Myrtoessa hyas, a new valvatiform genus and a new species of the Hydrobiidae (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from Greece.

Canella Radea,Aristeidis Parmakelis,Sinos Giokas

doi:10.3897/zookeys.640.10674

Canella Radea, Aristeidis Parmakelis + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.640.10674

Copy DOI

Abstract

A new to science valvatiform hydrobiid, Myrtoessa hyas Radea, gen. n. & sp. n., from southern Greece, is described and illustrated. The new genus is a tiny gastropod thriving in a stream and is differentiated from the other known European and circum-Mediterranean valvatiform hydrobiid genera by a unique combination of the male and female genitalia features i.e. penis long, flat, blunt, with wide wrinkled proximal part and narrow distal part with a sub-terminal eversible papilla on its left side, bursa copulatrix well-developed, pyriform, fully protruding from the posterior end of the albumen gland and two seminal receptacles respectively. The new monotypic and locally endemic genus is narrowly distributed and its single known population nearby a coastal bustling village is vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors.

Highlights

The freshwater fauna around the Mediterranean Basin comprises a plethora of valvatiform hydrobiids (Bodon et al 2001)
A new genus and a new species of a minute valvatiform hydrobiid gastropod collected from Mount Parnon, Arkadia are described, and an identification key provided for the valvatiform hydrobiid genera of Greece based on the character states of male and female genitalia
The high number of endemic truncatelloideans was being expected since the complex topography and the intense geological history of this mainly mountainous area facilitate and promote the diversity and endemicity of invertebrates (Sfenthourakis and Legakis 2001, Legakis and Maragou 2009)

Summary

Introduction

The freshwater fauna around the Mediterranean Basin comprises a plethora of valvatiform hydrobiids (Bodon et al 2001). A more detailed anatomical description of some already known valvatiform taxa initially established from shell characters elucidated their taxonomic status During last ten years, several new valvatiform taxa have been described based on shell and diagnostic anatomical characters and, in several cases, their molecular affinities have been investigated In Greece, eight valvatiform-planispiral hydrobiid genera, namely Daphniola Radoman, 1973, Fissuria Boeters, 1981, Graecoarganiella Falniowski & Szarowska, 2011a, Hauffenia Pollonera, 1898, Isimerope Radea & Parmakelis, 2013, Islamia Radoman, 1973, Prespolitorea Radoman, 1983 and Pseudoislamia Radoman, 1979, have been recorded so far (Schütt 1980, Radoman 1983, Reischütz and Reischütz 2004, Falniowski and Szarowska 2011a, Radea et al 2013). A new genus and a new species of a minute valvatiform hydrobiid gastropod collected from Mount Parnon, Arkadia are described, and an identification key provided for the valvatiform hydrobiid genera of Greece based on the character states of male and female genitalia

Materials and methods

Discussion