reitano, 2021 was recently introduced from the island of Isola delle Femmine (Palermo). In the comparative notes provided by Sparacio et al. (2021: 599), the character states reveal to fall into the variability we detected for the topotypical specimens from Grotta Conza (Palermo), both regarding shell and genital morphology. In the type locality, small specimens (Hs = 14.7 mm) and light brown colour of the shell are also known. The same applies for the connection between the AUPP and PUPP where specimens from the type locality also show a “wide” spacing. Following the pictures provided by Sparacio et al. (2021: figs 43, 44), the PP of S. leucophryna microinsularis does not appear longer if compared to the PP of the specimens from the type locality (Figs 11 .2, 11.3, 11.5). The variability of the sculpturing of the internal walls of the vagina refrains us to consider it a reliable taxonomic character for the whole genus Siciliaria . The status of S. leucophryna microinsularis should be further investigated morphologically as well as genetically. Anyhow, Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis Sparacio, Surdo, Viviano, Liberto & Reitano, 2021 is here deemed as a local form, thus a junior synonym of Siciliaria l. leucophryna .

The population from Via Plauto, concerning the shell, matches with the "Sferracavallo form" described by Nordsieck (2013b: 7), showing a lower inferior lamella and the palatal edge of the clausilium plate more strongly bent upwards.

Specimens examined.

Italy, Sicily, Palermo, Grotta Conza , 150 m asl, 38°11'13.61"N, 13°16'44.68"E, [Lab ID 55_1, COI: MW758902 , ITS2: MW757124 ; Lab ID 55_2, COI: MW758903 ], W. De Mattia and J. Macor leg., 15.iv.2017. 15 live spm, 3 dissected spm . Italy, Sicily, Palermo, Sferracavallo, via Plauto , 50 m asl, 38°12'1.32"N, 13°16'3.05"E, [Lab ID 43_1, COI: MW758888 ], W. De Mattia and J. Macor leg., 15.iv.2017. 7 live spm, 2 dissected spm .

Shell

(Figs 12 .1-12.6, 13.12-13.14). Shell decollate; whorls ribbed; dorsal keel mostly indistinct or missing; inferior lamella moderately high; anterior upper palatal plica present, widely separated from or connected with upper palatal plica; palatal edge of clausilium plate distally slightly or not receding, palatal edge distally bent upwards (as in Nordsieck 2013b) or not.

Measurements

(n = 35, decollate): shell height 18.2 ± 2.1, whorl width 4.3 ± 0.2, aperture height 4.5 ± 0.2, aperture width 3.4 ± 0.2.

External morphology of the genital organs (Figs 11 .1, 11.4).

The FO is longer than the V (FO/V range 2.1-2.4). The VD is thin along its whole course. The FDBC of the BC+SDBC is longer than the BC+SDBC (D/BC+SDBC = 2.1). The BC+SDBC is club-like to cylindrical and longer than the V (BC+SDBC/V range 1.4-1.6), with no clear distinction between the SDBC and the BC. The apex is wide and rounded. The D is longer than the V (D/V range 2.7-2.8) and longer that the BC+SDBC (D/BC+SDBC range 1.9-2.4), thinner than the BC+SDBC and with a pointed apex. The V is short and cylindrical. The A is very large. The PC is much longer than the V (P+E/V range 2.4-3.9). The PR is long and thin. There is a clear distinction between P and E as there is a visible ER and a proximal narrowing. The E is thinner but longer than the P (E/P range 1.4-1.8), almost gradually shrinking and turning into the VD.

Internal morphology of the genital organs (Figs 11 .11.2-11.2, 11.4).

The A shows a set of irregular fleshy folds. The P presents two big smooth longitudinal pleats that occupy almost the whole internal penial space. The fine structure of the wall is smooth. The PP is very elongated and smooth with a pointed tip. The P-E transition presents two slightly different structures. The population from the L.T. (Grotta Conza) presents a first distal ER, the PP and ELP originate from the second proximal ER. The epiphallar formula is: 1ER+2ER(PP+ELP). The V presents irregular, transverse to slightly longitudinal pleats. The population from Sferracavallo presents one ER with the PP originating from it. The ELP are not connected with the ER. The epiphallar formula is: 1ER(PP)+ELP. Distally, the E shows two main ELP that, at its mid length abruptly become finely fringed. The V presents a set of transverse-oblique smooth pleats that merge together one into another forming a kind of chevron or irregular pattern.

Ecology.

Siciliaria leucophryna colonises limestone cliffs hiding in cracks or under stones. It is very common on isolated boulders and tree trunks and barks in the xerophilic scrub around Grotta Conza. The species is quite abundant where found. According to De Mattia (2017c) the species is Endangered following the IUCN criteria B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v). The map provided by De Mattia (2017) partially misses a portion of the actual distribution area, as the western part was left out from the perimeter (Pizzo Mollica and Isola delle Femmine).

Distribution.

Siciliaria leucophryna is known to occur from a small area from Isola delle Femmine to Sferracavallo, including the northernmost sides of Pizzo Mollica and Pizzo Manolfo (where Grotta Conza is located) [( Sparacio et al. (2021)]. Nordsieck (2013b) reports also Monte Gallo, despite recent field collecting failed to find it there. Further field research throughout the whole Pizzo Manolfo-Pizzo Castellaccio-Cozzo San Rocco massif is required to precisely define the distribution of this species.

Figures

Figure 1. Wagner's (1913, 1925) and Brandt's (1961) Siciliaria genital drawings A Siciliaria septemplicata, Wagner, 1913: plate 572, fig. 14 B Siciliaria grohmanniana grohmanniana, Wagner, 1925: plate 1, fig. 8 C Siciliaria calcarae calcarae, 1925: plate 3, fig. 25 D Siciliaria ferrox, Brandt, 1961: fig. 1 E overall Siciliaria / Sicania and Sicilian Mauritanica distribution F Siciliaria / Sicania and Sicilian Mauritanica distribution of taxa.

Figure 6. BI tree of based on the concatenated COI and ITS 2 data set of Siciliaria, Sicania and related genera. Colours of Siciliaria and Sicania clades correspond to those in the distribution maps (Fig. 1 E, F). BI posterior probability values (> 0.90) of major nodes are indicated.

Figure 11. Siciliaria leucophryna (L. Pfeiffer, 1862), Grotta Conza, Palermo 11.1 whole distal genital organs 11.2 internal distal part of genital organs 11.3 pseudopapilla detail. Sferracavallo, via Plauto 11.4 whole distal genital organs 11.5 internal distal part of genital organs.

Figure 12. Siciliaria leucophryna (L. Pfeiffer, 1862), Grotta Conza, Palermo 12.1 shell 12.2 detail of the aperture 12.3 clausiliar plate double side. Sferracavallo, via Plauto 12.4 shell 12.5 detail of the aperture 12.6 detail of the columellar side of last whorl.