Virpazaria (Virpazaria) pesici Fehér & Deli, 2019

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 : 16-18

Virpazaria (Virpazaria) pesici Fehér & Deli sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:248898E8-C732-44A5-A599-620ACC478962

Fig. 4 F–J

Differential diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from all congeners by its large size; additionally, from V. deelemanorum , which also has two knobs on the peristome, by the smaller knobs and more reduced parietal flap; from

Spelaeodiscus unidentatus Bole, 1961 and S. albanicus (A.J. Wagner, 1914) , which have small knobs on their peristome, by the crescent-shaped aperture and the presence of a parietal flap.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to and named after Vladimir Pešić (Podgorica, Montenegro) a prominent acarologist and hydrobiologist who significantly contributed to our knowledge of the mollusc fauna of Montenegro. The name is used as the genitive of a noun of male gender.

Material examined

Holotype

MONTENEGRO • Rumija Mts. , 2 km S of Štegvaš Pass on Ostros–Ulcinj road, 4 km S of Arbnež; 42.0582° N, 19.3535° E; 350 m alt.; 28 May 2015; T. Deli, Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103403 .

Paratypes

MONTENEGRO • 30 ad., 20 fr.; same collection data as for holotype; HNHM 103405 • 23 ad., 18 fr.; same collection data as for holotype; NHMW 111668 • 32 ad., 32 fr.; same collection data as for holotype; DT • 3 fr.; same locality as for holotype; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; ER • 1 fr.; SW of Štegvaš Pass , 2 km S of Arbnež on Ostros–Ulcinj road; 42.0636° N, 19.3710° E; 480 m alt.; 16 Jul. 2017; Z. Erőss and Z. Fehér leg.; HNHM 103407 • 1 fr.; same collection data as for preceding; NHMW 111669 • 2 fr.; same collection data as for preceding; ER • 1 spec.; 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 103409 • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; NHMW 111670 • 2 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; ER .

Dimensions

Holotype: H 3.15 mm; W 5.8 mm; Ha 2.65 mm; Wa 2.7 mm. Paratypes (HNHM 103405, n=10): H 3.0– 3.3 mm; W 5.1–6.0 mm.

Description

Shell discoid, spire barely raised, consisting of 4⅔–5 regularly increasing whorls, of which 1½–1¾ are protoconch whorls. Protoconch smooth. Teleoconch whorls densely and equidistantly ribbed (91–110 ribs on last whorl), no riblets, only some irregular and indistinct lines visible between ribs at 50 × magnification.

In bottom view, umbilicus wide, ¼ of total shell width, a small part of it overlayed by columellar part of aperture. In frontal view, silhouette of body whorl more or less regularly rounded: bottom side slightly broader curved. Suture slightly but perceptibly depressed. Aperture crescent-shaped, parietal flap small, thin and weakly attached to shell (often missing from weathered old shells). Two knobs on peristome: a wider basal and a higher (rather tooth-like) palatal. Palatal knob situated somewhat lower than one-third way between angular and columellar junctions of peristome. Peristome somewhat reflected between columellar junction and palatal knob, appearing thickened in frontal view. Above palatal knob, peristome simple. In side view, parietal flap oblique (inferior part stands forward) and aperture sigmoidally inclined (inferior part stands backward).

Distribution So far, this species has only been found on the southern side beneath Štegvaš Pass in the Rumija Mts, on Upper–Middle Triassic limestone. It was found there together with V. stojaspali and V. gittenbergeri sp. nov.

Conservation status

To our present knowledge this species is very rare, all known records belonging to the same subpopulation and AOO is smaller than 20 km 2. At the same time, there is no reason to suppose that AOO, EOO, number of locations, number of subpopulations or the number of mature individuals are declining or extremely fluctuating. Therefore, it might be assessed as Near Threatened (NT).

Figures

Fig. 4. Shells of species of Virpazaria Gittenberger, 1969. A–E. Virpazaria (Virpazaria) gittenbergeri Fehér & Erőss sp. nov., holotype (HNHM 103411). F–J. Virpazaria (Virpazaria) pesici Fehér & Deli sp. nov., holotype (HNHM 103403). Scale bars = 1 mm (note that the latter species is less magnified).