Paladilhiopsis falniowskii, 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 : 91

Paladilhiopsis falniowskii sp. n. Figs 9-10

Diagnosis.

Easily distinguished from the sympatric Paladilhiopsis szarowskae (Fig. 12) by its larger and more oval shell, the more tumid and proportionally larger body whorl and the aperture shape. Compared to Paladilhiopsis gittenbergeri , (Albania, Vau i Dejes) (Fig. 11) this species has slightly larger shell with a less prominent apex, less conical shape, and a differently shaped body whorl and aperture. Paladihiopsis haduophylax , Schütt, 1959 ( Bileća, Hercegovina) shows some similarity, but its shells size is significantly larger, and the position and shape of the aperture is significantly different. Paladilhiopsis blihensis from Donji Kamengrad, Bosnia, has more slender shell with more (5) whorls, more acuminate apex and a different aperture shape. The Iglica kanalitensis A. Reischütz, N. Steiner-Reischütz & P.L. Reischütz, 2016, differs from the new species by its much more slender shape, smaller aperture and its aperture axis being less declined from the columella.

Type

locality.

Albania, Has district, Krumë, Vrela Spring, 450 m, 42.1921°N; 20.4166°E (Fig. 2D)

Type

material.

Holotype: Type locality, leg. Erőss, Fehér, Grego, Szekeres, 30.06.2016 (HNHM 100173), Paratypes: same data (NHMW 111662/1, one specimen in coll. Grego, two alcohol preserved specimens were destroyed during ongoing molecular studies at Jagellonian University).

Measurements.

Holotype, H 2.4 mm; W 1.0 mm; WB 1.0 mm; HA/H 0.37; HB/H 0.35. Paratypes H: 2.3-2.4 mm, W: 0.9-1.0 mm, WB: 1.0-1.1 mm

Etymology.

Named after the honored malacologist and friend, Andrzej Falniowski (Jagellonian University, Kraków), who has greatly contributed to the knowledge of the Balkan Hydrobiidae and Moitessieriidae .

Description.

The white translucent smooth shell has 4 convex whorls with a semi-deep suture. The shell is elongate-ovoid, and the tumid whorls are regularly tapering towards the blunt apex. The aperture is ovate with very slightly reflexed margins, its palatal side does not exceed the shell periphery, and its columellar side extends beyond the columellar axis. The peristome is detached from the body whorl by, the umbilicus is a tiny furrow. The labrum is straight-not sinuated laterally

Habitat.

The type locality is a karstic spring at the foot of a scree slope. It has a permanent outflow from within the right side of a shallow pond and an intermittent upper spring outflow, situated at about 5 m higher level, 50 m from active spring. The new species had been collected in the sandy sediment of the spring water outlet at bottom of the broad and shallow spring zone. There is a large communal waste deposit site near the spring zone, which poses a direct threat to the spring habitat and the fauna of the outflowing rivulet.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality. Within the type locality the new species co-occur with the subterranean Plagigeyeria steffeki sp. n., Paladilhiopsis szarowskae and several spring surface dwelling species: Radomaniola curta ( Küster, 1852), Ancylus fluviatilis O.F. Müller, 1774, Pseudamnicola krumensis Glöer, Grego, Erőss and Fehér, 2015.