Paladilhiopsis prekalensis, Grego, Jozef, Gloeer, Peter, Eross, Zoltan Peter & Feher, Zoltan, 2017

Grego, Jozef, Gloeer, Peter, Eross, Zoltan Peter & Feher, Zoltan, 2017, Six new subterranean freshwater gastropod species from northern Albania and some new records from Albania and Kosovo (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Moitessieriidae and Hydrobiidae), Subterranean Biology 23, pp. 85-107 : 86

Paladilhiopsis prekalensis sp. n. Figures 3-4

Diagnosis.

Can be compared to Paladilhiopsis szekeresi sp. n. (Albania, Tamarë), from which it differs by a blunter apex, more convex whorls, more elongated and more declined aperture from the columella and by upper aperture edge more prominent in the shell outline as well as by the narrower umbilicus. It differs from Paladilhiopsis lozeki sp. n. (Albania, Shoshan) by its smaller and less elongated shell, blunter apex, more tumid body whorl and by the shape of the aperture. P. wohlberedti sp. n. (Albania, Tamarë) and Montenegrospeum bogici Pešić & Glöer, 2012 (Montenegro, Podgorica) differ markedly by their larger more conical shells, more prominent body whorls and shape of their apertures. The shell shape of the news species is somewhat similar to that of Bosnidilhia vreloana Boeters, Glöer & Pešić, 2013 (Bosnia, Banja Luka) which differs from the new species by its more slender shape, narrower elongated aperture and more flattened whorls.

Type

locality.

Albania, Shkodër district, Prekal, Shpellë e Zhylit (Zhyla Cave), 210 m, near junction of Kiri and Prroni i Cise, 205 m, 42.1782°N; 19.7200°E (Fig. 2A).

Type

material.

Holotype, Type locality: leg. Erőss, Fehér, Grego, Szekeres, 28.06.2016 (HNHM 100167). Paratypes, same data (HNHM 100168/6; NHMW 111656/4; coll. Glöer 1 specimen and coll. Grego 5 specimens).

Measurements.

H 1.7 mm; W 0.8 mm; WB 0.65 mm; HA/H 0.36, HB/H 0.26 (holotype). Paratypes have broken apices, measurements not provided.

Etymology.

Derived from the name of Prekal village, where the type locality is situated.

Description.

The whitish and silky shell has 5 tumid convex whorls with a deep suture and a blunt apex. The surface is smooth and shiny. The shell is elongated, slightly conical, and almost subcylindrical. Umbilicus is slit-like. In frontal view, the palatal side of the aperture protrudes laterally. Aperture is ovoid, slightly attached to the body whorl and slightly extended left of the columella line, its major diameter deviates by ca. 30 degrees from the plane of the columella. The peristome margin is sharp, slightly reflexed outwards. The evenly thick outer lip is sinuated and the lower part of the aperture protrudes forward in such a way, that in the lateral view the labral margin deviates ca. 13 degrees from the plane of the columellar axis.

Habitat.

The Zhyla Cave is a prominent spring cave acting as a temporary water overflow channel during high water outlets in the main spring (Burimi i Zhylës) situated underneath the cave close to bank of Kiri River. The approximately 70 m long cave is formed in a dark grey limestone by a single phreatic tunnel of 10 × 5 meters average diameter and ends in a terminal siphon. The underground water stream is acoustically detectable under the large boulders close to the terminal siphon. The cave is flushed by the frequent water outflows leaving only fine sandy sediment on the bottom. Empty and fragmented shells were found inside the cave, in a large sand sediment deposits close to the terminal siphon at the end of the hitherto known main dry cave passage. Therefore, it is supposed to live deeper in the cave as a typical underground species colonizing also the appropriate water caverns and cave habitats.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality.

Remarks.

Most of the collected specimens were empty shells of white color, but it is likely that the shells of living specimens have translucent yellowish color like all other related species known from live-collected material.