Re-evaluation of Zospeum schaufussi von Frauenfeld, 1862 and Z. suarezi Gittenberger, 1980, including the description of two new Iberian species using Computer Tomography (CT) (Eupulmonata, Ellobioidea, Carychiidae)

• Published in: ZooKeys Vol. 835; pp. 65 - 86
• Main Authors: Jochum, Adrienne, Prieto, Carlos E., Kampschulte, Marian, Martels, Gunhild, Ruthensteiner, Bernhard, Vrabec, Marko, Dörge, Dorian D., de Winter, Anton J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sofia Pensoft Publishers 04-04-2019
• Subjects: Caves; Computed tomography; Lectotypes; Morphology; Shells; Species; Taxonomy; Winter; Zoology; Spain
• ISSN: 1313-2989; 1313-2970
• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.835.33231

The present study aims to clarify the confused taxonomy of
Z.schaufussi
von Frauenfeld, 1862 and
Zospeumsuarezi
Gittenberger, 1980. Revision of Iberian
Zospeum
micro snails is severely hindered by uncertainties regarding the identity of the oldest Iberian
Zospeum
species,
Z.schaufussi
von Frauenfeld, 1862. In this paper, we clarify its taxonomic status by designating a lectotype from the original syntype series and by describing its internal and external shell morphology. Using SEM-EDX, we attempt to identify the area of the type locality cave more precisely than “a cave in Spain”. The shell described and illustrated by Gittenberger (1980) as
Z.schaufussi
appears not to be conspecific with the lectotype shell, and is considered a separate species,
Z.gittenbergeri
Jochum, Prieto & De Winter,
sp. n.
Zospeumsuarezi
was described from various caves in NW Spain. Study of the type material reveals that these shells are not homogenous in shell morphology. The holotype shell of
Z.suarezi
is imaged here for the first time. The paratype shell, illustrated by Gittenberger (1980) from a distant, second cave, is described as
Zospeumpraetermissum
Jochum, Prieto & De Winter,
sp. n.
The shell selected here as lectotype of
Z.schaufussi
, was also considered a paratype of
Z.suarezi
by Gittenberger (1980). Since this specimen is morphologically very similar to topotypic shells of
Z.suarezi
, the latter species is considered a junior synonym of
Z.schaufussi
(
syn. n.
). The internal shell morphology of all these taxa is described and illustrated using X-ray Micro Computer Tomography (Micro-CT).