Peter Gloeer

The scientific literature on molluscans taxonomy in Iran goes back to many years ago; however, in some parts of the country like southern areas, it is completely new. In addition, many of the studies have focused on their potential risk as intermediate hosts for parasites, ignoring their specific taxonomic identification or detailed ecology. In this research, molluscan fauna of Jubkhalle River, southern Iran was investigated in five stations during 2015 and 2016 within a span of 13 km. Four species from gastropods including Physa acuta, Planorbis intermixtus, Radix persica and Galba truncatula as well as a bivalve species Pisidium casertanum were identified. Among them, R. persica and P. casertanum were new records for the Fars Province. Our results showed consistencies between the number of species present and their environmental settings including total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, and the water current velocity. Mean annual current velocity was lowest in station 2, ...

Invasive species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor
their presence and expansion within invaded areas and carry out studies to improve our knowledge
of their biology and ecology. One of the most effective and spectacular invaders among freshwater
snails is the acute bladder snail (Physella acuta) (Draparnaud, 1805). This study aims to update the
available data on P. acuta in Morocco and determine the main environmental factors that favor its
distribution and expansion in this country. Field surveys were conducted in northern Morocco
between 2014 and 2023, with a focus on protected areas such as Ramsar sites, and especially great
geographical barriers such as the Middle Atlas Mountains and the Sebou and Moulouya River basins.
The gastropods were collected using Surber samplers (20 × 25 cm surface area, 400 μm mesh),
together with measurements of the physicochemical parameters of the water and other abiotic factors.
The bladder snail is probably the most widespread freshwater snail in Morocco, where the species
appears to be highly adaptable and can thrive in different habitats, including degraded ones, showing
great plasticity in terms of the physicochemical parameters of the water. The main factor limiting
the geographical distribution and abundance of P. acuta in the study area was water velocity and
conductivity. However, further studies are required to address the future range of expansion of P.
acuta in relation to climate change. Although one of the consequences of climate change is reduced
water flow speed, which may promote its range of expansion in Morocco, salinization of streams may
also reduce its ability to colonize new environments.

Pseudamnicola thawintae sp. n. (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae) is described from Ait-Bouaddou, Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria) by the shells and the anatomy. In addition, photos of the shell and the penis morphology are given and photos of the type locality.

Sarkhia kermanshahensis ( Glöer & Pešić, 2009) comb. n. Fig. 12g Pseudamnicola kermanshahensis Glöer & Pešić, 2009 (synonymy) New records. Markazi Province: IR51 [2 ex.]. Records from Iran. Kermanshah Province (as Pseudamnicola kermanshahensis Glöer and Pešić 2009). Remarks. This species has originally been placed in the genus Pseudamnicola. However, due to the characteristic shape of the penis and the tentacles it is transfered to Sarkhia gen. n. Distribution. Iran; Kermanshah and Markazi Provinces.

From Macedonia only Bithynia prespensis Hadžisce, 1963 is known so far. Recent investigations in Prespa Lake revealed a new Bithynia species, Bithynia shapkarevi n. sp. which is described here. Holotype and a paratype in addition to the penis morphology are depicted. The new Bithynia species has been compared with all known Bithynia spp. from the surrounding countries.

A new species of Valvata (Tropidina) is described from Armenia. It is similar to Valvata nowshahrensis Glöer & Pešić 2012 from Iran and V. kebapcii Odabaşi, Glöer & Yıldırım 2015 from Turkey, but has a smaller shell with a narrower umbilicus. We provide data on the sampling site, photos of the new species in comparison with related species. Additionally, the taxonomy of Valvata brandti Westerlund, 1897 from Armenia is shortly discussed.

Two new stygobiont species of the family Hydrobiidae Troschel, 1857, i.e. Iverakia hausdorfi n. gen. n. sp. and Bythiospeum demattiai n. sp. were described. The both species have been collected from the spring Iverak near Podgorica. Descriptions and photos of the holotypes are presented.  

Aquatic snails of the genus Bythinella are among most abundant genera in springs of the Mediterranean region. In this paper we reported three species of the genus Bythinella from the springs on the island of Evia (Euboea, Euboia). Two species, i.e., Bythinella kastanolongosensis n. sp. and B. reuselaarsi n. sp. are described as new for science and photos of their shells and the penis are provided. New records are given for B. dimitrosensis Glöer & Reuselaars, 2020.

New samples of freshwater molluscs collected by the second author in the East Mediterranean region of Turkey revealed three new species of the genus Pseudamnicola Paulucci, 1878, i.e., P. goksunensis  n. sp., P. merali  n. sp., and P. marashi n. sp. Descriptions and photos of the species as well as the type localities are presented.

Four species of the genus Pseudamnicola (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae Stimpson, 1865), i.e. P. stasimoensis n. sp., P. lesbosensis n. sp., P. samosensis n. sp. and P. skalaensis n. sp are described as new to science. The type localities of 13 Pseudamnicola spp. and 1 subspecies hitherto known from Greece, including the Greek part of Cyprus, are presented on a map.

Asia contains a high species diversity of the freshwater gastropod genusTheodoxus. Recent molecular and morphological reviews of this diversity have uncovered a number of yet undescribed species while suggesting the urgent revision of several others. Moreover, some of these studies have indicated a number of species previously not recorded for this continent. Despite the advancements, a taxonomic revision and an update on the distribution ofTheodoxusspp. in Asia is still pending. Here, we construct the most robust phylogeny ofTheodoxusup to now and review original descriptions, type material, recent taxonomic revisions, compendia, and species lists to provide a comprehensive checklist of all known extant AsianTheodoxusspp. Our checklist also provides descriptions for three recently discovered and yet undescribed species (Theodoxus gururSands & Glöer,sp. nov.,Theodoxus wesselinghiSands & Glöer,sp. nov., andTheodoxus wilkeiSands & Glöer,sp. nov.), as well as shows the need to synonymi...

During a field trip to the western part of the Balkan Peninsula in 2016, investigations of several caves and karstic springs revealed six new gastropod species living in subterranean waters and resulted in some note-worthy faunistic records. Five of the new species are assigned to the genus Pavlović, 1913, namely , , , , and one to the genus Tomlin, 1930, namely New Albania and Kosovo distribution records are given for Schütt, 1975, Schütt, 1960, (Bole, 1961), and the first georeferenced record is given for Schütt, 1960. The most important environmental factors influencing habitat selection of these subterranean freshwater gastropods are briefly discussed.

Dilian Georgiev found topotypes of Viviparus sphaeridius Bourguignat, 1880, which has not been mentioned in the West European literature since its original description, except one citation by Westerlund (1886: 7). The rediscovery of this species is provided. As a result, V. sphaeridius is considered to represent a species in its own rights well distinguishable from the other European species in the genus Viviparus. Additionally, a key to the Viviparus species from Europe is given to facilitate future identification and prevent further misidentifications

A new species of Valvata (Tropidina) is described from Armenia. It is similar to Valvata nowshahrensis Glöer & Pešić 2012 from Iran and V. kebapcii Odabaşi, Glöer & Yıldırım 2015 from Turkey, but has a smaller shell with a narrower umbilicus. We provide data on the sampling site, photos of the new species in comparison with related species. Additionally, the taxonomy of Valvata brandti Westerlund, 1897 from Armenia is shortly discussed.

From Macedonia only Bithynia prespensis Hadžišče, 1963 is known so far. Recent investigations in Prespa Lake revealed a new Bithynia species, Bithynia shapkarevi n. sp. which is described here. Holotype and a paratype in addition to the penis morphology are depicted. The new Bithynia species has been compared with all known Bithynia spp. from the surrounding countries.

Two new species of the genus Bythinella Moquin-Tandon, 1856, i.e. B. marici n. sp. from Bosnia and Hercegovina, and
B. istoka n. sp. from Kosovo were described. The holotypes of both species as well as the penis morphology are
depicted. In addition a list and distribution map of the Bythinella spp. occuring in the Western Balkan Peninsula is
provided.

The nomenclatorial history and the current
taxonomic treatment of the species name Limneus
ampla Hartmann, 1821 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae)
have been reviewed. It was established that
this name cannot be regarded as a junior synonym of
Turbo patulus Da Costa, 1778, as it has been suggested
by Kruglov and Starobogatov [1983]. The original
description of Turbo patulus contradicts the original
drawing of the shell; moreover, the species’s author
obviously used this name in a quite wide sense, therefore
it might be attached to different Palaearctic species
of the (sub)genus Radix Montfort, 1810. Moreover, the
species L. ampla does not occur in waterbodies of
Britain, therefore it hardly could be described by Da
Costa under the name Turbo patulus. To prevent possible
troubles with using of these taxonomic names in
future, we designate the lectotypes of Turbo patulus
(based on its original picture) and Limneus ampla here.
The basic principles of the zoological nomenclature
are stability and universality in the scientific
names as well as the priority of publication. These
rules force taxonomists to look for the oldest available
name among a set of names that can be attached
to a given taxon [International Commission..., 1999].
In many well-investigated animal groups, such as
freshwater molluscs, the history of taxonomic studies
can be traced up to the middle of the XVIII
century [Linnaeus, 1758, 1767] that sometimes creates
a special problem for malacologists who want
to judge on the identity of one or another species.
It is well known that most species names introduced
in older taxonomic papers are often not accompanied
with clear and detailed description or differential
diagnosis as well as with adequate drawings of whole
animals or their diagnostically significant parts. The
two last editions of “Systema Naturae” [Linnaeus,
1758, 1767] can present an excellent example of this
kind.
One can imagine at least three possible ways to
avoid these intrinsic disadvantages of earliest taxonomic
publications:
1. We may examine the type materials of a given
species. This is the most reliable way, though some
of older taxonomists’ collections are not available
now [Dance, 1986]. If the type specimen has not
been clearly designated by the author, one can designate
a lectotype of a given species. It is worthy
to note that a lectotype can be designated on the
basis of the original description or drawings, if a
reviser is aware that the type series is lost [ICZN
Art. 74.4].
2. We may try to collect topotypic specimens to
add new information to an original description. This
method has repeatedly been used in freshwater gastropod
systematics [Meier-Brook, 1964, 1983; Falkner,
1984, 1985; Jackiewicz, 1988; Paraense, Pointier,
2003], though it has certain restrictions as
well. For example, the type habitat might be not
indicated by the species’s author or be indicated in
rather fuzzy manner (“Habitat in Siciliae”, “frequens
in Europeae stagnis” and so on). Besides, the type
habitat may have been altered or destroyed completely.
If topotypic specimens are available, there is
a possibility of designating a neotype [ICZN Art.
75.3.6; 75A] to provide stable application of a given
name.
3. At last, we can exploit the tradition of crossreferencing,
which is used in European scientific
literature since the medieval epoch. As a rule, taxonomists
of XVIII-XIX centuries supplied their species
descriptions with lists of synonyms, indicating,
who of their predecessors or contemporaries discuss
this species. Thus, the tracing of these references
allow us to produce well-grounded hypotheses about
identity of species under disputation, even if the type
materials and habitats are lost.
In this note, we investigate some nomenclatorial
questions concerning the freshwater gastropod species
name Turbo patulus Da Costa that was ambiguously
used in subsequent malacological literature
during XIX-XX centuries.

Basis of the species considered in these
books are the lists of the Fauna Europaea
project, published by Ruud Bank (2004,
2011a, 2011b) as well as Bank & Neubert
(2018) with additions of species which have
been described until 2021 and VINARSKI &
KANTOR (2018) for Russia. These check-lists
have been expanded by species living outside
Europe. Altogether more than 1.700
species are described and depicted.

This is the first identification key for the freshwater gastropods of the West
Palaearctis of which the progress of malacological research of the last decades
has been considered. Nearly all species have been depicted by high quality photos
and in a way that species identification is possible. Additional descriptions
and identification keys, which refer to the typical characters of the species, support
the depictions. For most species photos of the anatomy are provided. Altogether
there are 424 photo-plates with more than 1,600 professional individual
photos.
Basis of the species considered in this book are the lists of the Fauna Europaea
project, published by Ruud Bank (2004, 2011a, 2011b) as well as Bank & Neubert
(2018) with additions of species which have been described after 2011 and
VINARSKI & KANTOR (2018) for European Russia. This check-list has been
expanded by species living outside Europe. The borders of the West-Palaearctis
are Iceland in the north, the Ural, along the Caspian Sea to Iran in the east, the
Near East and Northern Africa to Portugal in the west. In addition species names
in doubt have been compared with WORMS (World Register Of Marine Species,
http://www.marinespecies.org).