Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika ( A.J. Wagner, 1906 )

Zallot, Enrico, Fehér, Zoltán, Bamberger, Sonja & Gittenberger, Edmund, 2018, Cochlostoma revised: the subgenus Lovcenia Zallot et al., 2015 (Caenogastropoda, Cochlostomatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 464, pp. 1-25 : 10-13

Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika ( A.J. Wagner, 1906)

Figs 5A , 6A , 7–8

Auritus (Auritus) erika A.J. Wagner, 1906: 132 , pl. 4, fig. 15a–b.

Auritus (Auritus) erika – Kobelt 1907: 40, pl. 350, fig. 2178.

Cochlostoma erika – Jaeckel et al. 1957: 171. — Welter-Schultes 2012: 94.

Cochlostoma (Turritus) erika – Zilch 1958: 64. — Gittenberger 1976: 281, fig. 9.

Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika – Zallot et al. 2015: 80, figs 7–8, 13, 14.

Diagnosis

Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika differs from C. (L.) dalmatinum by the more regularly spaced and uniform ribs, which are larger and more variable in prominence in the latter species. It differs from C. (L.) jakschae sp. nov. and C. (L.) tropojanum sp. nov. by the indented, acutely curved columellar lobe, which is not gently curved inward, and from C. (L.) lanatum sp. nov. by the larger and more tumid shell with less prominent ribs.

Material examined

Lectotype MONTENEGRO: “ Popovo Höhle bei Njegus ” [Popovo cave near Njeguš], 43.5291º N, 19.2074º E, 30 May 1903, Sturany leg. ( NHMW 38260 a). Here designated.

Paralectotypes MONTENEGRO: 24 spec., same collection data as for lectotype ( NHMW 38260b/10 , NHMW 38469/6 , NHMW-K 15368/4 , NHMW 71640/O/8548/2 , SMF 160854/2 ).

Other material

MONTENEGRO: same locality as lectotype but 1120 m a.s.l., Erőss and Fehér leg., 21 April 2000 ( HNHM 86387 ); same locality as lectotype, Deli, Domokos, Nacsa and Páll-Gergely leg., 4 April 2006 ( HNHM 97109 ); same locality as lectotype, Fuchs leg. ( NHMW-K 47075 ); same locality as lectotype, Dabović leg. ( NHMW-E 49343 , NHMW-E 18270 , NHMW-K 4447 , NHMW-K 51886 , NHMW-K 47074 ); Njeguš, karstic doline near a cave entrance, 900 m a.s.l., Jul. 1977, Maassen leg. (NHMW 81027); same locality as preceding, 17 May 1975, Gittenberger leg. ( RMNH 117451 ); Duboki Do Cave near Krstac, Fuchs leg. ( NHMW-E 28673 , NHMW-K 15369 , NHMW-K 8173 ) .

Measurements

Lectotype: H 9.5 mm, W 4.5 mm, Wbw 3.8 mm, Ha 3.6 mm, Wa 3.6 mm.

NHMW 38260b (N =6) and NHMW-K 47075 (N=6): H 8.9–10.1 mm, W 4.4–4.9 mm, Wbw 3.7–4.0 mm, Ha 2.9–3.6 mm, Wa 3.1–3.7 mm.

Description

SHELL. Large, with 8½–10 whorls, H/W ratio 2.55. The apical 2.4 whorls form the protoconch, which is smooth on only the initial 0.5 whorl; further on the whorls have fine, rather widely spaced riblets. The protoconch is relatively small, Dp/D4th 0.55. The shell is more or less light horn-brown, without spots. The teleoconch whorls are sculptured with whitish, rounded but thin ribs, which are uniform in height, spacing and shape; on the body whorl the ribs become more narrowly spaced and weaker while approaching the aperture. The aperture has a well-developed lip, which broadens at the columellar side before curving abruptly back, forming an acute angle and covering the umbilicus. The body whorl widens near the aperture.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Bursa copulatrix large, with a pedunculus connected proximally; its proximal lobe smaller than the distal one. Short seminal receptacle, without distal oviduct, confined to the ventral side of the body. Visceral oviduct nearly linear while running over the apex of the seminal receptacle. The junction of the uterine gland and the copulatory duct is far from the connection between the distal oviduct and the pedunculus of the bursa.

Distribution

This species lives on the Njeguši Plateau in Montenegro, where only two locations are known.

Habitat preference

Like the majority of known Cochlostoma , this is an obligate rock-dwelling species. Although it can be found at Popovo Cave together with its congener Cochlostoma (Auritus) auritum (Rossmässler, 1837) , this is not syntopy in the strict sense, because there is a difference in their niches. Cochlostoma (A.) auritum lives on the exposed rock surface around the cave entrance, whereas C. (L.) erika is found in the twilight zone inside the cave. Though little is known about its ecological requirements, C. (L.) erika is supposedly bound partly to the epigean environment (i.e., subtroglophile in the sense of Sket 2008).

Remarks

In order to promote nomenclatural stability, a female specimen, which was illustrated in the original description by Wagner (1906: fig. 15a–b), is herein designated as the lectotype.

Figures

Fig. 5. Female specimens of Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) Zallot et al., 2015 used for anatomy (shells were destroyed before dissection). A. C. (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906) (HNHM 86387). B. C. (Lovcenia) dalmatinum (L. Pfeiffer, 1863) (NHMW 110430/MN/0162). C. C. (Lovcenia) tropojanum sp. nov. (NHMW 111248). D. C. (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov. (NHMW 111249). E. C. (Lovcenia) lanatum sp. nov. (HNHM 99861).

Fig. 6. Female genital morphology. See Table 1 for localities and Table 3 for measurements. A. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906) (HNHM 86387). B. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) dalmatinum (L. Pfeiffer, 1863) (NHMW 110430/MN/0162). C. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) tropojanum sp. nov. (NHMW 111248). D1. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov., Bugarska Peak population (NHMW 111249). D2. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) jakschae sp. nov., Pejë Pass population (HNHM 97221). E. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) lanatum sp. nov. (HNHM 99861).

Fig. 7. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906), lectotype, “Popovo Höhle bei Njegus”, Montenegro (NHMW 38260a).

Fig. 8. Cochlostoma (Lovcenia) erika (A.J. Wagner, 1906), Popova Cave near Njeguš, Pljevlja, Montenegro (HNHM 86387).