The freshwater snails (Gastropoda) of Iran, with descriptions of two new genera and eight new species.

Using published records and original data from recent field work and revision of Iranian material of certain species deposited in the collections of the Natural History Museum Basel, the Zoological Museum Berlin, and Natural History Museum Vienna, a checklist of the freshwater gastropod fauna of Iran was compiled. This checklist contains 73 species from 34 genera and 14 families of freshwater snails; 27 of these species (37%) are endemic to Iran. Two new genera, Kaskakia and Sarkhia, and eight species, i.e., Bithynia forcarti, Bithynia starmuehlneri, Bithynia mazandaranensis, Pseudamnicola georgievi, Kaskakia khorrasanensis, Sarkhia sarabensis, Valvata nowsharensis and Acroloxus pseudolacustris are described as new to science; Ecrobia grimmi (Clessin & Dybowski, 1888), Heleobia dalmatica (Radoman, 1974) and Hippeutis complanatus (Linnaeus, 1758) are reported for the first time from Iran. Additional field work is highly desirable for a more appropriate evaluation of the extant freshwater snail biodiversity in Iran.

Introduction

Considering the geographical position of Iran, a rich fauna of freshwater snails could be expected. A high level of endemism and a diverse mixture of Palaearctic and Paleotropical elements are characteristic of the Iranian freshwater fauna (Pešić and Saboori 2007).

Research of molluscs biodiversity in Iran has a relatively long tradition. In 1862, a group of Italian scientists undertook the first systematic expedition to Persia, which revealed a large number of molluscan samples. The results of this expedition have been published by Issel (1863). Two decades later, the mollusc fauna of the Caspian Sea was studied by Dybowski (1888). The first study on the molluscs diversity of inland water was done at the beginning of the XXth Century by the Indian malacologists Annandale and his coauthors (Annandale and Prashad 1919, Annandale 1921, Annandale and Rao 1925) who studied the molluscan fauna of Seistan and Baluchistan Province. Biggs (1936, 1937, 1971) studied the malacofauna of the Central Plateau of Iran. In 1936 he noted: “Little has been written on the Mollusca of the Iranian Plateau. This was perhaps due to the inaccessibility of the interior in the past when the only method of travelling was by caravan”. Forcart (1935) studied molluscs from the Mazandaran Province. Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) published the results of the Austrian Iran expedition of 1949/50 and 1956. Later on, Starmühlner (1961, 1965) studied molluscs from Northern and Eastern Iran collected by the Austrian A. Ruttner. More recently, Mansoorian (1986, 1994, 1998, 2000) published on the molluscan fauna of Iran.

However, our knowledge of freshwater snails of Iran remains scanty. Despite a growing number of data over the last years, resulting from the expeditions of the junior author in 2005, 2007, and 2011, literature records of freshwater snails in Iran have remained scattered and unreviewed, hampering ecological and biogeographical analysis. To what extent is the area of Iran unique and important for freshwater snail biodiversity? This paper attempts to answer such questions by compiling data on water molluscs and their current geographic distribution in Iran.

Material and methods

The checklist of the freshwater snail fauna of Iran was compiled using published records and original data. The data from all publications were brought to the presently accepted state of taxonomy following Subba Rao (1989) (for Asian Fauna), Brown (1994) (for African Fauna) and Glöer (2002) (for the European Fauna), and papers published thereafter. Species referred to in postgraduate theses and scientific meetings are no formal publications and are consequently not considered herein.

During the field work, freshwater snails were collected by hand netting, sorted on the spot and preserved in 75 % alcohol. The data and locations of the sampling sites, where the junior author collected in 2005, 2007 and 2011 are listed in Appendix 1. In the section ‘New records’ collecting site abbreviations derive from the geographical database Pešić. The type material will be deposited in the Zoological Museum HaPageBreakmburg (ZMH), Germany. Further, we had the opportunity to revise material of some Iranian freshwater snails deposited in the collections of the Natural History Museum Basel (NMB – Forcart’s collection), Zoological Museum Berlin (ZMB) and Natural History Museum Vienna (NHMW – Edlauer’s collection).

Not all species could be identified due to the sparsity of specimens and the non-characteristic shells, especially of small hydrobioid snails. Furthermore, the Caspian Sea fauna is not considered in the present paper. The order of families follows Bouchet and Rocroi (2005).

Map of Iran with dots showing the collection localities (corresponding to the sampling site numbers in Appendix). The total number of freshwater mollusc species collected from each province are as follows (in parentheses): Bushehr (1), Fars (15), Gilan (12), Hormozgan (13), Isfahan (10), Kerman (15), Hermanshah (4), Khorasan (5), Khuzestan (14), Lorestan (6), Markazi (5), Mazandaran (21), Qom (1), Seistan and Baluchestan (16), Semnan (1), Teheran (5), West Azarbayjan (1), Yazd (6), Zanjan (1).

Results

Systematics

Rafinesque, 1815

http://species-id.net/wiki/Neritidae

Remarks.

and are distinguished from each other by their ontogeny (Bandel 2001). While the species hatch from the spawn as miniature adult, species leave their spawn as planktotrophic larva that will float in the sea for a more or less extended period before its metamorphosis to a crawling young. However, at the adult stage the taxonomic separation of species of the genera and is not always easy. As most of the spp. are marine species and usually have a denticulate border of the columella and two apophysis of the operculum, most species of the genus are limnic and have a smooth border of the columella and one apophysis (the “rib”); some also have a small apophysis, the peg, on the operculum (Glöer 2002). Further, in the peg is thick and strong, while in it is, if exists at all, small and weak. A revision of this family, particularly its subdivion in clearly defined genera is needed.

Genus Rafinesque, 1815

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

Martens, 1874

http://species-id.net/wiki/Neritina_mesopotamica

Figs 2a–c

Figure 2.

a–c d–e f–g a shell (syntype) b lable c operculum d shell (syntype, ZMZ 528916, Irak, Samava, photo: Eike Neubert) e operculum of from Euphrates f shell (syntype, ZMZ 529679, Persian Gulf, Island Ghaes, photo: Eike Neubert) g operculum of from Shatt Al-Arab-Fao region.

Records from Iran.

Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 2001).

Material examined.

Zoological Museum Berlin (ZMB), “ var. mesopotamica, Ras el Ain, Mesopot. Hausknecht”.

The height of the largest shell of the examined syntypes from Zoological Museum Berlin was 7 mm. Mansoorian (1994) in his identification key described shell PageBreakof this species as being 14 mm high. Considering his photos (Mansoorian 1994), he probably confused it with Mousson, 1874 (Figs 2f–g).

Distribution.

Iraq, Iran (Khuzestan).

(Martens, 1874)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Neritina_cinctellus

Theodoxus cinctellus Martens, 1874. Syn.

Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979).PageBreakPageBreak

Remark. According to the original description (Martens 1874) this species is characterized by the presence of denticulated border of the columella, and should be ascertained to the genus .

Iraq, Iran.

Mousson, 1874

http://species-id.net/wiki/Neritina_euphratica

Figs 2d–e

Khuzestan Province (Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 2001).

Remark.

This speciesis characterized by a small shell with 6 mm in height and a small spire. The boder of the columella is straight and not denticulated. The operculum has a rib which is attenuated at its basis, the peg is thick and strong and split in two parts (fig. 2e).

Iraq, Iran.

Genus Montfort, 1810

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Theodoxus_fluviatilis

Figs 3c 11a

Figure 3.

a–c (from Edlauer’s collection, NHMW 75000/E/50824) a Shell with corroded apex b label of Edlauer’s collection c apophysis of d apophysis of (from IR79).

Figure 11.

nov. sp.a shell b, c penis in situ.

Theodoxus doriae Issel, 1865 (synonymy)

(all mentioned as Issel): Kerman (Issel 1863, Martens 1874, Biggs 1937); Gilan, Mazandaran and Lorestan Province (Mansoorian 2000).

New records.

Fars Province: IR13-07 [3 ex.]; IR14-07 [2 ex.]; Khorrasan Province: IR76-05 [1 ex]; IR 64-05 [1 ex.]; IR78a-05 [2 ex.]; IR79-05 [1 ex.]; Hormozgan Province: IR 17-11 [5 ex.]

Associated species.

sp., Radix sp., , , .

Martens (1879) synonymised , the species reported by Issel (1863) from S Iran, with . Later on, Mansoorian (2000) described the operculum of , which has only a rib, no peg. However, the shell illustrated by Mansoorian (1994) agrees well with . Thus we follow Martens’ (1879) synonymisation of with . Our samples revealed onlythe presence of .

W- to Central-Palaearctic. has been considered by many authors to be an exclusively European species (see e.g. Zhadin 1952, Glöer 2002). But Bourguignat (1864), Brown (1994) and Van Damme (1984) mentioned it from NW Africa (Morocco, Algeria). Records of this species in Turkey (Yıldırım 1994), and in Iran, confirm its wide distribution. However, it does not occur in Siberia (Vinarski, pers. comm.).

Eichwald, 1838

http://species-id.net/wiki/Theodoxus_lituratus

Kerman Province (Biggs 1971); Mazandaran Province (Eichwald 1838, Eliazian et al. 1979).

This species has been described from the Caspian Sea. According to the original description (Eichwald 1838) this species is very distinct from the other spp. mentioned here.

Iran.

Dunker, 1861

http://species-id.net/wiki/Theodoxus_pallida

Figs 3a–b

Isfahan and Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

NHMW 75000/E/50824, “ Dunker” Persien, Brackiger Quellsee, 500 m, nördl. vom Niris-see, leg. Starmühlner 1949.PageBreak

Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) provide a detailed description of the anatomy of this species but did not consider the operculum, the most important diagnostic feature. On the other hand, as figured in Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957), the receptaculum seminis and the bursa copulatrix differ in length (while being of equal length in .

The re-examination of the specimens of (Dunker, 1862) from Edlauer’s collection in NHMW clearly shows that this species is distinct from due to the shape of shell and the operculum (Fig. 3). As already mentioned by Dunker (1862) the spire in is higher than in ,and furthermore the apophysis of the operculum is broader and not attenuated at its basis (Fig. 3c). In addition the callus at border of the operculum in is much stronger (Fig. 3c arrow).

Iran.

Family Viviparidae J.E. Gray, 1847

Genus Jousseaume, 1886

Type species. Jousseaume, 1886

(Lamarck, 1822)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bellamya_bengalensis

Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 1994, 2001), Mazandaran Province (Mansoorian 2000).

According to Ramakrishna and Dey (2007) this species is widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent.

(Kobelt, 1909)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bellamya_hilmandensis

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale et al. 1919).

Iran.

Family Melanopsidae H. & A. Adams, 1854

Férussac, 1807

http://species-id.net/wiki/Melanopsis

Type species.

Linnaeus, 1758

L. is a misspelling of L.

(Olivier, 1804)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Melanopsis_costata

Fig. 11e

Kerman Province(Martens 1874); Khuzestan Province (Prashad 1921, Chu et al. 1968, as a: Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 2001).

Fars Province: IR13-07 [23 ad., 25 juv.].

.

Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran.

Issel, 1865

http://species-id.net/wiki/Melanopsis_doriae

Fig. 4

Figure 4.

(from Edlauer‘s collection, NHMW 750000/E/50801a): shell.

Kerman Province (Issel 1863, Martens 1874, Biggs 1936, 1937, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, 1961, 1965); Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Yazd Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 1994, 2001); Mazandaran Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, Mansoorian 2000); Gilan Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Bushehr Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Hormozgan Province: IR17-11 [2 ex.]; IR19-11 [1 ex.].

NHMW “ Issel” Persien, Kerman, aus teilweise eingestürztem Kanal, leg. Starmühlner 1949/50.

, , .

Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) studied the anatomy of and showing differences in the nervous system. Furthermore they found differences in some features of the opercula between these species, and showed a strong morphological plasticity of the shells (see: Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, plate 1: Figs g’, g’’, g’’’ and h’, h’’). Re-examintion of from Edlauer’s collection in NHMW shows that the shell (Fig. 4) is slimmer than the shell of sp.

Iran.

Philippi, 1847

http://species-id.net/wiki/Melanopsis_kotschyi

Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Seeremarks under previous species.

Iran.

sp.

Fig. 11d

Kerman Province (as :Martens 1874); Seistan and Baluchistan Province (as : Annandale and Prashad 1919); Isfahan and Yazd provinces (Biggs 1937); Fars province (as :Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, as :Starmühlner 1961); Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, as :Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Manssorian 2001).

Mazandaran Province: IR02-05 [11 ad., 48 juv.]; Khorrasan Province: IR64-05 [12 ad., 39 juv.]; IR79-05 [3 ad., 4 juv.]; IR78a-05 [8 ad., 15 juv.]; IR78c-05 [2 ex.]; Fars Province: IR17-07 [2 ex]; Hormozgan Province: IR19-11 [21 ex.].

, , , sp., .

The species of this genus have a high morphological plasticity and many species have been described. Glaubrecht (1993) tried to solve the complicated taxonomy by proposing to consider all circum-Mediterranean spp. as being part of one ‘superspecies’, . However, we follow Neubert (1998) who believes that this approach does not solve the problem. In recent literature the ‘superspecies’ notion tends to be abandoned and the former species names are being reinstituted (see: Heller et al. 2005; Van Damme et al. 2010. This means that the smooth unsculptured species sensu stricto (terra typica: Spain) is actually a western Mediterranean species and that unsculptured morphs from the Levant belong to other species, such as , , PageBreak, and (Heller et al. 2005). Those from Mesopotamia have been described under , , and . Further study is necessary to establish under which name or names the Iranian populations should be placed.

Family Potamididae H. & A. Adams, 1854

Genus Swainson, 1840

Type species. Lamarck, 1822

(Gmelin, 1790)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Cerithidea_cingulata

Fig. 8c

Figure 8. The molluscs of brackish waters. a b c from Edlauer‘s collection (NHMW, “” 75000/E/60453) d .

Hormozgan Province (Ghasemi et al. 2011).

Hormozgan Province:IR14-11 [21 ad., 6 juv.]; IR-20-11 [10 ex.].

, sp.

Indo-Pacific coast.

Family Thiaridae Gill, 1871

Genus Roeding, 1798

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

(O.F. Müller, 1774)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Thiara_scabra

Fig. 12c

Figure 12.

The prosobranch molluscs of Iran. a (operculum see Fig. 3d) b (syntype ZMZ 524006, Iraq, Samava, ex coll. Mousson, photo: E. Neubert) c d e sp. f g h , i: k l m n .

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (as var. elegans: Annandale and Prashad 1919); Isfahan Province (as : Biggs (1937); Hormozgan Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Hormozgan Province: IR08-11 [13 ex.]; IR17-11 [2 ex.].

, , , .

Indo-Pacific coasts.PageBreak

Genus Olivier, 1804

Type species. Olivier, 1804 = O.F. Müller, 1774.

(O.F. Müller, 1774)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Melanoides_tuberculatus

Fig. 12b

Seistan and Baluchestan Province: IR8a-11 [5 juv.], IR8-11 [18 ex.]. Hormozgan Province: IR10-11 [3 ex.], IR17-11 [10 ad., 9 juv.], IR18-11 [1 ad., 8 juv.], IR19-11 [2 ex.].

, , .

Kerman Province (as : Issel 1863), Martens 1874, Biggs 1936, 1937, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Seistan and Baluchestan Province (as , : Annandale and Prashad 1919, Biggs 1937); Hormozgan Province (Biggs 1937, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957), (as : Starmühlner (1961); Isfahan Province (Biggs 1937); Yazd Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, as : Starmühlner 1965); Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, Mansoorian 2001); South Iran (Manssorian 1994); Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957): Mazandran Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, Mansoorian 2001).

The species and , which have been mentioned by Annandale and Prashad (1911) from Seistan and Baluchistan, have been listed by Westerlund (1886) as subspecies. However, due to the high morphological plasticity of and in absence of any geographical seperation of these taxa, we list all taxa under .

S Asia, Arabia, Near East, Africa.

Family Bithyniidae J.E. Gray, 1847

Genus Leach, 1818

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_tentaculata

Mazandaran Province (Mansoorian 2000); Gilan and Lorestan Province (Mansoorian 2000).

Rejected records.

Mazandaran Province (Forcart 1935).

The Euro-Siberian species (Linnaeus 1758) has often been mentioned from Iran, Turkey and Greece. However, this species could not be found in Greece (Glöer et al. 2010) and probably does not occur in Turkey. The southern distribution border of this species lies possibly in N Bulgaria (Georgiev pers. comm.). An analysis of the specimens from NMB published by Forcart (1935) as shows that these specimens represent sp. n. (see below). Thus, most probably does not occur in Iran and has been confused with sp. n. or possibly with sp. n. (see below).

Euro-Siberian.

sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8A83711B-797D-4D86-99D5-72F217B14A89

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_forcarti

Figs 5a–b

Figure 5.

sp. n. a shell,frontal view b shell,lateral view.

Type locality.

Mazandaran Province, Tschalekuti.

Holotype

(NMB 11517a): shell height 7.5 mm, width 5.6 mm.

Paratypes.

Mazandaran Province, Tschalekuti (NMB 11517a, 26 ex.), Geniste d. Babul (NMB 11517b, 1 ex., NMB 11571c, 10 ex.)

Etymology.

Named after Lothar Forcart in appreciation on his studies of Iranian freshwater snails.

Description.

The whitish shell is conical with 5.5 whorls, which are convex with a deep suture and a small and acute apex. The convex whorls are flattened at the suture. The umbilicus is open. The aperture is ovate, angled at the top. The margin of the aperture is, from lateral view, slightly sinuated. The surface is smooth with fine growth lines. Shell height 5.5 – 7.5 mm, width 5.0 – 5.6 mm.

Differentiating features.

Due to theshape of the aperture (angled at the top), sp. n. resembles sp. n. (see below). However, from the latter species it can be easily distinguished by the stepped whorls.

Formerly (Forcart 1935) this species has been confused with .

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5A63D216-B630-4808-8B2D-0F77E3EAE287

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_starmuehlneri

Figs 6a–c

Figure 6.

Shell of sp. n. a frontal view b lateral view c juvenile shell with operculum.

Bulimus (Bithynia) leachi troschelii :

Border of Lake Urmia, W Azarbayian, 1949 leg. Starmühlner.

Holotype.

NHMW (50940): shell height 10.3 mm, width 5.6 mm.PageBreak

9 ex. from the type locality.

Named after Ferdinand Starmühlner, who collected this species in 1949.

The whitish shell is elongated conical with 6.5 whorls, which are convex with a deep suture and a small and acute apex. The umbilicus is open. The aperture is ovate. The margin of the aperture is, from lateral view, straight. The surface is smooth with fine growth lines. Shell height 8.2 – 10.3 mm, width 4.6 – 6.4 mm.

This slim species isthe largest sp. known in Iran. It can be easily distinguished from the other spp. by the larger dimensions of elongated shell with the stepped whorls and the not angled aperture.

This species has been misidentified by Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) with .

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:22D0892E-8670-4131-9149-0F77C007BB94

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_mazandaranensis

Figs 7a–d

Figure 7.

sp. n. a, b shell c operculum d detail of the shell surface.

Mazandaran Province, Nowshahr city, pond near Caspian Sea, 51°31'E, 36°38'N, 18 June 2005.

(ZMH 79369):Shell height 8.0 mm, width 5.0 mm.

Named after the region where the species was collected.

The horn-coloured shell is conical with 5.5 whorls, which are slightly convex with a clear suture and an acute apex. The umbilicus is closed. The aperture is ovate, angled at the top. The margin of the aperture is, from lateral view, sinuated. The surface bears a lattice structure. Shell height 8.0 mm, width 5.0 mm, aperture height 3.6 mm.

The new species resembles but differs from it by the following features: (i) the operculum is more angled (Fig. 7c), (ii) the whorls are more convex (Fig. 7a–b), and (iii) the surface has longitudinal and transverse striae (Fig. 7d).

, sp., , sp. n., .

Probably this species formerly (e.g., Mansoorian 2000) was confused with . Because we had only an empty shell of this species, we do not know if it belongs to the genus or , so our generic assignment is tentative. To address this question, anatomical studies of more specimens are necessary.

Mousson, 1874

Isfahan Province – (as : Biggs 1937).

Probably due to the small size of this species, Biggs (1937) assigned this species belongs to the genus , although Mousson (1874) described it as a , and pointed out that the operculum is characteristic for and different from (syn. to ). Furthermore, Biggs (1937) found his species in the mountains, while the original description of comes from the lowland, indicating the Biggs’s species is not conspecific with and probably represents an undescribed species.PageBreak

(Menke, 1830)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_rubens

North Iran (Caspian Sea) – Eliazian et al. (1979).

This species could not be found in any of the neighbouring countries of Iran. Eliazian et al. (1979) don’t mention the source that led to their identification. The record and taxonomic status of this species is questionable and needs new confirmation.

Tryon, 1865

Gabbia australis Tryon, 1865. Type species.

Some authors (e.g Subba Rao 1989, Nesemann et al. 2007) mention as a genus. However, it seems not possible to distinguish the genera of the Bithyniidae by the shape of opercula (Mandahl-Barth 1968) and/or by shell forms, because these characters are found to be variable. On the other hand, the examined material of the family of Bithyniidae can be easily separated by the characteristics of penis morphology (having a penial appendix: Leach 1818; or lacking a penial appendix: Glöer & Pešić 2006). In our study, we tentatively use the name as a subgenus for small species with a globular shell, originating from India.

(Annandale & Prashad, 1919)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bithynia_sistanica

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (as : Annandale and Prashad 1919).

Annadale and Prashad (1919) described this species as and depicted the penis morphology. Due to the presence of a penial appendix this species is ascertained to the genus . The members of the genus (formerly ) have no penial appendix.

Iran; only known from N Seistan.

Genus Glöer & Pešić, 2006

Type species. Glöer & Pešić, 2006

Glöer & Pešić, 2006

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudobithynia_irana

Fig. 12k

Markazi and Lorestan Provinces (Glöer and Pešić 2006).

Lorestan Province:IR26-07 [10 ex.].

, sp.

Iran; Markazi and Lorestan Provinces.

Glöer & Pešić, 2009

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudobithynia_zagrosia

Fig. 12l

Fars Province (Glöer and Pešić 2009).

Iran; known only from the locus typicus (Dasht Arzhan village, Shiraz to Kazerum road).

Family Cochliopidae tryon, 1866

Genus Stimpson, 1865

Type species. (Gmelin, 1791)

(Radoman, 1974)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Heleobia_dalmatica

Fig. 8b

Hormozgan Province:IR14-11 [12 ad., 20 juv.].

, , .

New for Iran.

Previously only known from the brackish part of rivers along the coast of Croatia (Radoman 1983).

Family Hydrobiidae Stimpson, 1865

Genus Hartmann, 1821

Type species. Draparnaud, 1805

(Draparnaud, 1805)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Hydrobia_acuta

Isfahan Province (Biggs 1971).

Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Probably this species has been confused with one of the following species (, ), so all former records of this species in Iran are questionable. The record for this species is kept until the original material of Biggs could be studied.

Genus Stimpson, 1865

Type species. Montagu, 1803

(Clessin & Dybowski, 1888)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Ecrobia_grimmi

Figs 8a, c

Hormozgan Province:IR14-11 [12 ad., 20 juv.].

, , sp.

On the base of molecular results, Haase et al. (2010) concluded that from the mixomesohaline Lake Sawa (Iraq) was possibly transported by migrating birds from the Caspian Sea. The identification of our material of as well of was confirmed by using molecular techniques (Martin Haase pers. communication). An analysis of the specimens from NHMW published by Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) as shows that these specimens probably belong to (see Fig. 8c).

Caspian Sea; Iraq, Iran.

Genus Paulucci, 1878

Type species. Issel, 1866

v. Frauenfeld, 1863

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudamnicola_kotschyi

Isfahan Province (Starmühlner 1961, 1965).

Iran: Isfahan Province; endemic.

Glöer & Pešić, 2009

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudamnicola_saboori

Fig. 12h

Khorasan and Markazi Provinces (Glöer and Pešić 2009).

Iran: Khorasan and Markazi Provinces.

Glöer & Pešić, 2009

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudamnicola_zagrosensis

Fig. 12i

Kermanshah Province – Glöer and Pešić (2009).

Iran: Kermanshah Province.

Boettger, 1889

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudamnicola_raddei

Mazandaran Province – Forcart (1935).

Transcaspian region (Zhadin 1952).

In Russia it is listed as (Kantor et al. 2009).

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D2E680D0-AAC4-45DF-954A-28D553EC957F

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pseudamnicola_georgievi

Fig. 9

Figure 9.

sp. n.: shell.

Markazi Province, Ashtian to Arak road (ca. 5 km after Ashtian city, Ashtian county), 50°01'E, 34°34'N, ca. 1800 m asl., 21 June 2005.

(ZMH 79370): Shell height 2.6 mm, width 1.9 mm.

Paratypes

(ZMH 79371): 6 ex. from type locality.

Named after Dr Dilian Georgiev in appreciation of his studies on Bulgarian hydrobiids.

The whitish shell is conical with 4.5 whorls, which are separated by a clear suture. The surface is glossy and finely striated. The apex is blunt, the umbilicus is closed, the aperture is ovate and pointed at the top. Shell height 2.4–2.6 mm, width 1.9 mm.

The conical shell with its pointed aperture (Fig. 9) clearly distinguished the new species from other Iranian members of the genus .

We had only shells with dried tissue at our disposal. Since the penis morphology could not be examined, the assignment to the genus is provisional.

Iran; only known from the type locality.

gen. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:31BFCB62-BE86-43CE-A888-B0562CC2740E

http://species-id.net/wiki/Kaskakia

Diagnosis.

Shell conical. Penis broad at the basis, distal part with a bulbous and acute penis tip.

sp. n.

Named after the region where the species was collected.

Differential diagnosis.

The new genus appears to be close to , but can easily be distinguished by the unique morphology of the penis with bulbous and acute apex (vs. a broad elongated triangular penis in ).

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8EDD45AD-46F2-4BC8-A7BE-73B44BBCDF6D

http://species-id.net/wiki/Kaskakia_khorrasanensis

Figs 10a–d

Figure 10.

sp. n. a shell b penis in situ c–d penis (c: dorsal view, d: ventral view).

Khorrasan Province, Kaskak stream in Kaskak village, 59°10'E, 35°25'N, ca. 1800 m asl., 11 June 2005.

(ZMH 79372): Shell height 2.5 mm, width 1.9 mm.

(ZMH 79373): 21 ex. from type locality.

Named for its occurrence in Khorrasan Province.

The yellowish shell is conical to globular with 5.5 whorls, which are slightly convex and separated by a clear suture (Fig. 10a). The whorls increase rapidly with a prominent body whorl. The surface is glossy and finely striated. The apex is acute, the aperture is ovate and angled at the top, the umbilicus is closed. Shell height 2.3–2.5 mm, width 1.8–1.9 mm.

Animal.

The mantle and head are black. The penis is broad at the basis and tapered at the distal end (Figs 10b–d).

As for the genus.

Iran: Khorrasan Province; known only from type locality.PageBreak

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4AC287DC-4E88-4043-BA17-880E84883276

http://species-id.net/wiki/Sarkhia

Shell elongated conical. Penis simple, broad at the basis and tapered at the distal end, with a black pigmentation mark. The tentacles are cylindrical.

sp. n.

Named after the region where the species was collected.

The genus seems to be closely related to (in the following, in parentheses), but theunique morphology of the penis, broad at the basis and tapered at the distal end (Figs 10b–c), with a black pigmentation mark (vs. broad and elongated triangular penis), and the presence of broad cylindrical tentacles (slim cylindrical tentacles) will separate the new genus from .

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F7FBD536-0970-4B9B-A0AC-EAF9E7C91C72

http://species-id.net/wiki/Sarkhia_sarabensis

Fig. 11a–c

Kermanshah Province, Sarabe–Sahne (= Sarabe – bede – Sarkh) city, stream, 27 June 2005.

(ZMH 79374): Shell height 5.9 mm, width 2.3 mm.

(ZMH 79375): 1 specimen dissected.

Named after the region where the species was collected.

The yellowish shell is elongated conical with 6.5 whorls, which are slightly convex and separated by a deep suture. The aperture is oval with a sharp periostome, the umbilicus is closed. The surface is dull. Shell height 5.9 mm, width 2.3 mm.

The slim elongated conical shell with more than 5 whorls (Fig. 11a) is characteristic and separates this species from (see below).

Iran, Kermanshah Province; only known from type locality.

(Glöer & Pešić, 2009) comb. n.

http://species-id.net/wiki/Sarkhia_kermanshahensis

Fig. 12g

Pseudamnicola kermanshahensis Glöer & Pešić, 2009 (synonymy)

Markazi Province: IR51 [2 ex.].

Kermanshah Province (as Glöer and Pešić 2009).

This species has originally been placed in the genus . However, due to the characteristic shape of the penis and the tentacles it is transfered to gen. n.

Iran; Kermanshah and Markazi Provinces.PageBreakPageBreak

Genus Wagner, 1927

Type species. Wagner, 1914

(Starmühlner & Edlauer, 1957) comb. n.

http://species-id.net/wiki/Belgrandiella_elburensis

Tehran Province – “” Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957).

Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) originally described this species as . However, the genus name is preoccupied, and thus, the species of this genus have been re-assigned to , , and (Radoman 1983). Due to the shape of the aperture in original description (see Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957) we affiliate this species to the genus .

Iran, only known from the locus typicus (Gelandoah, 60 km NE of Tehran).

Genus (Pollonera, 1898)

Type species. Hauffen, 1856

(Hauffen, 1856)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Hauffenia_erythropomatia

Sistan and Baluchestan Province (Source lake Gomun) – “” Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957).

Most probably, Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) misidentified this subterranean species, known only from its type locality in Slovenia, far away from Iran. The comparison with the description of by Radoman (1983) shows that these species are not conspecific as the umbilicus seems to be broader in later species compared with the species depicted by Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957). Unfortunately this species could not be found in Edlauer’s collection in NHMW (Anita Eschner, pers. comm.). The record for this species is kept until specimens from the original locality could be studied.

Family Stenothyridae Tryon, 1866

Genus Benson, 1854

Type species. Benson, 1836

Neubert, 1998

http://species-id.net/wiki/Stenothyra_arabica

Hormozgan Province (Ghasemi et al. 2011).

Saudi-Arabia, Iran.

Genus Ancey, 1890

Type species. Nevill, 1880

(Issel, 1866)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Gangetia_uzielliana

Kerman province (as : Issel 1866,Martens 1874), as :Biggs (1936, 1937), (as :Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957), (as : Starmühlner (1961, 1965); Fars province (as : Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957), (as : Starmühlner and Edlauer (1961, 1965).

Yazd Province (as : Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Schütt (1973) classified this species in the genus and introduced the new subgenus Schütt, 1973. Mansoorian (1994) reported with some doubts. However, his species clearly differs from the topotype of illustrated by Schütt (1973). Most probably, the species recorded by Mansoorian (1994) under this name represents an undescribed new species (Glöer and Pešić 2009).

Iran.

Genus Glöer & Pešić, 2009

Type species. Glöer & Pešić, 2009

Glöer & Pešić, 2009

http://species-id.net/wiki/Farsithyra_farsensis

Fig. 12f 13a–b

Figure 13.

(from Edlauer’s collection, NHMW “” 75000/E/50795): a–b shell.

Bulimus badiella :

Fars Province (Glöer and Pešić 2009).PageBreak

Hormozgan Province: IR17-11 [1 ex.].

NHMW“ Issel”, Persien, stark salziger Tümpel, südl.von Yest (=Yesd), leg.Starmühlner. NHMW 60.459 ““, Lake Taschk, 07.07.1956 leg. Löffler.

, sp., , .

Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) mentioned from many sampling sites in Yazd Province. An analysis of one lot from the Edlauer collection (NHMW) with the specimens from Yazd Province shows that these specimens (Fig. 13a–b) belong to . Further, re-examination of the specimens from Lake Taschk in Fars Province identified by Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957) as (syn. to ) shows that it is also conspecific with .

Iran: Fars, Yazd and Hormozgan Provinces.

Family Valvatidae J.E. Gray, 1840

Genus O.F. Müller, 1773

Type species. O.F. Müller, 1774

O.F. Müller, 1774

http://species-id.net/wiki/Valvata_cristata

Fig. 12m

Mazandaran Province: IR01-05 [6 ex.]. Tehran Province: IR48-05 [2 ex.].

sp. n.,, sp., Valvata nowshahrensis sp. n., .

Mansoorian (1994).

Considering the photo provided by Mansoorian (1994), he probably confused this species with sp. n. (see below).

Palaearctic.

O.F. Müller, 1774

http://species-id.net/wiki/Valvata_piscinalis

Gilan, Mazandaran and Lorestan Province – Mansoorian (2000).

Palaearctic.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:944E6EE3-B23C-43FB-A305-882A4D4CF3D9

http://species-id.net/wiki/Valvata_nowshahrensis

Fig. 14a–c

Figure 14.

sp. n. a shell b ventral view on the umbilicus c head with penis in situ.

Mazandaran Province, Nowshahr city, pond near the Caspian See, 51°31'E, 36°38'N, 18 June 2005.

(ZMH 79376): Shell diameter 3.3 mm, height 2.3 mm.

(ZMH 79377): 2 specimens from type locality; [2 ex.], Kermanshah Province: IR105-05.

Named after the region, where the species was collected.

The yellowish shell is translucent with 3 circular whorls. The umbilicus is wide, and the first whorl is visible through the umbilicus. The surface is glossy with very fine ribs. Shell diameter 3.2–3.3 mm, height 2.3 mm.

The new species can be distinguished from by its larger umbilicus and from by its higher spire.

This species has possibly been depicted by Mansoorian (1994) and confused with .

sp. n.,, sp., ,

Iran: Mazandaran and Kermanshah Provinces.PageBreak

Pulmonata

Family Acroloxidae Thiele, 1931

Genus H. Beck, 1838

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Acroloxus_lacustris

Rejected Records from Iran.

Mazandaran Province – Forcart (1935).

See remarks under sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:83575F59-E417-44D3-8F6D-A5DB45EA2B21

http://species-id.net/wiki/Acroloxus_pseudolacustris

Fig. 15a–b

Figure 15.

a–b sp. n.: shell c–d (from Hamburg, Germany): shell.

Gilan Province, IR82-05, Bandar Anzali Lagoon, 49°27'E, 37°26'N, 16 June 2008.

(ZMH 79378): Shell length 4.0 mm, width 2.0 mm, height 0.9 mm.

2 ex., NMB 11516a “” zwischen Nika und Aschref, 10 m ü. M., Drs. A. Erni & R. Buxtorf leg. 22.X.1931.

Named for its resemblance with .

The oval limpet shell is transparent. The apex is blunt and bent to the left side (Figs 15a–b).

The new species resembles , which can be easily distinguished by the shape of apex, which is always acute and not blunt (Figs 15c–d) like in the new species. From Russia, no sp. with a blunt apex is known (Vinarski, pers. comm.).

An analysis of the two specimens from Forcart’s collection (NMB 11516a) identified as from Mazandaran Province shows that these specimens belong to sp. n.

.

Iran: Gilan and Mazandaran Provinces.

Family Lymnaeidae Rafinesque, 1815

Montfort, 1810

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix

Linnaeus, 1758

Hubendick (1951) grouped most spp. from the Near East (i.e. , – «Mesopotamia», - Afghanistan, - Iran, - Seistan and Baluchistan, - Iran and - (Bengal, India) under the palaearctic , but from Europe he lumped all spp.PageBreak together in three species. Today, five species are known from Europe, confirmed by molecular (Pfenninger et al. 2006, Schniebs et al. 2011) and anatomical studies (Glöer 2002). Only a few species can be distinguished by the shells alone (e.g. , ). Most species show a large morphological plasticity in the shape of the shell, so this character cannot be used for distinguishing species. Ananndale and Prashad (1919) and Annandale and Rao (1923) provided anatomical data of spp., but these drawings are not suitable enough to identify the spp. found by us in Iran. The diagnostic features and taxonomic relationship of the Iranian species require further revision and particularly the application of molecular techniques with topotypes of the species. The following list of species contains the hitherto recorded nominal species, their taxonomic status remains to be explored.

(Issel, 1865)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_persica

Fig. 16a

Figure 16.

The Lymnaeidae of Iran. a (IR27-07) b–d (b IR03-05 c IR87-05 d IR88-05 e IR91-05) f (IR107-05) g (IR89-05) h sp. i sp. k (IR62-05) l .

Kerman Province – “ var. persica” Issel (1865), “ var. persica” Martens (1874); Seistan and Baluchestan Province (as var. persica: Annandale and Prashad 1919); Isfahan Province (as :Biggs 1937).

Markazi Province:IR27-07 [7 ex.]

South Iran.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_auricularia

Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 2001); Mazandaran, Gilan and Lorestan Provinces (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957), Isfahan Province (Starmühlner 1965).

Palaearctic.

(Annandale & Prashad, 1919)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_bactriana

Figs 16b–d

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919); Kerman Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Markazi Province: IR03-05 [1 ex], IR87-05 [9 ex.], IR88-05 [3 ex.], IR89-05 [2 ex], IR91-05 [3 ex.]; Khorasan Province: IR67-05 [1 ex.], IR79-05 [1 ex.].

Iran:Seistan and Baluchestan and Kerman Provinces.

(Annandale & Prashad, 1919)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_iranica

Fig. 16g

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919).

Markazi Province:IR89-05 [5 ex].

Iran:Seistan and Baluchestan Province.

(Annandale & Prashad, 1919)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_gedrosiana_gedrosiana

Seistan and Baluchistan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919), Azarbayjan Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957), Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, as : Mansoorian 2001), N Iran (Annandale 2000).

Iran, Pakistan.

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_gedrosiana_rectilabrum

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919); Isfahan Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Iran;endemic.

(Mousson, 1874)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_hordeum

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919)

Iraq(Euphrates, as: Mousson 1874); Iran:Seistan and Baluchestan Province.

(Schrank, 1803)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_lagotis

Qom, Tehran and Gilan Provinces (Martens 1874); Kerman Province (Biggs 1937).

This species has been described from the Danube (Germany) and most probably does not occur in Iran. According to Subba Rao (1989) is a synonym of (syn. to ). However, recently Schniebs et al. (2011) clearly showed that and are distinct species.

Europe.PageBreakPageBreak

(Rossmaessler, 1835)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Radix_labiata

(mentioned as f. canalifera): N Iran (Caspian Sea) (Eliazian et al. 1979); Kerman Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer (1957); Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Yazd Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Kermanshah Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957), Starmühlner (1965).

is a species which prefers springs and is distributed in M – and S Europe and the Balkans (Glöer 2002).

Europe.

Genus Schrank, 1803

Type species. O.F. Müller, 1774

(O.F. Müller, 1774)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Galba_truncatula

Fig. 16k

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (as : Annandale and Prashad 1919); North Iran (Caspian Sea) (as :Eliazian et al. 1979); Manzandaran Province (Forcart 1935); Gilan, Mazandaran and Lorestan Province (Mansoorian 2000); Kerman Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, Biggs 1937); Tehran Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 2001, Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979); Isfahan Province (Biggs 1937); Semnan Province (Starmühlner 1961); Hormozgan Province (Starmühlner 1965).

Khorasan Province: IR63-05 [22 ex.]; IR66a-05 [1 ex.]; IR77-05 [1 ex.].

, , .

Worldwide.

Küster, 1862

http://species-id.net/wiki/Galba_schirazensis

Fig. 16l

Fars Province (Küster 1862); Gilan Province (Bargues et al. 2010).

Iran, Mediterranean, Central America (Bargues et al. 2011).

Genus Jeffreys, 1830

Type species. O.F. Müller, 1774

(O.F. Müller, 1774)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Stagnicola_palustris

Kerman Province (Martens 1874); Isfahan Province (Martens 1874); Qazvin and E Azarbayjan Provinces (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Gilan, Mazandaran and Lorestan Provinces (Eliazian et al. 1979); N Iran (Mansoorian 2000).

Mazandaran Province (Forcart 1935).

The recent insights on the distribution of show that it is a Northern European/Siberian species. Most probably, the species reported from Iran as represents an undescribed species (see below).

Fig. 17

Figure 17.

sp. (from Forcart’s collection, NMB 11518b “”): shell.

Mazandaran Province (Forcart 1935 ).

Material examined: 35 ex., NMB 11518b ““Zw. Nika und Aschref, Dr. Erni & Buxtorf 1934; 3 ex., NMB 11518a “Iran, Prov. Mazandaran. Meschhediser, Geniste am rechten Ufer des Babul ca. 300 m S der Mündung, -26 m Meereshöhe. Leg. 23.8.1931 & don. 1935 Drs. A. Erni & R. Buxtorf”.

An examination of the specimens from NMB identified by Forcart (1935) as shows that these specimens are not conspecific with . Namely, Forcart’s specimens clearly differ in the aperture, which is broader at the basis (Fig. 17) than in . However, due to the fact that the shells of spp. are very variable, it is not possible to identify or eventually describe this specis as new to science without anatomical studies.

Genus Lamarck, 1799

Type species. (Linnaeus, 1758)

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Lymnaea_stagnalis

Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 1998, 2001).

Palaearctic.PageBreak

Family Planorbidae Rafinesque, 1815

Genus O.F. Müller, 1781

Type species. Audouin, 1827

(Audouin, 1827)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Bulinus_truncatus

Khuzestan Province (Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 1994, 2001); Gilan Province (Mansoorian 2000).

Tropical Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iran.

Genus O.F. Müller, 1774

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

Mousson, 1874

http://species-id.net/wiki/Planorbis_intermixtus

Fig. 18b

Figure 18.

The spp. of Iran. a b c .

Planorbis subangulatus Philippi, 1844;

Northern Iran (as : Mansoorian 2000); Mazandaran Province (as :Eliazian et al. 1979, Mansoorian 2000); Fars Province (as PageBreak: Forcart 1935, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); IsfahanProvince (Glöer and Pešić 2010); Yazd Province (as , : Biggs 1937, 1971, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Gilan Province (as :Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Khuzestan Province (as , :Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957, as :Biggs 1971); Markazi Province (Chu et al. 1968, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 2001, Glöer and Pešić 2010).

Mazandaran Province: IR01-05 [11 ex.]; Markazi Province: IR51-05 [11 ex.]; IR87-05 [3 ex.]; IR88-05 [7 ex.]; IR91-05 [5 ex.]; IR93-05 [1 ex.]; Khorasan Province: IR66-05 [10 ex.]; IR67-05 [2 ex.]; IR68-05 [5 ex.]; IR78a-05 [2 ex.]; IR78b-05 [7 ex.]; Fars Province: IR02-07 [2 ex.]; IR07-07 [2 ex.]; IR26-07 [9 ex.]; IR27-07 [3 ex.].

, , sp.

The species and can only be distinguished by the number of prostate diverticula (Glöer and Pešić 2010). All spp. collected in Iran have been anatomically studied and no could be found. Thus we list the old records from Iran under .

In addition, Philippi, 1844 and Ancey, 1900 have been mentioned from Iran (Ancey 1900, Biggs 1937). Both species have been described on the basis of the shells, the morphology of which falls within variability of . Thus we list these species under .

Turkey, Iran, N India.

O.F. Müller, 1774

http://species-id.net/wiki/Planorbis_carinatus

Fig. 18a

Northern Iran (Mansoorian 1994).

Mazandaran Province:IR01-05 [5 ex., anat. det. ].

, sp., sp. n., sp. n., .

Palaearctic.

S. Studer, 1820

http://species-id.net/wiki/Anisus

Linnaeus, 1758

The identification of the species of this genus is based on the anatomical features (Glöer and Meier-Brook 2008), so all former records of this genus are questionable and need new confirmation.PageBreakPageBreak

(Millet, 1813)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Anisus_leucostoma

Gilan Province – Mansoorian (1994, 2000).

Palaearctic.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Anisus_spirorbis

Azarbayjan Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957)

Palaearctic.

Fig. 19

Figure 19.

sp.: shell.

Mazandaran Province: IR01-05 [1 empty shell].

, sp., sp. n., Pseudobithynia mazandaranensis sp. n., .

The shells (Fig. 19) of this species are similar to the rare species , which is distributed in Central and E Europe. Additional material is necessary to resolve the taxonomy of this taxon.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Anisus_vortex

Fars Province – Mansoorian (1994).

Euro-Siberian.

Genus Charpentier, 1837

Type species. O.F. Müller 1774

(Bourguignat, 1852)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Gyraulus_piscinarum

Fig. 20b

Figure 20.

a b c .

Tehran Province (as : Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Mazandaran Province: IR02-05 [6 ex.]; Fars Province: IR07-07 [13 ex.]; Seistan and Baluchestan Province: IR08-11 [10 ex.], IR09-11 [14 ex.].

Lebanon, Syria, Turkey (Black Sea coast), Iran.

The examined specimens have been identified by its anatomy and are in a good agreement with Glöer and Bößneck (2007) as well as the anatomical studies carried out by Meier-Brook (1983).

(Mousson, 1874)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Gyraulus_euphraticus

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919); Fars Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957); Khuzestan Province (Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Mansoorian 2001).

can be confused with spp. (Glöer and Bössneck 2007).

Irak, Iran.

(Hutton, 1849)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Gyraulus_convexiusculus

Fig. 20a

Seistan and Baluchestan Province: IR08-05 [2 ex.]; IR09-11 [4 ex.].

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919); Yazd Province (Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Afghanistan to Thailand, Iran.

(Alder, 1838)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Gyraulus_laevis

Mazandaran Province (Forcart 1935, Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Central Europe.

Genus Annandale and Prashad, 1920

Type species. Deshayes, 1834

(Deshayes, 1834)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Indoplanorbis_exustus

Fig. 18c

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Mansoorian 1994).

Hormozgan Province: IR15-11 [5 ex.].

Iran, Oman, Yemen, India, Nepal, SE Asia.

Type species. Linnaeus, 1758

(Linnaeus, 1758)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Hippeutis_complanatus

Fig. 20c

Mazandaran Province: IR01-05 [3 ex., anat. det.].

New for Iran.

Europe to W Asia.

Genus Fleming, 1818

Type species. O.F. Müller, 1774

(Benson, 1850)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Segmentina_calatha

Seistan and Baluchestan Province (Annandale and Prashad 1919).

India, Iran.

Genus Walker, 1903

Type species. (Say, 1817)

(Bourguignat, 1866)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Ferrissia_isseli

Gilan Province (as : Starmühlner and Edlauer 1957).

Africa, Iran.

Family Physidae Fitzinger, 1833

Genus Clench & Aguayo, 1932

Type species. Haldeman, 1841

(Draparnaud, 1805)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Haitia_acuta

all mentioned as : Gilan, Mazandaran and Lorestan Provinces (Mansoorian 2000); Khuzestan Province (Mansoorian 2001, Massoud and Hedayeti-Far 1979, Elazian et al. 1979).

Mazandaran Province: IR02-05 [2 ex.]; IR03-05 [3 ex.]; IR04-05 [3 ex.]; IR05-05 [3 ex.]; Markazi Province: IR51-05 [2 ex.], IR91-05 [6 ex.]; IR93-05 [1 ex.]; Khorasan Province: IR70-05 [1 ex.]; IR77-05 [1 ex.]; Gilan Province: IR82-05 [1 ex.]; Lorestan Province; IR95-05 [39 ex.]; Fars Province: IR07-07 [22 ex.]; IR14-07[13 ex.]; IR26-07 [3 ex]; Seistan and Baluchestan Province: IR08-11 [12 ex.]; Hormozgan Province. IR17-11 [1 ex.].

, , sp., , , , .

Europe,Mediterranean, Iraq, Iran.

Discussion

The checklist of Iranian freshwater snails presented here shows a total of 73 species in 34 genera and 14 families. The records and taxonomic status of six species i.e. Martens, 1874, cf. ejecta Mousson, 1874, (Menke, 1830), (Draparnaud, 1805), (Hauffen, 1856) and (O.F. Müller, 1774) are questionable and needs new confirmation. Further, the genus needs revision as several species have been reported from Iran (i.e., , , and ), but without further study and additional materials it is not possible to establish under which name or names the Iranian populations shouldPageBreak be placed. The genus is richest in the number of the species. However, our list of species from Iran contains the hitherto recorded nominal species, their taxonomic status remains to be explored. For the two species i.e. sp. and sp. further study and additional specimens are necessary to resolve the taxonomy of these taxa. The identification of the species of the genus is based on the anatomical features (Glöer and Meier-Brook 2008), so all former records of this genus are questionable and need new confirmation. Three species, (Küster, 1852), (Pasch, 1842) and (Linnaeus, 1758), are excluded from the list of Iranian freshwater snails, while most probably does not occur in Iran.

Of the 73 species reported in this paper, 12 species have a wide distribution (known from two or more bieogeographical regions), 9 species are Palaearctic, 4 species are W-Palaearctic and 8 species are “Middle East” (Iran, Iraq, Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Syria, Israel) in their distribution. Insufficient knowledge hampers the determination of the biogeographic status of the rest of the species. Moreover, another 27 (37%) of these species have been indicated as being endemic to Iran.

If we take generic diversity into consideration, we can see that only three genera i.e. Glöer & Pešić 2009, gen. n.and gen. n. are endemic to Iran.

The species-richness of freshwater gastropods in our study was rather low one with an average of 2.12 species and a maximum of 6 spp. per sampling site. Only some common species occur in high abundances [> 20 ind./sampling site], abundances of most species being < 10 ind./sampling site. Most sampling sites in our study were intermittent streams, with perennial surface water only present in the head water section near their source in the mountains. Further downstream, riverbeds are usually seasonally dry with occasionally some standing pools in their middle course (Pešić et al. 2012).

As expected, our current knowledge of the diversity of the freshwater snail fauna is far from being complete. For most Iranian provinces, all available data come from a few surveys with as objective the study of snails as vectors of digenetic trematodes of medical or veterinary importance (e.g., Mansoorian 1994, 1998, 2001). However, large portions of Iran remain unexplored and many important hydrological basins have never been sampled. The number of known species may hence only represent but a part of the total freshwater snail species number in Iran. For example, for Central Europe, an estimated total species number of about 150 appears appropriate (Glöer 2002).

However, the present study is exhaustive and constitutes the most complete list of freshwater snails in Iran, including a complete bibliography of research on the subject. Further studies should focus at a serious improvement of our knowledge on Iranian freshwater snails by intensive collecting activities in little known areas in order to close the large gaps in our knowledge on their diversity. Particularly some specific habitats such as springs and underground habitats are more or less unexplored but may prove to be a major source for freshwater biodiversity.

	code	sampling site	GPS-coordinates [m asl.]	habitat	date
1	IR01-05	Mazandaran province, Nowshahr city (near Caspian Sea)	51°31'E, 36°38'N [- 28]	pond	18.06.2005
2	IR02-05	Mazandaran province, road to Kandelous	no coordinates	spring	18.06.2005
3	IR03-05	Markazi province, road to Khomeyn	no coordinates	stream	27.06.2005
4	IR05-05	Lorestan province, Khorramabad area.	no coordinates	stream	24.06.2005
5	IR04-05	Khorasan province, 25 km to Bojnurd River	no coordinates	stream	07.07.2005
6	IR51-05	Markazi Province, Bolagh stream 10 km after Shahzand city (in Shahzand to Pole Doab Road),	no coordinates	stream	04.06.2005
7	IR61-05	Khorrasan Province, Akhlamad	58°57'E, 36°40'N [ca. 2000]	waterfall	04.06.2005
8	IR62-05	Khorrasan Province, Golmakan, Cheshmeh Sebz	59°15'E, 36°15'N [ca. 2000]	spring	04.06.2005
9	IR63-05	Khorrasan Province, Gojki road to Kalat (ca. 94 km to Kalat)	59°45'E, 36°35'N [ca. 1400 ]	rheohelocrenic spring	05.06.2005
10	IR64-05	Khorrasan Province, Gojki road to Kalat (ca. 94 km to Kalat)	59°45'E, 36°35'N [ca. 1400]	stream	05.06.2005
11	IR66a-05	Khorrasan Province, spring at Masshad-Kalat road (35 km to Kalat)	no coordinates	spring	05.06.2005
12	IR67-05	Khorrasan Province, river near Kalat city	59°45'E, 36°58'N [ca. 1900]	river	05.06.2005
13	IR68-05	Khorrasan Province, Mach stream (in Moghan road), 16 km to Moghan	59°31'E, 35°10'N [ca. 2000]	stream	06.06.2005
14	IR70-05	Khorrasan Province, Kaskak stream in Kaskak village	59°10'E, 35°25'N [ca. 1800]	stream	07.06.2005
15	IR76-05	Khorrasan Province, Kharv stream in Kharv city (25 km to Neishabour)	59°5'E, 36°12'N [ca. 2200]	stream	10.06.2005
16	IR77-05	Khorrasan Province, Koh Sorkh stream (in Koh Sorkh city, ca. 35 km to Kashmar city)	59°25'E, 36°25'N [ca. 2200]	stream	10.06.2005
17	IR78-05	Khorrasan Province, Zou Eram spring in Zou Eram village (near Shirvan city)	57°40'E, 37°20'N [ca. 1600]	spring	11.06.2005
18	IR78a-05	Khorrasan Province, spring 1 near Zou Eram spring in Zou Eram village (near Shirvan city)	no coordinates [ca. 1600]	spring	11.06.2005
19	IR78b-05	Khorrasan Province, spring 2 near to Zou Eram spring in Zou Eram village (near Shirvan city)	no ccordiantes [ca. 1600]	spring	11.06.2005
20	IR79-05	Khorrasan Province, Baba Aman Park spring (ca. 5 km to Bojnurd city)	57°24'E, 37°25'N [ca. 1300]	spring	11.06.2005
21	IR82-05	Gilan Province, Bandar Anzali Lagoon	49°27'E, 37°26'N	wetland	16.06.2005
22	IR87-05	Markazi Province, Ashtian to Arak road (ca. 5 km after Ashtian)	50°01'E, 34°34'N [ca. 1800]	pool	21.06.2005
23	IR88-05	Markazi Province Aman Abad spring in Anjedan road before Aman Abad village (ca. 5 km to Aman Abad village)	49°48'E, 33°55'N [ca. 1700]	spring	22.06.2005
24	IR89-05	Markazi Province, Cheshmeh Shater in Arak to Khomein road (8 km after Arak)	49°45'E, 34°08'N [ca. 1700]	pool	22.06.2005
25	IR90-05	Markazi Province, stream 2 km after Hassan Abad (in Arak to Khomein road)	49°52'E, 33°50'N [ca. 1700]	stream	22.06.2005
26	IR91-05	Markazi Province, Varcheh spring in Emamzadeh Varcheh village (in Arak to Khomein road, ca. 20 km to Khomein)	49°55'E, 33°49'N [ca. 1700]	spring	22.06.2005
27	IR93-05	Markazi Province, stream near Astaneh city (Azna Aligudarz cross way)	49°24'E, 33°55'N [ca. 2400]	stream	23.06.2005
28	IR94-05	Lorestan Province, Darband stream in Darband village (Azna to Dorood road, ca. 16 km to Azna)	49°17'E, 33°25'N [ca. 1800]	stream	23.06.2005
29	IR95-05	Lorestan Province, Dareh Takht stream in Dareh Takht village (13 km to Azna city)	33°22'N, 49°22'E [ca. 2800]	stream	23.06.2005
30	IR105-05	Kermanshah Province, Firoozan stream in Firoozan village	34°25'N, 48°11'E	stream	27.06.2005
31	IR106-05	Kermanshah Province, Sar Pol Kangarar stream in Sar Pol Kangarar village	34°30'N, 47°55'E	stream	27.06.2005
32	IR107-05	Kermanshah Province, spring near Sarabe – Sarkh city	no coordinates	spring	27.06.2005
33	IR108-05	Kermanshah Province, stream Gamasiab in village Gamasiab	34°27'N, 47°45'E	stream	27.06.2005
34	IR07-07	Fars Province, Dasht Arzhan village (in Shiraz to Kazerum road)	29°39'N, 51°59'E [ca. 2300]	stream	04.08.2007
35	IR13-07	Fars Province, AtashKadeh spring, Ardeshir palace in Firooz Abad	28°54'N, 52°32'E [1683]	limnocrenic spring	05.08.2007
36	IR14-07	Fars Province, Firooz Abad city, Kay Zarrin village	28°53'N, 52°32'E [1711]	stream	05.08.2007
37	IR17-07	Fars Province, Shiraz to Firooz Abad road, Ebrahim Abad village, Ebrahim Abad stream	29°00'N, 52°34'E	stream	06.08.2007
38	IR21-07	Lorestan Province, Mode Abad village	33°35''N, 48°37'E [1723]	stream	10.08.2007
39	IR26-07	Lorestan Province, road from Boroujerd to Khorram Abad city	33°30'N, 48°44'E [1660]	limnocrenic spring	10.08.2007
40	IR27-07	Markazi Province, Aman Abad (near Arak city)	33°59'N, 49°52'E [1775]	pool	11.08.2007
41	IR08-11	Seistan Province, Chabahar, Sharak village, Qanat 1	26°02'N, 61°04'E [264]	qanat (spring)	13.07.2011
42	IR08a-11	Seistan va Baluchestan Province, Chabahar, Sharak village, Qanat 2 (ca. 100 m from Qanat 1)	no coordinates	qanat (spring)	13.07.2011
43	IR09-11	Seistan va Baluchestan Province, Chabahar, Shirgovaz – Machkor stream, 45 m asl.	25°47'N, 61°28'E	stream	14.07.2011
44	IR10-11	Seistan va Baluchestan Province, Chabahar, Hootgat Bala river	25°48'N, 61°31'E [57]	river	14.07.2011
45	IR14-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Khorgoo village before hot water spring	27°29'N, 56°28'E [125]	saline stream	14.07.2011
46	IR15-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Khorgoo village before hot water spring, small pool near 14-11	27°29'N, 56°28'E [113]	pool (saline water)	16.07.2011
47	IR17-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Siahoo Qanat in Siahoo village	27°46'N, 56°20'E [630]	qanat (spring)	18.07.2011
48	IR18-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Taleguerdoo village, Poshtekeno spring, upper part of stream	27°49'N, 56°24'E [836]	stream	18.07.2011
49	IR19-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Banglayan village	27°46'N, 56°32'E [577]	stream	18.07.2011
50	IR20-11	Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abass, Bandar Kamir to Bandar Lenhueh road, ca 80 km to Bandar Abass, saline stream near Dezhgan	26°53'N, 55°16'E [20]	saline stream	20.07.2011
51	IR48-05	Tehran Province, Elbrus Mt., Shahrestanak River		river	18.08.2003