Article

Abdelkhaleq F. Taybi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Poly-Disciplinary Faculty of Nador, Mohammed First University (338Q+8GM, Selouane, Morocco); iD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9652-5407; e-mail: taybiaf@gmail.com
Peter Glöer, PhD, Biodiversity Research Laboratory (D-25491, Germany, Hetlingen, Schulstrasse 3); iD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6995-3641; e-mail: gloeer@malaco.de
Youness Mabrouki, PhD, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Conservation and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences of Dhar El Mehraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (30050, Morocco, Fes); iD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7336-8717; e-mail: youness.mabrouki@usmba.ac.ma

Taybi A.F., Glöer P., Mabrouki Y. 2023. A new genus and new species of springsnails (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae) from North-East Morocco. Nature Conservation Research 8(3): 99–105. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2023.022

Recent field surveys on snails conducted in the oriental region of Morocco have led to the discovery of a new species belonging to a new genus, described here as Znassela bnisnasensis gen. et sp. nov. It can be distinguished from the other hydrobiid snails by the morphology of the shell and male anatomy. The new hydrobiid snail differs mainly by its elongated ovate shell with 4.5 whorls, slightly convex with a shallow suture, and by the penis showing a swelling near the penis tip; the latter has two penial appendices located on the same side. Znassela bnisnasensis has been found in the Béni-Snassen massif, considered a Protected Area in the north-eastern part of Morocco and which is a Site of Ecological and Biological Interest (known as SEBI or SIBE). Photographs of the holotype and paratypes are presented, with the penis morphology, habitat and information on its autecology.

Béni-Snassen massif, crenobiotic species, freshwater gastropod's endemism, North Africa, Protected Area, springsnail

Received: 28.03.2023. Revised: 24.06.2023. Accepted: 27.06.2023.

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