Horatia podvisensis, Glöer & Reuselaars, 2020

Glöer, Peter & Reuselaars, Robert, 2020, A New Horatia spp. from the Balkans (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae Stimpson, 1865), Ecologica Montenegrina 32, pp. 32-35 : 34-35

Horatia podvisensis n. sp.

Material examined: Holotype ( RMNH.MOL.347636), 20 paratypes from type locality and 12 paratypes from additional sampling site.

Holotype: 1.95 mm high, xx mm broad from type locality.

Paratypes: 2 ( RMNH.MOL. 347637), 3 ex. in coll. Peter Glöer, 15 ex. in coll. Robert Reuselaars (no. 952) from type locality, 12 ex. in coll. Robert Reuselaars (no. 967) from additional sampling site .

Locus typicus: Spring approximately 0.3 km along road E65 before the turn to Podvis, North Macedonia, 41° 28' 42.31047'' N 20° 52' 51.89824'' E, 03.07.2014, Robert Reuselaars leg.

Additional sampling site: Spring northeast of Debar (Sv Jovan), North Macedonia, 41°31'56.53542'' N 20°32'31.13449'' E, 01.07.2014, Robert Reuselaars leg.

Habitat: Type locality: natural spring (appr. 2 m 2), the specimen were collected from small stones from the bottom of the basin; secondary sampling site: artificial basin (apr. 0.5 m 2) were the specimen were collected from the concrete sides of the basin.

Etymology: Named after the nearby town Podvis.

Description: The shell is conical to globular with 3-3.5 slightly convex whorls with a deep suture. The body whorl is prominent, the spire is short with slightly shouldered, convex whorls. The aperture is nearly circular. The peristome is sharp straight and somewhat thickened at the columella. The umbilicus is open and slightly covered by the last whorl. The ratio of shell height to shell width is 0.8-1.0. The shell is 0.85-1.55 mm high and 1.05-1.6 mm broad.

Differentiating characters: In Horatia klecakiana and H. novoselensis the umbilicus is much wider than in H. podvisensis n. sp. In Horatia macedonica the tangentline of the spire is straight and the whorls are not convex. The aperture of Horatia macedonica is angled at the top and not rounded as it is in H. podvisensis n. sp. In addition the umbilicus in H.podvisensis n. sp. is covered by the last whorl that in adult shells the umbilicus is only very narrow visible ( fig. 5 ). Moreover, Horatia macedonica is larger (H= 1.4-1.6 mm, D= 1.6-1.8 mm) than H. podvisensis (H= 0.9-1.6 mm and D=1.0- 1.6 mm).

Distribution: Western part of North Macedonia; only known from this region.

Conservation: We do not consider Horatia podvisensis n. sp. as an endangered species because it lives in two localities and there is lesser chance of human disturbance, especially in the type locality. Because of the separated localities of which one is quit remote, we assume it can be found in other (remote) springs in the area.

Figures

Figures 4-6. Shells of Horatia podvisensis n. sp. 4: Holotype, 5: Paratype from type locality, 6: Paratype from the spring northeast of Debar.