Stigmatica pantocratoris margaritifera (Nordsieck, 1996)

De Mattia, Willy, Reier, Susanne & Haring, Elisabeth, 2021, Morphological investigation of genital organs and first insights into the phylogeny of the genus Siciliaria Vest, 1867 as a basis for a taxonomic revision (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Clausiliidae), ZooKeys 1077, pp. 1-175 : 1

Stigmatica pantocratoris margaritifera (Nordsieck, 1996)

Figs 63.5, 63.6, 64.4

Distribution.

Stigmatica pantocratoris margaritifera is known from northern Greece up to Kozani and Veria, SW Albania ( Gjirokastër, Delvinë and Sarandë districts), and the Greek-Albanian border region of Epirus near Konitsa ( Nordsieck 1996: 11).

Specimens examined.

Albania, Delvine District , Krongj, rocky grassland at the peak region of Mt Koqinolithar. 890 m asl, 39°54'12.34"N, 20°10'11.39"E, Barina, Pifkó, Puskás leg. W. De Mattia det., 2 dissected spm .

External morphology of the genital organs

(Fig. 63 .5). The V is much shorter than the FO. The FDBC is longer than the SDBC+BC. The BC+SDBC is large, club-like in shape, with a more or less clear distinction between the SDBC and the BC. The D is much longer than the SDBC+BC and thinner in diameter. The V is very short but large in diameter. The PC is ~ 5 × longer than the V. The P is large and proximally folded. The transition between P and EP is clearly visible with an evident epiphallar narrowing is not evident. The ER is visible. The PR is short and robust. The E is longer than the P and not much thinner in diameter.

Internal morphology of the genital organs

(Fig. 63 .6). The V, the A and the P lack any macro-sculpturing. The internal surface shows a very fine granulation. The pseudopapilla is extremely reduced, almost vestigial. It originates from a well-developed ER that seems not to be connected with the ELP. The E shows two fringed ELP. They proximally fade before the VD. The epiphallar formula is PP(ER)+ELP.

Remarks.

Mainland populations of Stigmatica pantocratoris revealed a reduction or the complete lack of the pseudopapilla, whereas it is well developed in the nominate subspecies on the island of Corfu. More anatomical research would be necessary to improve the knowledge about the character states of the pseudopapilla, in order to properly assess, together with genetic molecular data, the status of these taxa.

Figures

Figure 63. Stigmatica pantocratoris pantocratoris (O. Boettger, 1889), Pantocrator, Corfu 63.1 whole distal genital organs 63.2 internal distal part of genital organs. Stigmatica splendens (Nordsieck, 1996), Qeparo, AL 63.3 whole distal genital organs 63.4 internal distal part of genital organs. Stigmatica pantocratoris margaritifera (Nordsieck, 1996), Krongj, AL 63.5 whole distal genital organs 63.6 internal distal part of genital organs.