Pseudamnicola skalaensis, Glöer & Reuselaars, 2020

Glöer, Peter & Reuselaars, Robert, 2020, The Pseudamnicola spp. from Greece (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae) with the description of four new species, Ecologica Montenegrina 32, pp. 19-25 : 22-24

Pseudamnicola skalaensis n. sp. [ fig. 2.4 ]

Material examined: Holotype ( RMNH.MOL.347623) and 27 paratypes from type locality west of Skala : 41 paratypes from the spring in Tripi.

Holotype: 1.85 mm high, 1.2 mm broad from type locality.

Paratypes: 2 ex. ( RMNH.MOL.347624) . 1 ex. in coll. Peter Glöer, 7 adult, 5 subadult and 12 juvenile ex. in coll. Robert Reuselaars (no. 741) from type locality. 2 Ex. ( RMNH.MOL.347625) , 3 ex. in coll. Peter Glöer, 8 adult, 15 subadult and 13 juvenile ex. in coll. Robert Reuselaars (no. 757) from the spring in Tripi.

Locus typicus: Vasilopotamos river near the bridge over the river, west of Skala, Peleponnesos, Greece, 36°50' 36.80320'' N 22°38' 48.62719'' E, Robert Reuselaars 19.09.2010 leg .

Sampling site 2: Spring in Tripi , Taygetos mountains, Peleponnesos, Greece 37°05'36.76754'' N 22°20'49.59351'' E, Robert Reuselaars 24.09.2010 leg .

Other material examined: Spring is Faskomilia , Taygetos mountains, Peleponnesos, Greece 37°26'24.50127'' N 21°44'52.49749'' E 22.09. 2010 in coll. Robert Reuselaars (no. 759) .

Habitat of type locality: Strong running river where the species was found amongst waterplants, while another locality (Tripi) is an artificial basin and gutter of the spring where the species was found amongst algae.

Etymology: Named after the nearby town Skala.

Description: The shell is elongated ovate with 4.5-5 convex whorls which are separated by a deep suture. The aperture is ovate, slightly angled at the top and detached from the shell wall. The peristome is sharp. The umbilicus is closed. The body whorl takes 0.8 of shell height. The aperture is 0.8 mm high and 0.7 mm broad. The shell is 1.9-2.0 mm high and 1.2 mm broad.

Distribution: Greece; known from two localities in the Peleponnesos.

Conservation

Of the Pseudamnicola sps which are described in this article, we consider the species samosensis and lesbosensis as critically endangered due to the low number of specimen and both are restricted to a single spring where they live in and which is already under human pressure. Pseudamnicola stasimoensis is known of two springs with a very small habitat. This species is also considered as critically endangered due to human pressure. We do not consider Pseudamnicola skalaensis as endangered because it is living in in the spring in Tripi and the Vasilopotamos river near Skala town. However if someone decides to clean the gutter of the spring in Tripi this species most likely will be eradicated from this location.

Our contribution to the knowledge of springsnails in Greece is important if we want to protect these species. Springs are very sensitive ecosystems ( Cantonati et al. 2006, Savić et al. 2019). Most species in Greece are serious under stress where springs are used for drinking water or irrigation purposes. Human impact has led to the extinction of many springsnail species in the past and will lead to more extinctions if they will not be protected. But this is not only the case with springs. During a field trip in september 2019 we noticed the very low water levels in the lakes Prespa, Kastoria, Zirou and Pamvotis (see figure 9 ). Most of these lakes are used as water reservoir for irrigation and/or drinking water and a combination of long droughts and closing the water supply from springs (i.e. the springs at the east bank of lake Pamvotis) have led to these very low water levels. At the eastern bank of lake Pamvotis we saw hundreds of fresh shells of Sinanodonta woodiana (introduced) and Viviparus hellenicus in the mud, all died during the summer. At lake Zirou this was the case with Unio crassus . All these species also live in deeper water of these lakes, so most likely they will survive, for now. This is just another example of human impact on freshwater ecosystems which can lead to the extinction of species.

Figures

Figure 2. The new Pseudamnicola spp. 1: Pseudamnicola stasimoensis n. sp., 2: Pseudamnicola lesbosensis n. sp., 3: Pseudamnicola samoensis n. sp., 4: Pseudamnicola skalaensis n. sp.

Figure 9. Eastern bank of lake Pamtovis, normal water level is almost up to the vegetation. (Photo by R. Reuselaars).