Radix labiata (Rossmässler, 1835)

Mabrouki, Youness, Taybi, Abdelkhaleq Fouzi & Glöer, Peter, 2020, New additions to the freshwater gastropod fauna (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae, Lymnaeidae) of Morocco, Ecologica Montenegrina 31, pp. 40-44 : 44

Radix labiata (Rossmässler, 1835) ( fig. 7 )

Distribution: Palearctic species, widely distributed through Europe ( Glöer 2019). It was recently reported from northern Spain ( Schniebs et al. 2013; Salgado et al. 2016); we confirm its presence in Morocco. To our knowledge the presence of R. labiata in Morocco was documented based only on shell morphological criteria. As for many Lymnaeidae members, the identification is not always easy and anatomical (genitalia) or molecular analyses would be the best tools for the right determination ( Bargues et al. 2001; Schniebs et al. 2013). The species identified anatomically ( fig. 8 ) was collected at Ras El Ma in the Middle Atlas massif ( fig. 1 ), which is the new confirmed southern limit of its range in the Palearctic.

Sampling site: Ras El Ma at Ifran (33°28'32.6" N 5°08'11.9" W).

Habitat: This pond snail is found in different habitats influenced by ground water, including still or slow-running freshwater bodies, marshes and ponds, and shallow waters of high-mountain lakes, often among algae and macrophytes ( fig. 12 ).

Associated species: Physella acuta .

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution range of the found species in Morocco.

Figures. 2-8. 2: Shell of Pseudamnicola luteola, 3: penis in situ of P. luteola, 4: shell of Mercuria gauthieri, 5: penis in situ of M. gauthieri, 6: shell of Ecrobia vitrea, 7: shell of Radix labiata, 8: female and male copulatory organ. Abbreviations: bc: bursa copulatrix, bd: bursa duct, e: eye, m: muscle, p: penis, pht: phallotheca, pl: penial lap, prp: preputium, vd: vas deferens, t: tentacle, v: vagina.

Figures. 9-12. 9: Habitat of Pseudamnicola luteola at Jbel Sidi Moussa, 10: habitat of Mercuria gauthieri at La’azib, 11: habitat of Ecrobia vitrea at Saidia wetland, 12: Habitat of Radix labiata at Ras El Ma.