Helix (Helix) fathallae NÄGELE , 1901

Neubert, Eike, 2014, Revision of Helix LINNAEUS, 1758 in its eastern Mediterranean distribution area, and reassignment of Helix godetiana KOBELT, 1878 to Maltzanella HESSE, 1917 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Helicidae), Contributions to Natural History 26, pp. 1-200 : 105-109

Helix (Helix) fathallae NÄGELE, 1901 ( Figs 164–171 )

1901 Helix (Pomatia) fathallae NÄGELE, Nachrichtsblatt der deutschen Malakozoologischen Gesellschaft 33: 20 [La Trappe bei Akbès].

1903 Helix (Helicogena) pseudopomatia KOBELT, Nachrichtsblatt der deutschen Malakozoologischen Gesellschaft 35: 150 [non Helix pseudopomatia WESTERLUND, 1889 = Helix ligata ] [Cheikli Syriae].

1909 Helix (Helicogena) mississiensis KOBELT, Iconographie der Land- und Süsswassermollusken 2 (15): 9, Taf. 395, Fig. 2268, 2269 [Missis in Cilicia].

1939 Pomatia babelis PALLARY, Mémoires présentés a l'Institut d'Égypte, 39: 20, pl. 1, fig. 5, 6 [Alexandrette, Vagin de la Vierge].

1939 Pomatia melanostomella PALLARY, Mémoires présentés a l'Institut d'Égypte, 39: 20, pl. 1, fig. 1, 2 [Alexandrette, Vagin de la Vierge].

1952 Helix cheikliensis ZILCH, Archiv für Molluskenkunde 81 (4/6): 142 [nom. nov. pro Helix (Helicogena) pseudopomatia KOBELT, 1904 non Helix pseudopomatia WESTERLUND, 1889 ].

Type specimens:

fathallae : lectotype SMF 77543 (SD Zilch 1952: 154): H = 41.6; D = 40.9; PH = 30.5; PD = 21.1; PrD = 4.8; W = 5. mississiensis : lectotype SMF 6968 (SD Zilch 1952: 138): H = 41.9; D = 39.8; PH = 29.8; PD = 20.5; PrD = 5.2; W = 5. pseudopomatia = cheikliensis : lectotype SMF 9711 (SD Zilch 1952: 142): H = 31.2; D = 29.9; PH = 21.2; PD = 14.5; PrD = 5.4; W = 5; babelis: not located. melanostomella: not located.

Specimens examined:

Turkey: SMF 9813 La Trappe at Akbès, 36.8562 36.5190, coll. Kobelt ex Nägele; SMF 9827/4 Cheikli, coll. O. Boettger; ditto, SMF 24314; ditto, SMF 74071, coll. Krüper; ditto, SMF 9712, coll. Kobelt ex Nägele (paralectotype cheikliensis ); SMF 74139/2 Taurus, coll. K.L. Pfeiffer; SMF 77545, SMF 77546/3 Akbès, coll. Nägele ex Tembé; ditto, SMF 77544, coll. Nägele ex Rabat; ditto, SMF 74072/2 Akbès, coll. Jetschin ex Nägele; ditto, SMF 24315/2 Akbès, coll. O. Boettger; ditto, SMF 24314/6, coll. Kobelt ex Tembé; SMF 86170, Amanus, Edilli [Idili KÖyü], 36.9837 36.5612, coll. Nägele ex Tembé; SMF 9638 Missis [Mopsuestia], 36.9580 35.6195, coll. Kobelt ex Nägele (paralectotyp mississiensis ); ditto, SMF 17637/2, coll. O. Boettger ex Nägele (paralectotyp mississiensis ?); ditto, SMF 299539/2, 2.6.1898, coll. Nägele ex Bayadjian; Tumlu Kalesi, 37.1473 35.7044, 15.4.1997, SMF 311932/5, NMBE 505541/5 (alk.), NMBE 525616/20; ditto, rocks at Tumlu Kalesi 12 km NW of Mercimek, 24.12.1990, MENK (8); rocks at Yilankale 6 km SW of Ceyhan, 37.0111 35.7480, 25.12.1990, MENK (12); ditto, 13.10.2001, leg. Hemmen (2 alk.); Ulucinar, 36.4138 35.8951, 30.03.1987, LIEB (8); rocky canyon in Sariseki 11 km NE of Iskenderun, 36.6725 36.2260, 27.12.1990, MENK (6); ditto, 05.01.1994, SMNS/ NORDS; rocks 3.5 km S of Güvenc (= Aktepe), 36.6725 36. 4652, 230 m alt., 31.12.1990, MENK (17); Iskenderun, quarry above the city, 36.5741 36.2122, 16.4.1997, NMBE 525617/6, NMBE 525618/2 (alk.), one specimen in SMF 311429); Iskenderun, right off big quarry, 36.5827 36.2062, 14.10.2001, HEMM (3 alk.); Iskenderun, close to the canyon above the city, 36.5689 36.2071, 02.01.1994, SMNS/NORDS; ditto, 29.07.1994 SMNS/NORDS; rocks 20 km E of SakcagÖzü, 37.1781 37.1262 E, 1080 m alt., 2.1.1991, MENK (4); rock in the center of Aydınoğlu, 12 km WSW Islahiye, 36.9343 36.5710 E, 560 m alt., 31.12.1990, MENK (17); Çevlik, west of entrance to Titus Tüneli, 36.1210 35.9226, 19.10.2001, leg. Hemmen (alk.).

Greece: SMF 74153 Rhodos, Mt. Profitis Elias, 36.2771 27.9439, 700 m alt., April 1934, coll. K.L. Pfeiffer; Rhodos, Lindos, 36.0918 28.0856, coll. Saurin, MNHN (1).

Diagnosis: shell medium to large, thick, shell colour bluish brownish to cream, teleoconch smooth with few fine axial riblets, and a few fine subsutural spiral furrows, aperture subquadrate, deep brown to even bluish, columella straight;

Description: shell of medium to large size, thick, spherical, spire conical; basic shell colour bluish brownish to cream white with brown spirals, spirals No. 1–3 tend to fuse, subperipheral spirals usually separate; protoconch small in comparison to shell, its diameter ranging from 4.5– 5.5 mm, smooth, white whorls; teleoconch of 3–4 whorls, smooth, but with irregularly arranged fine axial riblets, and a few fine incised subsutural spiral furrows; last whorl slightly descending below the periphery; aperture large, subquadrate to rounded, apertural rim narrow, labial callus moderately strong, deep brown to sometimes even bluish coloured, columella straight, columellar triangle small; umbilicus closed in adult shells.

Genital organs ( Fig. 170 ): penis club-shaped, epiphallus as long as penis; flagellum long, exceeding the length of epiphallus+penis three times; mrp attaching in a central position on the epiphallus; internally, both papillae of equal size, penial chamber short, filled with a few ring-like pilasters, both papillae conical with a central perforation; atrial stimulator an isolated round- ed knob; female system with a short vaginal tube, dart sac and glandulae mucosae well developed, the glandulae with a basic stem, branching into a few tubules, shorter than dart sac; pedunculus stem long, with a thick and short diverticulum branching off in a central position, bursa copulatrix as long as pedunculus stem, vesicle rounded and bent downwards.

Distribution ( Fig. 171 ): This species is only known from a restricted area in the Hatay and Adana province in southern Turkey, it is so far not record- ed from Syria. The presence of this species on Rhodes is corroborated by molecular analysis (Korábek & al. submitted), but it remains unclear whether this population represents the remains of a formerly wider distribution area, or whether it was introduced here by human activities.

Remarks: Specimens from Iskenderun are more elongate, showing a small callosity on the upper columella (babelis), while specimens from Misis usually have the lower bands fused ( mississiensis ). At Yilankale, Tumlu Kalesi and Iskenderun quarry, this species lives sympatrically with Helix asemnis .

This species very much resembles H. cincta from the Central Anatolian plateau, and shell morphological differences are few. The main distinguishing features concern the riblets, which on average are finer than in H. cincta ; the more bluish and generally darker colour of the aperture, which is more brown to reddish in H. cinta ; and the presence of bright and uncoloured whitish shells, which so far have not been observed in H. cincta . However, the main difference can be found in the morphology of the genital organs: H. fathallae has a well developed diverticulum, which is missing or only rudimentarily present in H. cincta .

Figures

Figs 164–169. Helix (Helix) fathallae NÄGELE, 1901. Fig. 164 lectotype fathallae: SMF 77543, La Trappe, D = 40.9; Fig. 165 SMF 311429, Iskenderun, quarry, D = 38.8; Fig. 166 mississiensis: lectotype SMF 6968, Missis, D = 39.8; Fig. 167 lectotype pseudopomatia = cheikliensis: SMF 9711, Cheikli, D = 29.9; Fig. 168 NMBE 505541, Tumlu Kalesi, D = 34.79; Fig. 169 SMF 311932, ditto, D = 34.79. — All photos Neubert, original size.

Fig. 170. Helix (Helix) fathallae NÄGELE, 19011. Genital organs. NMBE 505541, Turkey, Tumlu Kalesi, situs 34.79.

Fig. 171. Helix (Helix) fathallae NÄGELE, 1901. Distribution.