Cochlostoma (Clessiniella) stelucarum Zallot & Mattia & Fehér & Gittenberger 2021, sp. nov.

Cochlostoma (Clessiniella) stelucarum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4609B41C-3611-4F8A-9048-5F97EA0446E6

Figs 1, 3E, 14B, 15B, 16B, 15–27

Diagnosis

Slender shell with 8½–10½ rather widely ribbed whorls. Spots always visible. Poorly developed lip with FF or AF external lobe. Visceral oviduct simplified and seminal receptacle sometimes oval.

Etymology

The epithet ‘ steluca ’ is an acronym noun formed from the initial syllables of the names of the wife and two daughters (Stefania, Ludovica and Camilla Zallot) of the senior author.

Type material (Fig. 27)

Holotype ITALY • ♀ (in ethanol); Friuli Venezia Giulia, Udine, Cornino; 46.2297° N, 13.0250° E; 180 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2002; Zallot leg.; rocks surrounding the lake; RMNH.MOL.347617.

Paratypes ITALY • 1 ♂ (in ethanol); same collection data as for holotype; RMNH.MOL.347618 • 1 ♀ (empty shell); same collection data as for holotype; GenBank voucher H3: KX120830; RMNH.MOL.347619.

Other material

ITALY • Anduins-cliffs; 46.23755° N, 12.97106° E; 1997; Zallot leg.; EZ0102 • Campone; 46.26194° N, 12.83333° E; 2010; Zallot leg.; EZ0098 • Castelmonte; 46.094° N, 13.52095° E; Oct. 2010; Margelli leg.; EZ1020 • Cjanet-Peonis; 46.25917° N, 13.04111° E; 2002; Zallot leg.; EZ0105 • Cornino; 46.22972° N, 13.025° E; 2002; Zallot leg.; EZ0104 • F. Piccola Mt Valinins; 46.245° N, 12.80111° E; 2000; Zallot leg.; EZ0095 • Mt Bernadia; 46.23361° N, 13.25556° E; 2005; Zallot leg.; EZ0107 • Mt Ciaurlec; 46.21226° N, 12.88018° E; 2005; Zallot leg.; EZ0099 • Mt Prat; 46.24577° N, 12.9907° E; 2002; Zallot leg.; EZ0103 • Mt Valinis; 46.23417° N, 12.8075° E; 2002; Zallot leg.; EZ0096 • San Vito D’asio; 46.2337° N, 12.94531° E; 1997; Zallot leg.; EZ0101 • Tramonti-Campone; 46.27833° N, 12.81917° E; 2000; Zallot leg.; EZ0097 • Val di Torre-all’imbocco; 46.23861° N, 13.23111° E; 1998; Zallot leg.; EZ0106 • Valle D’Arzino; 46.30278° N, 12.92972° E; 2000; Zallot leg.; EZ0100.

Description

SHELL. The shell has prominent spots and strong and rounded ribs, which are regularly and widely spaced and coloured like the background. The ribs become less prominent on the body whorl. The body whorl slightly and gradually enlarges while approaching the aperture (Fig. 4A: FF, AF). In comparison with the other species of the subgenus, the whorls increase more slowly in size so that, given the same shell height, there is a higher number of whorls (Fig. 9).

FEMALE GENITALIA. The visceral oviduct has only 1–2 superficial loops, what makes it one of the simplest in the genus Cochlostoma. The seminal receptacle is thin and may be oval, thus not always club-shaped as in the other species.

MALE GENITALIA. The penis is longer than the body and inflated, although less so than in the other species of Clessiniella. The penial spermiduct is gently twisted. The body spermiduct is straight. There is a long groove, ending in a well-formed sperm pocket, delimited at the frontal side by an ascending sperm funnel.

Distribution

The species inhabits a restricted area in the eastern Southern Pre-Alps. Our sampling localities are located between Val Tramontina to the west and Val di Torre to the east (Friuli region, Italy).

Habitat preference

Like in most species of Cochlostoma, these are obligate rock-dwelling snails but, rather than on the surface of limestone cliffs, their main habitat is on smaller surfaces of stones and boulders which are normally found in large numbers at the foot of the cliffs.

Remarks

Cochlostoma (Clessiniella) stelucarum sp. nov. was introduced as Cochlostoma sp. by Zallot (2002: 98). At most of the localities, it lives syntopically with either Co. (Eupomatias) philippianum (Gredler, 1853) or Co. (Eupomatias) henricae (Strobel, 1851). Near the village of Anduins it has been found a few centimeters apart from both Co. (Eu.) henricae and Co. (Cochlostoma) septemspirale on stones and boulders. This is one of the rare cases where 3 species of Cochlostoma, belonging to different subgenera, live syntopically. The range of the species is situated in between the range of Co. (Cl.) villae in the west and that of the other species of Clessiniella in the east.