Morphological and molecular evidence for cryptic species of springsnails [genus Pseudamnicola ( Corrosella) (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda, Hydrobiidae)]

Abstract

Several Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) populations of the central and eastern Iberian Peninsula have been ascribed to Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri (Dupuy, 1851), though recent evidence demonstrates the species could be endemic to the departments of Var and Alpes-Maritimes in France. Through the identification of cryptic species using a combined morphological and phylogenetic approach, this paper provides a detailed morphological description of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri, clarifying its taxonomic boundaries and confirming it as a French endemic. In parallel, by comparing Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) populations from the provinces of Castellón and Valencia in Eastern Spain, it was observed that rather than Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri they represented a new species here described as Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffeisp. n. Among other characters, the two species show marked differences in shell shape, male and female genital systems, radular formula and concentration of the nervous system. Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffeisp. n. was also compared morphologically to another two Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) species living in nearby areas [Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hinzi Boeters, 1986 and Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) navasiana (Fagot, 1907)], molecularly to Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) falkneri (Boeters, 1970), the type species of the subgenus, and to the rest of the Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) species described so far. Morphological differentiation between the species is supported by a genetic divergence of 7.4% inferred from a partial sequence (658 bp) of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). On the basis of an average 8% (5.39 to 11.15%) divergence estimated for the COI gene in other Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) species reported in GenBank, the existence of two specific entities is here proposed, which will have impact on conservation policies both in France and in Spain.

Keywords: COI; France; Hydrobiidae; Iberian Peninsula; Pseudamnicola (Corrosella); Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri (Dupuy 1851); Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n.; Spain; conservation; cryptic species; taxonomy.

Figure 1.

Map of localities of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri and Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n. A Photograph of Source d’Argens, Brue-Aurillac, Var, France B Preserved specimen of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri C Photograph of Nogales spring, Benafer, Castellón, Spain (type locality of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n.) D Alive specimen of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n. Scale bar in B and D represents 1 mm.

Figure 2.

Shells of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri. A–E Shells from Source d’Argens, Brue-Aurillac, Var, France D–E Protoconch and detail of the microsculpture from the protoconch.

Figure 3.

Operculum and radula of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri from Source d’Argens, Brue-Aurillac, Var, France. A Internal side of the operculum B External side of the operculum C Radula D Rows of teeth of the radula E Central tooth F Lateral, internal and external marginal teeth.

Figure 4.

Anatomy of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) astieri from Source d’Argens, Brue-Aurillac, Var, France. A, B Partial nervous system C Ctenidium and osphradium D Head of a male and penis E Prostate gland F Stomach G Female genitalia H Bursa copulatrix and seminal receptacle.

Figure 5.

Shells of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n. A, D–G Shells from Nogales spring, Benafer, Castellón, Spain B Shell from San Miguel spring, Viver, Castellón, Spain C Shell from Agadín spring, Benafer, Castellón, Spain E–G Protoconch and microsculpture.

Figure 6.

Operculum and radula of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n. from Nogales spring, Benafer, Castellón, Spain A Internal side of the operculum B External side of the operculum C Radula D Rows of teeth of the radula E Central tooth F External marginal teeth.

Figure 7.

Anatomy of Pseudamnicola (Corrosella) hauffei sp. n. from Nogales spring, Benafer, Castellón, Spain. A, B Partial nervous system C Ctenidium and osphradium D Head of a male and penis E Prostate gland F Stomach G Female genitalia H Bursa copulatrix and seminal receptacle.

Figure 8.

Bayesian 50% majority rule consensus tree inferred employing COI mitochondrial gene partial sequence. The numbers above branches represent Bayesian posterior probabilities. The numbers between brackets symbolize specimens with identical haplotypes. Scale bar: expected changed per site.