Ifrania bahhouensis Mabrouki, Glöer et Taybi, 2022

Mabrouki, Youness, Glöer, Peter & Taybi, Abdelkhaleq Fouzi, 2022, Ifrania Bahhouensis Sp. N. A New Valvatiform Snail (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae) From Morocco, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 68 (4), pp. 313-319 : 314-316

Ifrania bahhouensis Mabrouki, Glöer et Taybi , sp. n.

( Figs 1–6 )

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C31964E2-394C-4F92-B8B1-9D09E8CF2797

Type materials. Holotype ZMH 140917 , 0.84 mm high, 1.07 mm broad , 3 paratypes ZMH 140918 from spring 1 , 4 paratypes Paratype ZMH 140919 from spring 2

Type locality. Spring 1, 07/03/21 and 24/10/21, 33°55’12.4”N 4°40’20.7”W, Zaouiat Sidi Ben Aïssa , Fez-Boulemane region. Spring 2, 24/10/21, 33°53’07.0»N 4°41’24.9»W, Zaouiat Sidi Ben Aïssa , Fez-Boulemane region.

Description. Shell. The valvatiform translucent shell is conical with a small spire and a prominent body whorl. The surface is smooth and glossy ( Figs 1, 3, 5 ). The 3.5 whorls are convex with a triangular rounded aperture. The peristome is sharp, the umbilicus is deep and open, not covered by the aperture. The shell is 0.84–0.91 mm high and 1.07–1.19 mm broad (see Table 1 ).

Animal. The mantle is black with a white border. Eye spots are pigmented. The penis is long and slender with an acute penis tip ( Figs 2, 4 ).

Operculum. The translucent, colourless operculum (with a slightly orange nucleus) is ovate with a rounded angle at the top ( Fig. 6 ). There is no peg.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is little similar to Ifrania zerroukansis from Ifran province, but I. zerroukansis is much larger (1.1 mm high and 1.5 mm in diameter), and the penis in I. zerroukansis is longer, widened at the basis and tapered at the distal end with a pointed penis tip. In addition, I. zerroukansis has yellowish ovate and slightly concave operculum with an orange nucleus, Ifrania bahhouensis sp. n. has translucent, colourless operculum, ovate with rounded angle at the top.

Etymology. The species was named after Prof. Bahhou Jamila (University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah), in recognition for the many years of teaching generations at Dhar El Mahraz Faculty of Sciences of Fez and for her scientific works carried out on the aquatic ecosystems of Morocco and particularly those of Sebou River basin.

Habitat. The new species was found in two springs located at a place named Zaouiat Sidi Ben Aïssa, Fez-Boulemane region. One of them is a rheocrenous natural spring, the bottom consists of stones, pebbles and sand, the banks are natural, with dense tree-lined vegetation and weak sunlight. The second spring is partially modified ( Fig. 7 ), located in a rural environment, it is subjected to strong anthropogenic pressure: washing of linen, pumping of water for irrigation and domestic use, the vegetation of the banks is very heterogeneous and highly disturbed. Both springs are located in Sebou River basin at the edge of Barrage Allal El Fassi reservoir at 419 m altitude.

Figures

Figs 1–6. Ifrania bahhouensis sp. n.: 1 = holotype; 3, 5 = paratypes; 5 = dried shell; 2–4 = penis in situ; 6 = operculum

Fig. 7. The sampling sites and habitat of Ifrania bahhouensis sp. n.