Abstract
Stygobiont valvatoid hydrobiids living in the groundwater were collected from a survey in the wells in the Rif region, in northern Morocco. The description of the shells, the male and the female genitalia revealed a character combination for a new genus, Rifia n.gen. The map of the distribution is given.
Highlights
Five stygobiont hydrobiids species, from the groundwater of Morocco, with depigmented bodies and lacking eye spots, has been described on shell and/or anatomical characters: Atebbania bernasconi Ghamizi, Bodon, Boulal & Giusti 1999, Heideella andreae Backhyus & Boeters 1974, Heideella makhfamensis Bodon, Ghamizi & Giusti 1999, Iglica seyadi Backhyus & Boeters 1974 and Iglica soussensis Ghamizi & Boulal 2017 (Backhyus & Boeters 1974; Ghamizi et al 1999; Bodon et al 1999; Ghamizi & Boulal 2017)
The only valvatoid hydrobiids recently described from Morocco, Islamia tifertensis Glöer, Mabrouki & Taybi 2020, Ifrania zerroukansis Glöer, Mabrouki & Taybi 2020 and Fessia ouintiensis Glöer, Mabrouki & Taybi 2020, are collected in the springs
The specimens collected from the nine wells along the Rif border in northern Morocco (Fig. 1) have the same shell structure and the same anatomical characters; the combination of which, with the type of habitat, would make it possible to introduce a new genus
Summary
From the groundwater of Morocco, with depigmented bodies and lacking eye spots, has been described on shell and/or anatomical characters: Atebbania bernasconi Ghamizi, Bodon, Boulal & Giusti 1999, Heideella andreae Backhyus & Boeters 1974, Heideella makhfamensis Bodon, Ghamizi & Giusti 1999, Iglica seyadi Backhyus & Boeters 1974 and Iglica soussensis Ghamizi & Boulal 2017 (Backhyus & Boeters 1974; Ghamizi et al 1999; Bodon et al 1999; Ghamizi & Boulal 2017) Other valvatoid hydrobiid genera has been reported as nomina nuda of the threatened freshwater snails of the North Africa (Van Damme et al 2010)
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