Land molluscs from the Isola delle Femmine Nature Reserve (north-western Sicily, Italy) (Gastropoda Architaenioglossa Pulmonata)

Morphological investigation of genital organs and first insights into the phylogeny of the genus Siciliaria Vest, 1867 as a basis for a taxonomic revision (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Clausiliidae)

“…The same applies for the connection between the AUPP and PUPP where specimens from the type locality also show a “wide” spacing. Following the pictures provided by Sparacio et al (2021 : figs 43, 44), the PP of S. leucophryna microinsularis does not appear longer if compared to the PP of the specimens from the type locality (Figs 11 .2, 11.3, 11.5). The variability of the sculpturing of the internal walls of the vagina refrains us to consider it a reliable taxonomic character for the whole genus Siciliaria .…”

“…6), the close relationship of this species with S. calcarae appears clear. Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis Sparacio, Surdo, Viviano, Liberto & Reitano, 2021 was recently introduced from the island of Isola delle Femmine (Palermo). In the comparative notes provided by Sparacio et al (2021: 599), the character states reveal to fall into the variability we detected for the topotypical specimens from Grotta Conza (Palermo), both regarding shell and genital morphology.…”

“… Siciliaria leucophryna is known to occur from a small area from Isola delle Femmine to Sferracavallo, including the northernmost sides of Pizzo Mollica and Pizzo Manolfo (where Grotta Conza is located) [( Sparacio et al (2021) ]. Nordsieck (2013b) reports also Monte Gallo, despite recent field collecting failed to find it there.…”

“…Nordsieck (2007) kept Siciliaria (and all the above-mentioned genera) as subgenus of Charpentieria. In the last two decades, contributions to the knowledge of the distribution of species were provided by Reitano et al (2007: 326) [Siciliaria ferrox (Brandt, 1961)]; Reitano et al (2012) [Siciliaria leucophryna (Pfeiffer, 1862)] and Liberto et al (2015) [Siciliaria scarificata (L. Pfeiffer, 1856)] and two new subspecies were recently described: Siciliaria calcarae orlandoi Liberto, Reitano, Giglio, Colomba & Sparacio, 2016 and Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis Sparacio, Surdo, Viviano, Liberto & Reitano, 2021. For a comprehensive recap about the systematics and the nomenclatural history of Siciliaria see Nordsieck (2013b: 1-2).…”