Maroccohoratia bouregregensis Ghamizi et Falniowski, 2024

Ghamizi, Mohamed, Falniowski, Andrzej, Boudellah, Abderrazzaq, Hofman, Sebastian, Rharras, Assia El, Moutaouakil, Soumia & Jaszczyńska, Aleksandra, 2024, Two new genera and species of the valvatiform hydrobiid snails (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea: Hydrobiidae) from Morocco, Zootaxa 5418 (3), pp. 223-239 : 233-234

Maroccohoratia bouregregensis Ghamizi et Falniowski sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:36CA6651-89E1-4C6E-AC35-94115249D22B

GenBank no. for COI: PP079490–PP079491

Holotype. Ethanol-fixed specimen ( Fig. 8A ). Bouregreg 2, 33°23’46”N; 6°40’41”W, spring by the road used by people for drinking water and irrigation of plots downstream and to water livestock. Behind the landscaped wall is the origin of the spring where the molluscs were collected (Locality S3: Table 1 , Fig. 2A ), leg. M. Ghamizi, 14 April 2022.

Paratypes. Ethanol-fixed specimens: locality S3 ( Table 1 , Fig. 2A ): A130 ( Fig. 8B ) sequenced, one specimen ( Fig. 8C ) destroyed for anatomy; 15 specimens left in the collection of MHNM voucher numbers MHNM22ZTMH63 , locality P16 ( Table 1 ) .

Diagnosis. Minute valvatiform hydrobiid gastropod with tiny but well visible spire and oval aperture expanded to 2 / 3 of body whorl height, eyes present but unpigmented, penis bent, triangular, sharpening abruptly, with broad slightly marked outgrowth on its right side.

Description. Shell ( Fig. 8 ) minute, 0.57–0.67 mm high, 0.99–1.17 mm broad, valvatiform, formed by 2–2½ rapidly growing whorls, separated by relatively deep suture, and forming tiny but well visible spire whose axis directed somewhat left. Umbilicus moderately wide, with older whorls visible inside. Body whorl growing slowly, adjacent to oval aperture expanded to 2 / 3 of body whorl height, peristome continuous. Shell thin-walled, white and translucent, glossy, growth lines nearly invisible. Shell measurements: Table 4 , Fig. 6 .

Soft parts morphology and anatomy. Eyes present, body with no pigment. Penis ( Fig. 7B ) proportionally minute, bent, triangular in shape, proximally broad, distally sharpening abruptly to pointed termination, a broad and slightly marked outgrowth distally on its right side. Female reproductive organs unknown.

Etymology. The name derived from the name of the basin where the species was collected: basin Bouregreg in Morocco.

Differential diagnosis. The Moroccan Ainiella Taybi, Glöer et Mabrouki, 2022 ( Taybi et al. 2022c), and Rifia yacoubii Ghamizi, 2020 differ in the outgrowth on the left side of the penis, absent in this new genus. Islamia Radoman, 1973 with its bi-lobed penis is evidently different. From among the Iberian valvatiform Hydrobiidae ( Delicado et al. 2019) similar shell can be found in Spathogyna fezi ( Altimira, 1960) . The genus Spathogyna Arconada et Ramos, 2002 , however, is characterised by the penis with distinct outgrowth on its left side ( Arconada & Ramos 2002). Pikasia Taybi, Glöer et Mabrouki, 2021 have shells with lower aperture and massive body whorl ( Taybi et al. 2021), Fessia Glöer, Mabrouki et Taybi, 2020 ( Glöer et al. 2020b) have shells with circular, not oval and lower aperture, body whorl growing slowly, higher and broader spire, and penis with no outgrowth on its right side. The shell of Ifrania Glöer, Mabrouki et Taybi, 2020 ( Glöer et al. 2020b) differs in much lower aperture, broader spire not directed left, and much more slender penis without the outgrowth on its right side. In Menzella timedrinensis Mabrouki, Glöer et Taybi, 2023 , as already pointed above, the shell is strikingly different, globular with higher spire, some of the paratypes illustrated by Mabrouki et al. (2023) could be classified rather as trochiform, not valvatiform following Hershler & Ponder (1998). In Menzella timedrinensis there are eyes and pigmentation, also on the penis, which is bent, the penis is different in shape and without the outgrowth on its right side, characteristic of our Maroccohoratia .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Sampled localities. A. Spring 3 (S3), type locality of Maroccohoratia bouregregensis, a spring by the road, used as the source of drinking water and for irrigation of plots downstream and to water livestock; behind the landscaped wall is the origin of the spring where the molluscs were collected. B. Well 1 (P9), a well located near the houses of the village, water used for domestic needs and for livestock (see the livestock watering troughs near the well); has a small protective stone wall with a metal cover. C. Well 2 (P10), type locality of Maroccoarganiella touarguii, a well located in an agricultural plot dedicated to market gardening and olive groves, water used for irrigation. Rudimentary protection by pieces of jujube bushes.

FIGURE 6. Principal component analysis of the measured shells of two new species. The shell measurements are also shown. Abbreviations: a—shell height; b—shell breadth; c—aperture height; d—aperture breadth.

FIGURE 7. Penes of the studied mOTUs. A. Maroccoarganiella. B. Maroccohoratia.

FIGURE 8. Shells of Maroccohoratia bouregregensis. A. holotype. B. sequenced specimen A130 (type locality S3). C. unsequenced specimen from type locality S3, destroyed for anatomical examination.