Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) tropojanum Zallot, Fehér & Gittenberger, 2018

Zallot, Enrico, Fehér, Zoltán, Bamberger, Sonja & Gittenberger, Edmund, 2018, Cochlostoma revised: the subgenus Lovcenia Zallot et al., 2015 (Caenogastropoda, Cochlostomatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 464, pp. 1-25 : 17-19

Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) tropojanum Zallot, Fehér & Gittenberger sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F986C8B8-F64C-41FE-9422-5B0FF2D749FB

Figs 5C , 6C , 10

Diagnosis

Rather small, with a very slender, spotless and regularly ribbed shell, which has a poorly developed lip, inclined towards the front and broadening at the columellar side, before curving back and covering the umbilicus. In C. (L.) erika and C. (L.) dalmatinum , which are both larger, the columellar lobe differs; the latter species may also be distinguished by its prominent, irregular ribs, which are more uniform in C. (L.) tropojanum sp. nov. Cochlostoma (L.) lanatum sp. nov. differs by its regularly spaced, prominent, sharp ribs on the upper whorls. The geographically separate C. (L.) jakschae sp. nov. is conchologically similar but less slender, with an even narrower lip. It also differs in the female genitalia, i.e., by the less convoluted visceral oviduct. Moreover, C. (L.) jakschae sp. nov. has, relative to its shell size, a smaller protoconch.

Material examined

Holotype ALBANIA: ♀ (in ethanol), Tropojë District, gorge of Lumi i Tropojës, ca 14 km N of Tropojë , 965 m a.s.l., 42.4740° N, 20.1520° E, 26 Jun. 2014, Angyal, Fehér and Grego leg. ( NHMW 111638 ).

Paratypes ALBANIA: 28 spec., same collection data as for holotype ( NHMW 111248/8a+2ja , HNHM 99243/10a+3ja ; GR/5a ); 4 spec., ca 13 km N of Tropojë , 925 m a.s.l., 42.4692° N, 20.1554° E, 26 Jun. 2014, Angyal, Fehér and Grego leg. (NHMW 111247/2ja , HNHM 99241/1a+1ja ).

Other material

ALBANIA: Tropojë District, gorge of Lumi i Gashit, SW of Dretovë , 390 m a.s.l., 42.4009° N, 20.0879° E, 1 Jul. 2016, Erőss, Fehér, Szekeres and Grego leg. ( NHMW 111654 , HNHM 99865 ); Tropojë District, above Tropojë, at N foot of Mt Shkëlzen , in rocky grassland, 2020 m a.s.l., 42.4632° N, 20.1258° E, 6 Jun. 2006, Barina leg. ( HNHM 99871 ).

Measurements

Holotype: H 9.3 mm, W 3.8 mm, Wbw 3.3 mm, Ha 2.7 mm, Wa 2.7 mm.

Paratypes (N= 12): H 7.7–9.3 mm, W 3.4–4.0 mm, Wbw 2.8–3.2 mm, Ha 2.2–2.8 mm, Wa 2.1–2.9 mm.

Description

SHELL. Small, with 8½ whorls, H/W ratio 2.8. The initial 2.4–2.5 whorls form the protoconch, which is smooth for only the initial 0.3–0.5 whorl and finely ribbed with narrowly spaced riblets further on. The spotless shell is light yellowish. The teleoconch whorls are convex (Rr =1.24) with whitish, rounded, moderately developed ribs. The ribs are regularly spaced, without any variation between the upper whorls and the body whorl. The ribbing is still present on the final part of the body whorl, approaching the aperture. The aperture is relatively small (Ha/H =0.19–0.20), with a poorly developed lip, inclined towards the front. The lip is broadened at the columellar side before curving back and covering the umbilicus. The body whorl has a small external lobe.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Bursa copulatrix large, with a pedunculus connected proximally; its proximal lobe clearly smaller than the distal one. Short seminal receptacle, confined to the ventral side of the body and connected with the pedunculus without a distal oviduct. The 3–4 wide and small loops of the visceral oviduct are situated over the apex of the seminal receptacle. The junction of the uterine gland and the copulatory duct is moderately far from the connection between the seminal receptacle and the pedunculus of the bursa.

MALE GENITALIA. The penis is longer than the body and thin, with a tapering tip. The spermiduct is narrowly twisted. The body spermiduct is straight. There is a sharp and long groove, ending in a wellformed sperm pocket, delimited on the frontal side by an ascending sperm funnel.

Etymology

This species is named after the Tropojë Valley, its type locality.

Distribution

Mount Shkëlzen in the eastern part of the Prokletije Mts in NE Albania. Known from four nearby locations.

Habitat preference

Like most species of Cochlostoma , these are obligate rock-dwelling snails that can be found on the surface of limestone cliffs or under boulders on rocky alpine grasslands.

Figures

Fig. 5. Female specimens of Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) Zallot et al., 2015 used for anatomy (shells were destroyed before dissection). A. C. (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906) (HNHM 86387). B. C. (Lovcenia) dalmatinum (L. Pfeiffer, 1863) (NHMW 110430/MN/0162). C. C. (Lovcenia) tropojanum sp. nov. (NHMW 111248). D. C. (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov. (NHMW 111249). E. C. (Lovcenia) lanatum sp. nov. (HNHM 99861).

Fig. 6. Female genital morphology. See Table 1 for localities and Table 3 for measurements. A. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906) (HNHM 86387). B. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) dalmatinum (L. Pfeiffer, 1863) (NHMW 110430/MN/0162). C. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) tropojanum sp. nov. (NHMW 111248). D1. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov., Bugarska Peak population (NHMW 111249). D2. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov., Pejë Pass population (HNHM 97221). E. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) lanatum sp. nov. (HNHM 99861).

Fig. 10. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) tropojanum Zallot, Fehér & Gittenberger sp. nov., holotype, Tropojë Valley, Albania (NHMW 111638).