The genus Pseudobithynia in Lebanon, with a
redescription of three species and additional notes
on its ecology
(Mollusca: Bithyniidae)
Peter Glöer, Aref Dia, Gerhard Falkner
Abstract. New material of Bithyniidae from Lebanon comprised topotypes of Paludina badiella
Küster, 1853, Bithynia saulcyi Bourguignat, 1853, and Bithynia hamicensis Pallary, 1939, which
are redescribed, and for which, for the first time, penis morphology is depicted. We found that P.
amiqensis Glöer & Bößneck, 2007 is conspecific with P. hamicensis (Pallary, 1939) (syn. n.).
Key words. Pseudobithynia, Paludina badiella, Bithynia hamicensis, Bithynia saulcyi, redescriptions, Lebanon, Middle East.
Introduction
Pseudobithynia is a genus similar to Bithynia, but without a penial appendix. GERMAIN
(1921: 5 ff.) reported as many as 13 taxa of Bithyniidae from Lebanon and Syria. Even so,
this family is still not well investigated because there is no clear concept of the species that
occur in this region. GERMAIN (1922: plate 21, fig. 18-24) depicted Bithynia hawadieriana
Bourguignat, 1853, and B. sidoniensis Mousson, 1861, which look very distinct, while
SCHÜTT (1983: 29) believed that these taxa are synonyms of B. phialensis (Conrad, 1852)
and continued to adhere to his two species concept for this region, with the two species B.
phialensis and B. badiella (Küster, 1853), respectively. Recently, GLÖER & BÖßNECK (2007)
added three new species to the faunal list of Lebanon, Pseudobithynia kathrini, P. levantica,
and P. amiqensis.
SCHÜTT (1983) studied the rich material collected in the Orontes and neighbouring river
systems by the Institute of Zoology of the University of Mainz between 1975 and 1980 (R.
KINZELBACH), but could not provide evidence for the occurrence of Pseudobithynia. As no
wet material exists in the Senckenberg collection, where the materials were deposited by
SCHÜTT, more precise anatomical studies are not possible (JANSSEN, in litt.). From the
neighbouring continental Africa no Bithynia species lacking a penial appendix is known
(MANDAHL-BARTH 1968, BROWN 1994, VAN DAMME 1984). BÖßNECK (GLÖER & BÖßNECK
2007) as well as A. DIA could only find Pseudobithynia species in Lebanon, and no Bithynia
species. So it is still unclear which species SCHÜTT (1983: 33, Fig. 3B) was actually studying
when he depicted the penis morphology of “Bithynia badiella”, especially as he did not
indicate the sampling site.
The aim of this paper is to improve knowledge of the molluscan biodiversity of Lebanon,
and to redescribe some Pseudobithynia species based on our new material.
Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012: 87-96.
ISSN 0939-7140 © Kasparek Verlag, Heidelberg
88
Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012
Fig. 1. The sampling sites of Pseudobithynia spp. in Lebanon.
The numbers refer to Table 1.
Material and methods
Altogether 20 river systems were surveyed (springs, brooks, rivers, ponds and lakes) and 200
sampling sites were studied in Lebanon between 1979 and 2009 by Aref DIA. Pseudobithynia
species could be found at 39 stations in seven river systems.
The material was collected from the banks of the water bodies with a Surber sampler and a kick
net, and was preserved in ethanol (75%). The dissections of the genital organs and measurements
and the shells were carried out using a stereo microscope (Zeiss). The photographs were made
with a digital camera system (Leica R8). The material is deposited in the collection of the National Council for Scientific Research, Beirut, Lebanon.
Hydrological data were provided by the National Office of Litani (gauges: Limnigraphe), as
m3/s. Dissolved oxygen was determined with the Winkler Method and using the kit “HACH”
titration (Winkler-Azide with PAO, EL/2000 DR model). Dissolved oxygen content was measured in the field.
To identify the Pseudobithynia spp. from Lebanon, we used topotypes and compared these
with original photos of the syntypes, which were taken by Eike NEUBERT.
Mollusca
89
Table 1. Collecting stations. Localities are listed and numbered per river basin (S = station).
S
Sampling site/ taxa
I. Basin of El Kebir (surface 1000 km2, length 60 km)
S1
Aarida, at bridge El Assouad, near village El Aarida / P. sp. juv.
S2
Nsara, little spring-brook in Ouadi Audine/ P. sp. juv.
S3
Magl el Bal, little spring-brook in Ouadi Audine/ P. hamicensis
S4
Es Safa spring, at bridge Ouadi Khaled/ P. sp. juv.
II. Basin of Abou Aali, (surface 484 km2, length 42 km)
S5
Abou Aali at Abou Samra, near Citadel Saint Gilles,Tripoli / P. kathrini, P.
hamicensis
S6
Qadicha, a stream at power plant, near village Bcherré/ P. badiella
S7
Rachaaîne spring, near village Rachaaine/ P. badiella, P. kathrini
S8
Rachaaîne a stream at Tahoûne El Merdâchiyé / P. kathrini
S9
Rachaaîne a stream at bridge Zgharta (village) / P. kathrini
III. Basin of Ibrahim (surface 330 km2, length 30 km)
S10
Ibrahim at Janné, near village Janné / P. kathrini, P. hamicensi, P. cf.
levantica
S11
S12
Aakoura spring (Aaqoura), near village Aakoura / P. kathrini, P. cf.
levantica
Below Afqa spring, near village El Ghâbât / P. sp. juv.
IV. Basin of El Kalb (surface 260 Km2, length 30 Km)
S13
El Kalb at estuary of the river / P. hamicensis, P. sp. juv.
S14
El Kalb at Hrajel, near village Hrajel / P. sp. juv.
V. Basin of Aouali (Awali)
S15
Aouali at Jisr el Misri, near village Barouk / P. kathrini
S16
Aouali at Jisr Batloûn, near village Barouk / P. sp. juv., P. cf. levantica
S17
Aouali at jisr Jdeidet el Choûf/ P. sp. (juv.)
Tributary (Nahr Aaray Jezzine/Waterfall Jezzîne)
S18
Nabaa Jezzîne a spring-brook near village Jezzine / P. sp. (juv.)
S19
Nahr Aaray a stream, near village Jezzine / P. kathrini
S20
Nahr Aaray below village Jezzine (Oûadi Jezzîne) / P. cf. levantica
VI. Basin of Litani (surface 2170 km2, length 170 km)
S21
Litani at Rayak bridge/ P. kathrini
S22
Litani at Joub Jannine, near village Joub Jannine / P. hamicensis
S23
Litani below Ain Zarka spring, near power plant Markaba / P. kathrini, P.
hamicensis
Alt. Coordinates
254
1440
1330
380
date
34°39’N 36°18’E
34°31’N 36°18’E
34°30’N 36°18’E
34°37’N 36°24’E
25.10.2009
25.08.2009
13.03.2008
31.08.2009
30 34°25’N 35°50’E
18.10.2000
16.06.1993
10.03.1996
19.11.1995
09.07.1995
10.03.1996
24.12.1995
27.04.2002
18.10.2001
1400 34°15’N 36°00’E
136 34°23’N 35°55’E
80 34°23’N 35°54’E
60 34°23’N 35°54’E
730 34°04’N 35°49’E
1400 34°07’N 35°54’E
23.06.2002
03.11.2002
09.03.2002
29.07.1995
1020 34°04’N 35°52’E
15.01.1995
15.04.1995
12 33°57’N 35°36’E
1190 34°00’N 35°47’E
09.05.2007
29.04.2006
1050 33°42’N 35°40’E
980 33°41’N 35°39’E
710 33°39’N 35°36’E
10.11.1979
20.10.1979
13.03.1979
08.12.1979
950 33°32’N 35°35’E
900 33°32’N 35°34’E
690 33°33’N 35°34’E
18.08.1979
23.04.1979
27.07.1979
900 33°50’N 36°00’E
800 33°38’N 35°16’E
550 33°32’N 35°41’E
04.07.1995
10.10.1991
29.4.2005
02.07.2005
11.11.2005
03.12.1988
24.12.1988
24.02.1989
29.01.1989
10.10.1995
03.05.2000
07.10.1987
24.05.2000
17.10.1991
30. 05.1995
10.10.1991
06.05.2004
27.05.1995
06.5.2004
14.05.2003
14.05.2003
14.05.2003
14.05.2003
03.03.2005
S24
Litani above Kasmiyé (Qasmiyeh) near village Kasmiyé / P. hamicensis
5 33°20’N 35°15’E
S25
1000 33°56’N 36°03’E
S26
Haouch-Bay (Hawch Bay) spring, near village Chmistar / P. kathrini, P.
hamicensis
Yahfoufa, a stream at village Janta / P. kathrini
S27
S28
S29
S30
Anjar spring, near village Anjar / P. kathrini, P. hamicensis
Ghazyeil, a stream near village Estable / P. badiella, P. hamicensis
Kab-Elias (koub-Eliass), a stream above village Kab- Elias / P. kathrini
Ammiq springs and pond / P. hamicensis, P. kathrini
1000
870
1000
850
S31
S32
Khraizat spring, near village Saghbine/ P. kathrini
Tayouné spring, near village Saghbine / P. badiella, P. hamicensis
1000 33°36’N 35°41’E
1000 33°36’N 35°41’E
S33
S34
Daya’a spring, near village Machgara / P. kathrini
Hjair spring (Ouadi Hujeir), near Ghandouriyé + Qantra vill./ P. kathrini
1000 33°32’N 35°39’E
230 33°15’N 35°27’E
1000 33°51’N 36°06’E
33°44’N 35°56’E
33°45’N 35°56’E
33°47’N 35°49’E
33°43’N 35°47’E
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Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012
VII. Basin of Orontes (surface 1870 km2, length 46 km)
S35
Orontes below Chwaghir village (Chouaghir) / P. kathrini
S36
Ras el-Ain Baalbeck, springs and pond / P. saulcyi, P. kathrini
1000 34°00’N 36°12’E
S37
El Haour at Marjhine, springs and pond , near village El Hermel / P.
levantica, P. kathrini
1730 34°22’N 36°13’E
S38
El Jammâssia at Marjhine, springs and pond , near vill. El Hermel / P.
levantica
El Jamiaa at Marjhine, springs and pond, near village El Hermel / P.
levantica
1720 34°22’N 36°13’E
25.08.1984
28.04.1985
18.01.2009
30.04.1995
20.05.20012
0.05.2010
09.10.2001
20.05.2001
1720 34°23’N 36°14’E
21.10.2004
S39
570 34°24’N 36°26’E
Results
Pseudobithynia spp. were found at 39 out of 200 sampling sites (Table 1, Fig. 1). These
samples comprised five species: P. hamicensis (Pallary, 1939) (12 stations), P. kathrini
Glöer & Bößneck, 2007 (21 stations), P. levantica Glöer & Bößneck, 2007 (3 stations), P.
badiella (Küster, 1853) (4 stations), and P. saulcyi (Bourguignat, 1853) (1 station). In addition, we found that P. amiqensis Glöer & Bößneck, 2007 is conspecific with P. hamicensis
Pallary, 1939 and is thus a junior synonym of the latter species. Not all specimens could be
determined to species level, because juvenile Pseudobithynia spp. are not always characteristic enough for identification.
It was found that three species of Pseudobithynia occur in the river basins of Abou Ali,
Litani, and Orontes (Table 2). Two species are hemi-stenothermous and three species are
eurythermous (Table 3).
Pseudobithynia Glöer & Pešić, 2006
Type species: Pseudobithynia irana Glöer & Pešić, 2006
Diagnosis: The shells are globular to conical or elongated conical. The operculum is calcareous, and the penis has neither a penial appendix nor a flagellum.
Pseudobithynia badiella (Küster, 1853)
Paludina badiella KÜSTER, 1853 (p. 62, figs. 25-28); Beirut.
Neotype: NEUBERT (1998: 347, Fig. 32). – Material: S6, S7, S28, S32.
Description: The small yellowish-brown coloured shell is spherical and has 3.5 fast growing
whorls, which are slightly rounded and flattened at the top, separated by a clear suture (Figs
2.1, 2.4). The body whorl is dominant. The surface is silky, opaque and finely striated. The
umbilicus is slit-like to closed, and the operculum is yellowish (Fig. 2.2). Shell height 3.03.5 mm, width 3.0-3.5 mm. The penis is broad at the base and pointed at the tip, and the
penial appendix is absent (Fig. 2.3). – Diagnosis: The shells of P. badiella are globular and
the body whorl is flattened at the suture.
Distribution: The species was found only in the coastal rivers of the western slope of Mont
Liban and the headwater of the Orontes and Litani rivers (eastern slope of Mont Liban), at
two sampling sites each. It could be found in the crenal and rhithral of rivers (Fig. 3) at water
temperatures of 6-22°C and at altitudes of 130-1400 m.
Mollusca
91
Fig. 2. Pseudobithynia badiella (S7). 1: Shell (male), 2: operculum, 3: head with penis, 4: with operculum
(female).
Fig. 3. Habitat of Pseudobithynia badiella. 1- 4: S7 (Rachaaîine spring, near village Rachaaîne).
Pseudobithynia hamicensis (Pallary, 1939)
Bithynia hamicensis PALLARY, 1939 (p. 75, pl. IV, figs. 37-40). Ammiq.
Pseudobithynia amiqensis Glöer & Bößneck, 2007, n. syn.
Material: S3, S5, S10, S13, S22, S23, S24, S25, S27, S28, S30 (topotypes), S32.
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Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012
Fig. 4. Pseudobithynia hamicensis. 1: Shell (male, S5), 2: operculum, 3-7: penis in situ, 8: shell (female, S24),
9: operculum, 10: shell with eggs, 11: shell (female, S22) – p = penis, s = snout, t = tentacle.
Description: The conical silky shell is horn-coloured and consists of 5-5.5 whorls, which are
slightly rounded and separated by a clear suture (Fig. 4.1). The umbilicus is slit-like to
closed. The oval aperture is angled at the top, and its outer edge is thickened with a white lip.
The edge of the aperture, as seen from the side, is sinuate. The nucleus of the operculum is
central (Figs 4.2, 4.9). Females are broader (Figs 4.8, 4.11). Shell: ♂ 10.3 mm high, 6.7 mm
wide; ♀ 9.3 mm high and 6.9 mm wide, resulting in a mean ratio of H:B=1.5 (♂), 1.3 (♀)
respectively; the ratio of aperture height to shell height is 0.41 (♂) and 0.48 (♀). The juveniles are globular. The mantle is dark-coloured with fine white unsharp spots. The penis is
simple, with folds in the middle part, broad at its base and attenuated at the distal end (Figs
4.3-4.7). – Diagnosis: The outer margin of the aperture of P. hamicensis is thickened, the
Mollusca
93
Fig. 5. Sampling sites of Pseudobithynia hamicensis.1: S5 (Abou Aali at Abou Samra, near Citadel Saint
Gilles,Tripoli), 2: S24 (Litani above Kasmiyé (Qasmiyeh) near village Kasmiyé), 3: S22 (Litani at Joub Jannine, near village Joub Jannine), 4: S27 (Anjar spring, near village Anjar).
Fig. 6. Pseudobithynia saulcyi. 1: Shell (male, S36), 2: operculum, 3: penis in situ. – e = eye, p = penis, s =
snout, t = tentacle.
94
Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012
Fig. 7. Bithyniidae of Lebanon. 1: Pseudobithynia badiella, 2: P. saulcyi, 3: P. kathrini, 4: Pseudobithynia
hamicensis, 5: P. levantica.
umbilicus is closed, while the umbilicus is slit-like in P. kathrini, and the outer margin of the
aperture is sharp in that species. The penis of P. hamicensis has a swelling in its middle part,
whilst there is no swelling in P. kathrini.
Distribution: The species occurs in both coastal and inland area (El Kebir, Abou Ali, Ibrahim, El Kalb, Litani), and is, in addition to P. kathrini, the most widespread Pseudobithynia
species in Lebanon. It occurs at elevations from 5 to 1330 m a.s.l. It is eurythermous (1126°C) and eurytopic (main river, tributaries, springs and pond) (Fig. 5). The eggs are laid on
the shells of other specimens (Fig. 4.10).
Remarks: Because of the high variability of the shells of this species, GLÖER & BÖßNECK
(2007) did not recognise that P. hamicensis (Pallary) and P. amiqensis Glöer & Bößneck,
2007 are conspecific. We compared our samples with a photo of a syntype, which allowed us
to identify P. hamicensis beyond doubt.
Pseudobithynia saulcyi (Bourguignat, 1853)
Bithynia saulcyi BOURGUIGNAT, 1853 (p. 63). Baalbek.
Material: S36 (topotype).
Description: The silky shell is conical, brownish horn-coloured, with 4.5 slightly rounded
whorls (Fig. 6.1). The suture is deep. The body whorl is prominent, and the umbilicus is
closed. The aperture is oval and angled at the top, with a sharp margin. The operculum is
concave at the central nucleus (Fig. 6.2). The mantle is black. Shell 5.8 mm high, 4.1 mm
wide, ratio of H:B=1.4. The penis is simple, broad at the base and blunt at the distal end
Mollusca
95
Table 2. Number of Pseudobithynia spp. recorded per river system in The Lebanon.
El Kebir
P. badiella
P. hamicensis
P. kathrini
P. levantica
P. saulcyi
No. of species
+
1
Abou
Aali
Ibrahim
El Kalb
+
+
+
+
+
+
3
2
1
Aouali
(Awali)
Litani
+
+
+
+
1
3
Orontes
+
+
+
3
(Fig. 6.3). – Diagnosis: Shell conical, umbilicus closed, margin of the aperture thin and
sharp, penis simple.
Distribution: It was found only in the headwater of the Orontes (eastern slope of Mont Liban) at one sampling site (Ras el-Ain Baalbeck). The spring of Ras el-Ain Baalbeck (S27) is
part of a karstic area in a chain of the Anti-Lebanon mountains in the east (inland province,
or Bekaa with a submediterranean to arid climate). Currently, its flow is reduced by pumping
and is only rarely 1 m3/s. This main resurgence is marked by dense macrophytes: Ranunculus sphaerospermus and Myriophyllum spicatum. On the banks we find grasses (Graminaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae), and on the water surface filamentous algae in particular. At
our sampling site, the water temperature was 9-16°C, dissolved O2 levels at or near saturation (80-90%), and the substrate consisting of silt and sand rich in decaying plant debris; the
depth varied between 10 and 40 cm.
Remarks: According to BOURGUIGNAT (1853: 63), B. saulcyi is subconical ventricose with a
black-greenish epidermis. The surface bears black ribs. The measurements of the original
description are: shell height 6 mm, width 3.5 mm. We could not find this black-greenish
epidermis and the black ribs, nor were they evident on the holotype.
Identification key to the Bithyniidae of Lebanon
1
Shell small, height 3-3.5 mm, globular, margin of the aperture thick,
penis simple without swelling ............................................................ P. badiella
– Shell larger, conical .................................................................................... 2
2 Shell >8 mm high, outer margin of the aperture thickened, penis
with a swelling .......................................................................... P. hamicensis
– Shell <8 mm high, penis with a swelling or simple .............................................. 3
3 Shell height 7-8 mm, slim conical, margin of the aperture sharp,
umbilicus slit-like, penis simple ......................................................... P. kathrini
– Shell smaller, umbilicus closed ...................................................................... 4
4 Shell height 6 mm, conical, umbilicus closed, margin of the
aperture thin and sharp, penis simple ................................................... P. saulcyi
– Shell height 5-6 mm, conical, penis with a swelling................................ P. levantica
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Zoology in the Middle East 57, 2012
Table 3. Zonation (as range of temperature, and range of elevation) of Pseudobithynia spp. in
Lebanese rivers (coastal = coastal rivers of the western slope of Mont Lebanon; inland = headwater of Orontes and Litani rivers (eastern slope of Mont Lebanon)).
P. kathrini
Water temperature
(°C, min.-max)
9-18
hemistenothermous
8-28
eurythermous
P. hamicensis
11-26
eurythermous
P. saulcyi
9-16
P. badiella
6-22
hemistenothermous
eurythermous
P. levantica
Zonation
crenal and rhithral
eurytope but prefers
crenal-rhithral
eurytope but prefers
crenal-rhithral
crenal
crenal and rhithral
Altitude
600-1730
Distribution
30-1730
inland (Orontes
river basin)
coastal + inland
5-1330
coastal + inland
1000-1100
inland (Orontes
river basin)
coastal + inland
130-1400
Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Eike NEUBERT for the photos of the syntypes of the Pseudobithynia species re-described above, and David WALKER, who checked the English language. In addition we
express our thanks to two anonymous referees for their helpful comments. The second author received financial support from the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research.
References
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n. sp. – drei neue Arten aus dem Libanon (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Bithyniidae). — Mollusca 25:
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der Natur mit Beschreibungen. In: MARTINI & CHEMNITZ, Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet,
(Ed. 2) I.21: 96 pp., 14 plates.
MANDAHL-BARTH, G. (1968): Revision of the African Bithyniidae (Gastropoda Prosobranchia). –
Revue de Zoologie et Botanique africaines 78: 129-160, Taf. 2-4.
NEUBERT, E. (1998): Annotated checklist of the terrestrial and freshwater molluscs of the Arabian
Peninsula with descriptions of new species. – Fauna of Arabia 17: 333-461.
PALLARY, P. (1939): Deuxième Addition à la Faune Malacologique de la Syrie. – Mémoires présentés
à l’Institut d’Égypte 39: 143 pp, 7 plates.
SCHÜTT, H. (1983): Die Molluskenfauna der Süßwässer im Einzugsgebiet des Orontes unter Berücksichtigung benachbarter Flußsysteme. – Archiv für Molluskenkunde 113: 17-91, 225-228 (Register).
Authors’ addresses: Peter Glöer, Biodiversity Research Laboratory, Schulstr. 3, 25491 Hetlingen,
Germany. – Aref Dia, National Council for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 11-8281, Riad el Solh, Beirut
1107226, Lebanon. – Gerhard Falkner, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart, Germany. –
Email contact: gloeer@malaco.de.