Subgeneric division of the genus Orcula Held 1837 with remarks on Romanian orculid data (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Orculidae)

Abstract

The genital anatomy of Orcula jetschini (Romania), Orcula zilchi (Bulgaria), and Orcula wagneri (Albania) is described. Based on anatomical features (morphology of the penial caecum) shell characters (sculpture and shape) and unpublished molecular data the genus Orcula is subdivided into three subgenera. Orcula zilchi was classified within the monotypic subgenus Orcula (Hausdorfia) subgen. n.; Orcula jetschini, Orcula wagneri, and Orcula schmidtii were classified to Orcula (Illyriobanatica) subgen. n. (type species: Pupa schmidtii) whereas the other Orcula species remain in the nominotypical subgenus. Orcula (Hausdorfia) is known from South-Eastern Bulgaria and North-Western Turkey, Orcula (Illyriobanatica) inhabits Western Romania, North-Western Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The nine species of Orcula (Orcula) are known mainly from the Alps and the Western Carpathians (from Eastern France to Eastern Hungary and Slovakia).The occurrence of only one Orcula species namely Orcula jetschini is verified from Romania. Available information suggests that data on the Romanian occurrence of Orcula dolium and Orcula gularis were based on wrongly identified specimens. Sphyradium dobrogicum (=Orcula dobrogica) is considered as a synonym of Sphyradium doliolum.

Phylogeography of the land snail genus Orcula(Orculidae, Stylommatophora) with emphasis on the Eastern Alpine taxa: speciation, hybridization and morphological variation

“…(A) Distribution ranges O. dolium, O. jetschini , O. wagneri and O. schmidtii , and O. zilchi . The dotted line marks the area enlarged in Figures B and C. Map modified from [15]. (B and C) Distribution ranges Orcula species in the Alps.…”

“…One of the main aims of this study was to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among Orcula species and to test whether the Alpine Orcula species represented a monophyletic group. Based on a comprehensive phylogenetic data set including samples of all 13 Orcula species there is clear evidence that the nine species distributed in the Alps represent a monophyletic group corresponding to the subgenus Orcula as proposed by Páll-Gergely et al [ 15 ]. Similarly, Illyriobanatica and Hausdorfia are each monophyletic in the mt and nc trees (Figures 3 , 4 ).…”

“…Sphyradium dobrogicum Grossu, 1986 was also classified within the genus Orcula in the Fauna Europaea checklist [ 14 ], but without any published reference. However, based on available information, the species was synonymized with Sphyradium doliolum (Bruguière, 1792) [ 15 ]. Data on type specimens and taxonomic considerations about all Orcula taxa are summarized in the type catalogue of [ 16 ].…”

“…Schileyko [ 18 ] also investigated the genital anatomy and formulated hypotheses about the relatedness of several species. Páll-Gergely et al [ 15 ] were the first to study the anatomy of Orcula jetschini (Kimakowicz, 1883) and O. zilchi and, based on differences in the morphology of the penial caecum, the shell structure and the morphology of the aperture folds, subdivided the genus into three subgenera: (1) Orcula , (2) Illyriobanatica Páll-Gergely & Deli 2013 and (3) Hausdorfia Páll-Gergely & Irikov 2013. The subgenus Orcula includes all species distributed in the Alps, among them the type species Orcula dolium (Draparnaud, 1801), which has by far the widest distribution including the Alps, the Western Carpathians and surrounding lowlands [ 19 ].…”

“…It is known from three localities in South-Eastern Bulgaria and from three sites in Western Anatolia only. Its habitat ranges from leaf litter of alluvial forests in the western Black Sea region to limestone rocks in Western Turkey [ 15 , 22 ].…”