Radix (Radix) alticola (Izzatullaev, Kruglov & Starobogatov, 1983)

Vinarski, Maxim V., Aksenova, Olga V. & Bolotov, Ivan N., 2020, Taxonomic assessment of genetically-delineated species of radicine snails (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Lymnaeidae), Zoosystematics and Evolution 96 (2), pp. 577-608 : 577

2. Radix (Radix) alticola (Izzatullaev, Kruglov & Starobogatov, 1983) Figs 3B, C ; 4B ; Table 1

Lymnaea (Radix) alticola Izzatullaev et al. 1983: 53, figs 1, 2; Kruglov and Starobogatov 1993a: 85, fig. 11C; Kruglov 2005: 261, figs 146(1)-148; Sitnikova et al. 2014: 25, fig. 8D.

Radix (Radix) alticola - Vinarski and Kantor 2016: 320.

TL.

Tajikistan, a hot spring near the Yashilkul’ Lake (approximately 37°47'00"N, 72°51'00"E).

Types.

ZISP ( Vinarski and Kantor 2016). The holotype is illustrated by Sitnikova et al. (2014). We studied both the holotype and the paratypes of R. alticola .

According to our data ( Aksenova et al. 2018a), R. alticola is endemic to the High Asia mountains; found in Tajikistan (from several sites, including the type locality) and Nepal. In mountain Tajikistan (Pamir), this species inhabits hot springs and satellite streams with relatively warm water.

The shell shape of R. alticola is similar to that of R. auricularia , but the former species is of much smaller size; its shell height does not exceed 16 mm (see Table 1 ), whereas the shells of R. auricularia may reach 35-40 mm in height. The proportions of the copulatory organ of R. alticola are very similar to R. auricularia (compare Fig. 3A and 3B ).

Figures

Figure 3. Shells of species in the genus Radix. A. Radix auricularia (28.08.2013, Kazakhstan, Karaganda Region, Suresai River; LMBI); B. R. alticola (20.06.2012, Tajikistan, a hot spring near Djelandy village; LMBI); C. R. alticola (01.07.2016, Tajikistan, a warm brook near Dzhaushangoz village; LMBI); D. R. brevicauda (Kashmir, a syntype; NHMUK); E. R. brevicauda (05.08.1948, Tajikistan, Pamir Mts., Shaimak village, in a warm spring; ZISP); F. R. euphratica (26.06.2016, Tajikistan, Dushanbe, a fountain near the President's palace; LMBI); G. R. euphratica (04.07.2016, Tajikistan, a roadside ditch near Kurban-Shakhid village; LMBI); H. R. euphratica (without date, Iraq, Bagdad; NHMUK); I. R. makhrovi, the holotype (China, Tibet, a roadside ditch west of the Lhasa River mouth; ZISP); J. R. plicatula, a probable syntype (China, Chusan, NHMUK); K. R. plicatula (26.07.2017, China, Uyghuria, Bagrash-kol' Lake; LMBI); L. R. plicatula (26.11.2014, China, Bejing, an artificial pond in the former Emperor's summer palace; LMBI). Scale bars: 2 mm (B-C, F-L), 5 mm (A, D-E, K).

Figure 4. Copulatory apparatuses of the species of the genus Radix. A. Radix auricularia (19.07.2007, Russia, Tyumen' Region, Vylposl channel near Labytnangi Town); B. R. alticola (01.07.2016, Tajikistan, a warm brook near Dzhaushangoz village); C. R. euphratica (04.07.2016, Tajikistan, a roadside ditch near Kurban-Shakhid village); D. R. makhrovi, a paratype (after Aksenova et al. 2018 a, modified). E. R. plicatula (26.11.2014, China, Bejing, an artificial pond in the former Emperor's summer palace). F. R. rubiginosa (Malaysia, Kuala-Lumpur); G. R. rufescens (24.11.2016, Myanmar, Yetho River, near the dam). H. R. natalensis (05.08.2018, Uganda, crater lake Kyamwiga). Scale bars: 2 mm.