Overwintering larvae of the Alpine newt Ichthyosaura alpestris in the Gorce Mts

Wczesną wiosną przez trzy kolejne lata (2009–2011) obserwowano w niewielkim oczku wodnym w Gorcach larwy traszki górskiej Ichthyosaura alpestris (Laurenti, 1768) w zaawansowanych stadiach rozwoju. Wskazuje to jednoznacznie na zimowanie larw traszki pod lodem i jest pierwszym bezpośrednim potwierdzeniem tego nietypowego zjawiska w Gorcach. Obserwacje te dostarczają dowodów, że nawet niewielkie zbiorniki wodne mogą być ważnym miejscem życia i rozrodu chronionych gatunków płazówOverwintering larvae of the Alpine newt Ichthyosaura alpestris were observed in a small pond in the Gorce Mts (Poland, 49°30′N, 20°08′E, elevation 900 m a.s.l.) in early spring of 2009–2011. Typically, larvae of this newt species hatch from eggs in spring or early summer; after 3–4 months of development, they undergo metamorphosis and leave the aquatic environment. In certain conditions, however, especially in lower temperatures, the larvae may be unable to achieve a sufficient stage of development to leave the ponds before winter. In Poland, the presence of non-metamorphosed larvae of the Alpine newt were reported in several montane water reservoirs in late autumn and early spring (Świerad 1988, 2003), but there was no direct evidence of this phenomenon in the Gorce Mountains. Observations presented in this paper prove that overwintering of Alpine newt larvae occurs also in this area and this unusual phenomenon may regularly take place in the aforementioned pond. Moreover, seemingly insignificant, small water reservoirs (about 1 m in diameter; less than 1 m of depth) may be a valuable habitat for protected amphibian specie

A new species of Kerkia Radoman, 1978 (Caenogastropoda, Hydrobiidae) from Bosnia and Herzegovina

A new species of Kerkia, K. briani Rysiewska & Osikowski, sp. nov. is described from the spring Polički Studenac Vrelo (Crkvina), adjacent to the Trebišnjica River (Bosnia and Herzegovina) collected with Bou-Rouch technique, pumped from an interstitial habitat 50 cm below the bottom of the spring. The shell, female reproductive organs, and the penis are described and illustrated. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear histone H3 partial sequences confirm the distinctness of the new species, and molecularly based phylogenetic relationships of Kerkia are briefly presented

Does the genetic structure of spring snail Bythinella (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) in Bulgaria reflect geological history?

Bythinella is a minute dioecious caenogastropod that inhabits springs in central and southern Europe. In the Balkans, previous studies have addressed its morphological and genetic differentiation within Greece and Romania while the Bulgarian species have remained poorly known. The aim of the present paper has been to expand the knowledge on the subject in Bulgaria. Shell morphology and anatomy of the reproductive organs were examined, and a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and the nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS-1) were sequenced from 15 populations. Additional sequences from eight previously studied populations were included in our analyses. Phylogenetic analyses revealed five main mitochondrial DNA clades, which were partly confirmed by analyses of the ITS-1 sequences. The genetic differentiation between the clades was found to be in the range p=2.4-11.8%. Most of the populations belonged to clade I, representing B. hansboetersi, and were distributed in SW Bulgaria. Clades II and III inhabit areas adjacent to clade I and were most closely related with the latter clade. Much more distinct were clade V, found at one locality in NW Bulgaria, and clade IV, found at one locality in SE Bulgaria, close to the sea. Four populations were found in caves, but only one of these represented a distinct clade. Considering the observed pattern of interpopulation differentiation of Bythinella in Bulgaria, we can suppose that isolation between clades I, II and III may have been caused by glaciations during the Pleistocene. The time of isolation between the above three clades and clade IV coincides with the Messinian Salinity Crisis, and the time of isolation between the clade V and the other four most probably reflects the isolation of the Rhodopes from western Balkan Mts by the seawater of the Dacic Basin

Daphniola Radoman, 1973 (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea) at east Aegean Islands

Shell habitus and COI mitochondrial gene sequences of one freshwater snail from Khios and three from Rhodes islands were analysed. Both methods confirmed assignment of these specimens to the genus Daphniola Radoman, 1973. Genetic distance between individuals from these two islands is surprisingly low, strongly suggesting that they belong to the same species, still undescribed. Comparison of COI sequences with other known species of this genus shows that the closest relative of the Khios and Rhodes populations is D. louisi Falniowski et Szarowska, 2000 from Attica. The results are discussed in the context of geological and climatic history of the Mediterranean

Pseudorientalia Radoman, 1973 (Caenogastropoda: Rissooidea) on Samos Island, Aegean Sea

Pseudorientalia Radoman, 1973 is recorded from the Samos Island (East Aegean Islands). The genus was previously known from northern Turkey. The shells, protoconch, radula, penis, and female reproductive organs are described. All the morphological data confirm that the specimens belong to the genus Pseudorientalia, but for the moment its identity with P. natolica (Küster, 1852) from Turkey cannot be confirmed. Molecular data (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and nuclear 18S rRNA gene partial sequences) confirm the genus-level distinctness of Pseudorientalia, and its sister clade consists of Grossuana Radoman, 1973, Trichonia Radoman, 1973, and Daphniola Radoman, 1973

Two new stygobiotic species of Horatia Bourguignat, 1887 (Hydrobiidae) from Croatia

In this paper we describe two new species of the freshwater snails of genus Horatia. A new stygobiotic species of Horatia Bourguignat, 1887 is described from Izvor Beguša in Croatia. It occurs in sympatry with the crenobiotic H. klecakiana Bourguignat, 1887, but is morphologically and molecularly distinct. It is characterized by the terminal part of the body whorl separated from the columella, and neither eyes nor any pigment on the soft parts. It is a stygobiont gastropod, known so far only from one living specimen and several empty shells, thus its soft part morphology and anatomy remain unknown. Another new species of stygobiotic Horatia was found inside the cave Mali Rumin, its description is based solely on numerous empty shells from the cave sediments