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© 2023 Uwe Jueg.
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Jueg U (2023) Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. and Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov. – two new leech species from Africa and revision of the genus Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976 in Africa. Evolutionary Systematics 7(1): 1-34. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.7.94507
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Two new leech species from Africa are presented. The position of the eyes, the number of crop caeca and the gonopores separated by two annuli indicate that both belong to the genus Alboglossiphonia. Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. differs from the other African species in its elongated body shape, the shape and size of the suckers and above all by the unique spotting on the dorsal side, which is not found in any other species of the genus. Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. inhabits the alpine zones of the Mt. Kenya and Mt. Elgon massifs and represents the highest record of a leech in Africa to date, approx 4,500 m above sea level. Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov. differs from other species of the genus by its completely fused pairs of eyes, the shape and size of the cranial sucker and the head area and a jagged outer margin. The species is only known from Bunia in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eleven species of the genus Alboglossiphonia are known from Africa, belonging to different zoogeographical areas. Northwest Africa is home to Alboglossiphonia hyalina (O.F. Müller, 1774) and A. iberica Jueg, 2008 as Palaearctic species. Alboglossiphonia polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988, A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990 and A. levis Gouda, 2010 are restricted to the lower reaches of the Nile in Egypt. Six species exist south of the Sahara: Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis (Augener, 1936), A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939), A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978), A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978) as well as those described here, A. afroalpina sp. nov. and A. buniana sp. nov. The examination of the three syntypes of Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis (Augener, 1936) showed that this species is identical to A. cheili (Oosthuizen 1978) and that the latter must be used as a synonym in future. Historical evidence from the Central Africa Museum in Tervuren (Belgium) from the Sciacchitano Collection and the British Museum of Natural History was examined. The systematic position of Glossiphonia verrucata Sciacchitano, 1939 was also clarified. Almost all species were photographed for the first time, most of them including their holotype. Distribution maps are presented for all species. All African Alboglossiphonia species are compared in terms of their characteristics in tabular form.
New species, Glossiphoniidae, Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov., Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov., Alboglossiphonia spp., revision, morphology, taxonomy, zoogeography, Mt. Kenya, Mt. Elgon, Bunia, Africa
In February 2010, the malacologist Dr. Ulrich Bößneck with his wife Dr. Kathrin Bößneck (Nordhausen) and Dr. Christian Albrecht (University of Giessen) travelled to East Africa to search for small clams (Sphaeriidae) in the Afroalpine regions of the Mount Kenya massif. Numerous mountain lakes around Mt. Kenya were sampled by Dr. Ulrich Bößneck with his wife, sometimes under the most adverse weather conditions. As an attentive zoologist, he documented the accompanying fauna and secured evidence that is rare from such extreme biotopes and therefore of particular value. Among the collected Hirudinida was an animal of the genus Alboglossiphonia, which on closer inspection turned out to be a new species. Unfortunately, Dr. Ulrich Bößneck passed away on September 13, 2019, after a serious illness, and was denied the appreciation of his find. His merits outside of malacology were also recognized in his obituary (
In Africa, several high mountain ranges with Afroalpine zones, some with glacial formation, stretch along the East African Rift Valley, from the Ethiopian highlands through Kenya and Uganda to Tanzania. Little is known about the leech fauna of these high mountains. The species newly described here should serve as a basis for further investigations on the leech diversity in these areas, which would likely result in the discovery of additional new species. The alpine enclaves of the high East African mountains offer a series of geographically and ecologically isolated temperate islands populated by a species-poor flora that is particularly adapted to the extreme climate (
All East African high mountains, e.g., Rwenzori Mountains (Moon Mountains), Kilamandjaro Massif, and Mt. Elgon Massif, show similar ecological conditions, which will be presented here using the example of Mt. Kenya Massif. The Mount Kenya massif, located about 150 km north of Nairobi, has the second highest mountain in Africa with the Batian (5,199 m above sea level). Its central areas, which are higher than 3.200 m, are part of Mount Kenya National Park. The massif rises within the Kenyan steppe as an enclave with special ecosystems. In the west, where the clouds accumulate, there is a tropical climate with a narrow belt of rainforest. The tree line is reached at approx. 3,200 m above sea level. There follows a zone up to approx. 4,000 m above sea level, which is mainly formed by tussock grasses, cushion plants and stemless rosette plants. Above this, the vegetation becomes increasingly sparse until finally, from 4,700 m above sea level, rugged rocks with no vegetation and scree slopes and glaciers follow. There are numerous mountain lakes, streams and waterfalls throughout the massif which drain into the Indian Ocean. The climate in the Afroalpine zone is characterized by extremes, with fluctuations of 20–30 °C observed within a day.
The genus Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976, is represented worldwide with at least 25 species on all continents except Antarctica, with a diversity hotspot in Africa represented by eleven currently known species.
Flat glossiphoniid leeches with at least three pairs of eyes. The first pair is always close together and often fused. The following two pairs of eyes may be separated or compound. Salivary glands diffuse, six or seven pairs of crop caeca. Genital pores separated by 0–2 annuli. Cocoons or single eggs are attached to the venter (Haementeriinae). The feeding is liquidosomatophagous (
Initially, there was only one specimen of the new species Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. from the locus typicus for this publication, which has been in the author’s collection since 2010. As part of the research on the Alboglossiphonia species from Africa, especially south of the Sahara, I conducted an extensive literature review and examined collection material in various museums. In particular, the extensive collections of the Italian Iginio Sciacchitano in the Central Africa Museum Tervuren (Belgium) contained valuable evidence. All existing specimens of the genera Alboglossiphonia (or Glossiphonia) were examined and re-evaluated. Sciacchitano worked on material from various collectors and expeditions, especially from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Belgian Congo), but also from South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Togo and Ethiopia. All specimens of Alboglossiphonia deposited by him, identified without exception as Alboglossiphonia disjuncta, were examined.
A total of four species were hidden among these animals, including specimens of the new species Alboglossiphonia afroalpina described here from Kenya and the new species A. buniana sp. nov. from Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Further specimens from the Sciacchitano collection were extremely important for the revision of the genus, since their taxonomy was evaluated very differently in the literature (e.g.
In addition to the comprehensive photographic representation of ten of the eleven known African species, complete distribution maps based on the current state of knowledge can also be presented for the first time for all species of the genus. In particular, the zoologists and photographers from the Zoological Museum of the University of Greifswald (Dr. Peter Michalik) and the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium (Arnaud Henrard) created extensive photographic material of all known species (except Alboglossiphonia levis). Images from Dr. Peter Michalik (Zoologisches Museum Greifswald) were taken with the BK PLUS Lab system (Dun Inc.) using a Canon 65 mm macro lens mounted on a Canon 5D Mark II camera. Image stacks were captured with Adobe Lightroom and processed using Zerene Stacker under PMax value. Obtained extended focus images were edited using Adobe Photoshop CS 6. All measurements are given in millimeters. Digital images of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (
The following abbreviations are intended to simplify the naming of museums with more extensive material in the following text.
RMAT Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium;
BMNH British Museum of Natural History London, UK.
Anatomical features in the specimens examined could mostly not be described without damage to the animals. Nevertheless, clearly recognizable external features point to the current determinations, especially in the new species, which justifies their description. The holotype of Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. from the Afroalpine zone of the Mt. Kenya massif (4,493 m above sea level) and 20 other animals from the Afroalpine zone of the Mt. Elgon massif (3,000 and 3,850 m above sea level) as well as the 25 animals of A. buniana sp. nov. from Bunia in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo were examined with regard to all externally detectable parameters and compared with the known African Alboglossiphonia species. Photos and drawings also show typical features. For detailed descriptions of other species reference is made to the revision of the genus (see section 3.).
For the future, additional studies on the anatomy of the two newly described species are desirable, especially on fresh material. DNA sequencing is desirable for all species of the genus in order to clarify the relationships and the intraspecific range of variation of some species (e.g. A. disjuncta).
Taxonomy (according to Tessler et al. 2018)
Class Clitellata Michaelsen, 1919
Subclass Hirudinea Lamarck, 1818
Order Hirudinida Siddall, Apakupakul, Burreson, Coates, Erséus, Gelder, Källersjö & Trapido-Rosenthal, 2001
Suborder Glossiphoniiformes Tessler & de Carle, 2018
Family Glossiphoniidae Vaillant, 1890
Genus Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976
In addition to the holotype from Mt. Kenya, there were 20 specimens from the Mt. Elgon massif in Kenya, on the border with Uganda, which were collected in 1953 (
Holotype
: 1 specimen collected on February 20th of 2010 from Kenya, Mt. Kenya national park Nanyuki Tarn, 4,493 m above sea level, leg. Dr. Ulrich Bößneck; body length 6.0 mm, maximum width 1.6 mm; deposited at the Zoological Museum of Hamburg (Germany), Coll.-No.:
Specimen-No. | Length | Maximum width | Length cranial sucker | Width cranial sucker | Length caudal sucker | Width caudal sucker | Length head region | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 holotype | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.55 | 0.6 | 0.5 | |
2 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 0.45 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.38 | |
3 | 10.50 | 2.10 | 0.62 | 0.55 | 0.62 | 0.75 | 0.45 | |
4 | 10.50 | 2.00 | 0.52 | 0.60 | 0.45 | 0.60 | 0.40 | |
5 | 10.40 | 1.80 | 0.38 | 0.60 | 0.62 | 0.62 | 0.55 | |
6 | 9.70 | 1.35 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.60 | 0.50 | |
7 | 9.50 | 1.40 | 0.50 | 0.53 | 0.50 | 0.60 | 0.50 | |
8 | 9.20 | 1.20 | 0.35 | 0.48 | 0.48 | 0.50 | 0.50 | Eye position not visible |
9 | 9.10 | 0.90 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.48 | |
10 | 9.00 | 1.80 | 0.50 | 0.63 | 0.60 | 0.70 | 0.45 | |
11 | 8.30 | 2.20 | 0.50 | 0.65 | 0.75 | 0.80 | 0.50 | |
12 | 8.20 | 1.40 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.60 | 0.65 | 0.38 | Eye position not visible |
13 | 8.00 | 1.25 | 0.38 | 0.43 | 0.38 | 0.40 | 0.38 | |
14 | 6.00 | 1.90 | 0.53 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.60 | ? | head not removed |
15 | 5.70 | 1.30 | 0.60 | 0.65 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.40 | Eye position not visible; ventral glockenförmig (eggs) |
16 | 5.60 | 1.65 | 0.48 | 0.55 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.32 | |
17 | 5.30 | ? | 0.45 | 0.50 | 0.43 | 0.45 | 0.40 | atypically contracted |
18 | 5.30 | 1.30 | 0.53 | 0.53 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.38 | Eye position not visible; ventral glockenförmig (eggs) |
19 | 5.20 | 1.38 | 0.40 | 0.45 | 0.55 | 0.57 | 0.28 | Eye position not visible |
20 | 4.80 | 1.00 | 0.50 | 0.40 | 0.65 | 0.85 | 0.40 | ventrally bell-shaped (> 20 eggs) |
21 | 4.60 | 1.50 | 0.30 | 0.40 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.35 | |
Maximum | 10.50 | 2.20 | 0.62 | 0.65 | 0.75 | 0.85 | 0.55 | |
Minimum | 4.60 | 0.90 | 0.30 | 0.40 | 0.38 | 0.40 | 0.55 | |
Median | 7.54 | 1.58 | 0.48 | 0.53 | 0.56 | 0.61 | 0.43 |
1 specimen collected December of 1953 from Kenya, Mt.-Elgon-Massif near Kitale, 3,850 m above sea level; leg. Dr. J. Bouillon (
19 specimens collected December 11th, 1953 from Kenya, Mt.-Elgon-Massif near Kitale, east-northeast from the previous location, 3,000 m above sea level; leg. Dr. J. Bouillon (
Kenya, Central Kenya Province, Naro Moru, Mt. Kenya National Park north of the Teleki Valley, Nanyuki Tarn (mountain lake) (Fig.
Alboglossiphonia species up to 10.5 mm long and up to 2.2 mm wide; very elongated shape for the genus; almost circular suckers with thick walls, caudal sucker small (about 1/3 of the maximum body width); ground color unknown, numerous small roundish to oblong spots dorsally and less numerous ventrally (only species of the genus with this character); smooth surface, no prominent tubercles or papillae; eye position typical of the species, but with high variability; separation of the small and poorly visible gonopores by two annuli; internal anatomy unknown.
The external morphology (number and position of eyes, annulation, colouration, papillation, suckers and the position of genital pores, size) was examined for the holotype and another 20 specimens. The internal morphology was not investigated (see above).
Body form and size. The body is oblong with a length of 10.5 mm. The maximum width in the second half of the body is 2.2 mm. The body is approx. 0.6 mm wide both at the beginning of the head area and at the base of the rear suction cup. Dorsum is slightly curved, ventral flat. The approx. 0.5 mm long head area is set off by a neck furrow. The hind edge of the animal is strongly concave dorsally, so that part of the posterior sucker is exposed. In egg-carrying specimens, a ventral bell-like bulge was observed to protect the clutch, as is typical for this genus.
Annulation. 69 annuli were counted. The first six annuli are in the head area. All annuli have the same width.
Suckers and mouth. The cranial sucker is rounded to slightly crosswise: 0.48 mm in length and 0.53 mm in width (max. 0.62 mm and 0.65 mm). The edge is thickened on all sides and resembles a tire. There is a relatively large mouth opening in the center of the deep, bowl-shaped cranial sucker (Fig.
Colour and pattern. In life, the basic color is probably light brown to beige, and clearly lighter on the ventral side. The spotting on the dorsal side is very characteristic, consisting of elongated to rounded spots that are only slightly darker than the basic color (Fig.
Papillae and tubercles. The entire body is smooth. There are no tubercles or prominent papillae. Only tiny, evenly spaced, sensory papillae are visible at high magnification. These are present on each annulus as a transverse row.
Eyes. The eyes are typically formed for the genus Alboglossiphonia, with a high degree of variability in arrangement and partial reduction of the eyes (Fig.
Gonopores. Both gonopores are very small and inconspicuous. They each lie in a furrow and are separated by two annuli. The furrows appear somewhat darker in the area of the gonopores and have the shape of a black slit (Fig.
The newly described species is named after its occurrence in the Afroalpine zone of the East African mountain massifs Mt. Kenya and Mt. Elgon.
The affiliation to the genus Alboglossiphonia results from the position of the eyes and the distance between the gonopores. Eleven species are known from Africa, only six of these from south of the Sahara (including this and Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov.). Internal features (e.g. the number and shape of the crop caeca) cannot be used for differentiation, but some very constant features such as the spacing of the gonopores, the shape and size of the suckers, the structure of the surface or the formation of spots and patterns distinguish among these species.
The gonopores of the species Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. have a spacing of 2 annuli, differing from A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978) and A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990, where the spacing is only 1 annulus, and from A. hyalina, which has only one common gonopore. Alboglossiphonia conjugata and A. disuqi also have papillae and warts as well as rows of spots. The location of the gonopores of Alboglossiphonia afroalpina is identical with following species: A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939), A. iberica Jueg, 2008, A. levis Gouda, 2010, A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978), A. namaquaensis (Augener, 1936) and A. polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988. The presence of warts and prominent papillae clearly distinguish Alboglossiphonia disjuncta, A. macrorhyncha and A. polypompholyx from A. afroalpina sp. nov. Alboglossiphonia afroalpina does not have a transparent margin like that of A. iberica and A. namaquaensis. Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov. can be separated from all other species of the genus by its clearly elongated shape, which can only rarely be described as slightly oval, and by the distinctive spotting. Only Alboglossiphonia polypompholyx has a comparable body shape, but it is clearly covered with warts. The color pattern is unique for the genus worldwide.
The geographic and habitat distribution distinguish Alboglossiphonia afroalpina as a new species. The occurrence in water bodies in the alpine zone of the East African mountain massifs is unique to A. afroalpina.
The mountain lake Nanyuki Tarn on Mt. Kenya (Fig.
Nothing is known about the ecology of the specimens found in 1953 in the Mt Elgon massif, except for the sea level at which the waters (probably mountain lakes) were located. Three of the animals carried eggs, so December can be named as the period for reproduction and brood care.
So far, the species is only known from the mountain massifs of Mt. Kenya and Mt. Elgon in Kenya. It is very likely that A. afroalpina sp. nov. is widespread in these massifs, and it could also be distributed on other high mountains in East Africa. A targeted search in mountain lakes in the East African high mountains would be desirable to expand the description provided here. Whether A. afroalpina also occurs in the lowland areas between these mountain massifs is questionable.
Taxonomy (according to Tessler et al. 2018)
Class Clitellata Michaelsen, 1919
Subclass Hirudinea Lamarck, 1818
Order Hirudinida Siddall, Apakupakul, Burreson, Coates, Erséus, Gelder, Källersjö &Trapido-Rosenthal, 2001
Suborder Glossiphoniiformes Tessler & de Carle, 2018
Family Glossiphoniidae Vaillant, 1890
Genus Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976
A total of 25 specimens from two localities in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo were examined, and are deposited in the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren (Belgium). They were labeled Glossiphonia disjuncta Moore, 1939.
Holotype
: 1 specimen, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ituri Province, Bunia, near the border with Uganda at Lake Albert, Jardin de Pères, leg. Courtois et Dr. Masse, 02.03.1952 (in
Metric characteristics of A. buniana sp. nov.; all measurements given in mm.
Specimen-No. | Length | Maximum width | Length cranial sucker | Width cranial sucker | Length caudal sucker | Width caudal sucker | Length head region | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 holotype | 7.10 | 3.00 | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.95 | 0.95 | 1.60 | gonopores visible |
2 paratype | 6.70 | 2.55 | 0.25 | 0.15 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.38 | gonopores visible |
3 paratype | 6.50 | 3.15 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.75 | 0.83 | 1.40 | gonopores visible |
4 paratype | 6.10 | 2.30 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.70 | 0.65 | 0.75 | |
5 paratype | 6.50 | 2.15 | 0.25 | 0.35 | 0.65 | 0.70 | 1.38 | Gonopores faintly visible |
6 paratype | 5.90 | 2.25 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.70 | 0.68 | 1.00 | torn in the front part, Gonopores faintly visible |
7 paratype | 5.80 | 2.20 | 0.18 | 0.20 | 0.60 | 0.65 | 1.00 | |
8 paratype | 5.20 | 2.20 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.50 | 0.55 | 0.85 | |
9 paratype | 5.20 | 2.10 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.65 | 0.75 | 1.13 | |
10 paratype | 5.10 | 2.63 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.95 | Eyes clearly visible |
11 paratype | 5.10 | 2.00 | 0.23 | 0.15 | 0.60 | 0.58 | 0.95 | Crop caeca visible |
12 paratype | 5.00 | 2.75 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.63 | 0.65 | 1.20 | |
13 paratype | 5.00 | 2.50 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.62 | 0.65 | 1.30 | |
14 paratype | 4.50 | 2.05 | 0.25 | 0.20 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.85 | |
15 paratype | 4.13 | 1.75 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.40 | 0.48 | 0.68 | |
16 paratype | 4.75 | 1.90 | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.75 | Crop caeca clearly visible against the light from anterior |
17 paratype | 4.70 | 1.95 | 0.20 | 0.18 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.85 | Crop caeca visible |
18 paratype | 4.60 | 2.65 | ? | ? | 0.50 | 0.55 | 0.65 | front end turned over |
19 paratype | 4.30 | 1.75 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.45 | 0.38 | 0.85 | Crop caeca visible |
20 paratype | 4.10 | 1.50 | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.38 | 0.45 | 0.60 | |
21 | 4.60 | 2.80 | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.62 | 0.50 | ? | Max. width in front of the middle, eyes not visible |
22 | 4.45 | 1.60 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.50 | ? | strong upper lip |
23 | 3–4 | 1.40 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.48 | 0.40 | ? | rolled up, eyes not visible |
24 | 3–4 | 1.15 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.38 | 0.35 | ? | rolled up, eyes not visible |
25 | 3–4 | 0.95 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.48 | 0.48 | ? | rolled up, eyes not visible |
Max | 7.10 | 3.15 | 0.30 | 0.40 | 0.95 | 0.95 | 1.60 | |
Min | 4.10 | 0.95 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.38 | 0.35 | 0.60 | |
Median | 5.32 | 2.17 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.59 | 0.60 | 1.03 |
Paratypes : 19 specimens with the same locality as the holotype.
Paratype 1: RMCA_VERMES_43663 (specimen 2 in Table
Paratype 2: RMCA_VERMES_43664 (specimen 3 in Table
Paratype 3: RMCA_VERMES_43665 (specimen 4 in Table
Paratype 4: RMCA_VERMES_43666 (specimen 5 in Table
Paratype 5: RMCA_VERMES_43667 (specimen 6 in Table
Paratype 6: RMCA_VERMES_43668 (specimen 7 in Table
Paratype 7: RMCA_VERMES_43669 (specimen 8 in Table
Paratype 8: RMCA_VERMES_43670 (specimen 9 in Table
Paratype 9: RMCA_VERMES_43671 (specimen 10 in Table
Paratype 10: RMCA_VERMES_43672 (specimen 11 in Table
Paratype 11: RMCA_VERMES_43673 (specimen 12 in Table
Paratype 12: RMCA_VERMES_43674 (specimen 13 in Table
Paratype 13: RMCA_VERMES_43675 (specimen 14 in Table
Paratype 14: RMCA_VERMES_43676 (specimen 15 in Table
Paratype 15: RMCA_VERMES_43677 (specimen 16 in Table
Paratype 16: RMCA_VERMES_43678 (specimen 17 in Table
Paratype 17: RMCA_VERMES_43679 (specimen 18 in Table
Paratype 18: RMCA_VERMES_43680 (specimen 19 in Table
Paratype 19: RMCA_VERMES_43681 (specimen 20 in Table
5 specimens; Democratic Republic of Congo, Ituri Province, Bunia, with Biomphalaria adowensis (= Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Kraus, 1848)), leg. Courtois et Dr. Masse, 1952 (in Scacchitano 1952 as Glossiphonia disjuncta Moore, 1939); deposited at the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren (Belgium), Coll. No.: 28950–28954
Democratic Republic of Congo, Ituri Province, Bunia, Jardin de Pères, near the border with Uganda at Lake Albert, leg. Courtois et Dr. Mass, 2nd March 1952 (in
Alboglossiphonia species up to 7.1 mm long and up to 3.1 mm wide; elongate oval with a strongly wavy to jagged body edge, outermost area hyaline; Head barely set off, but with a pronounced upper lip; cranial sucker small in front, round at the rear, channel-shaped towards the front (pear shaped), small pinprick-shaped mouth pore; flat caudal sucker small-medium, circular with thick walls and wide attachment point (< 1/3 of the maximum body width); Base color unknown, definitely light; 30–36 thin longitudinal stripes (muscle strands); smooth surface, no prominent tubercles or papillae, but small sensory papillae, especially lateral; eye position typical of the genre, but with constant fusion of the first pair of eyes and the left and right eyes of the second and third pair, thus only three eyes visible; barely discernible gonopores spaced by two annuli; crop caeca 6, the first 5 simple to slightly bifurcated, 6th pair with 5 small side lobes; further internal anatomy unknown.
A total of 25 specimens were examined, of which all external characteristics were recorded. Regarding the internal anatomy, the crop caeca could only be examined in backlight.
Body form and size. The body is oblong oval with a length of 7.1 mm. The maximum width in the second half of the body is 3.1 mm. The dorsal side is slightly curved, the ventral side is flat. The head is only vaguely separated, the body tapers towards the tip of the body. There is a mouth lobe on the head, often visible as a narrow extension dorsally, similar to Alboglossiphonia heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761). The rear edge is bluntly rounded. The side edges, which are wavy to jagged, are striking and typical of the species (Fig.
Annulation. Circa 70 annuli were counted. The first six annuli are in the head area. All annuli have the same width value. In the area of the midbody, the three annuli per segment are clearly visible on the outer edge because they are separated by a deeper marginal furrow.
Suckers and mouth. The cranial sucker is small and pear-shaped (Figs
Colour and pattern
The living animal is certain to have a light base color, probably light brown or yellowish. The ventral side is lighter. There are no spots or patterns. There are 30 to 36 thin stripes (muscle strands) recognizable as faint longitudinal lines, especially in the middle and rear part. The outer edge is a hyaline area that is more or less pronounced (Fig.
Papillae and tubercles. The entire body is smooth. There are no warts or prominent papillae. Only tiny, evenly spaced, sensory papillae are visible at high magnification. At the margins, these papillae appear to be more concentrated where the hyaline outer lobes protrude.
Eyes. At first glance, the consistently three eyes are not typically formed for the genus Alboglossiphonia. In three of the 25 specimens available, it was evident that two eyes had fused together. These almost always result in circular structures. The original six eyes and their arrangement are therefore typical of the genus. The eyes do not differ in size. The first, medially fused, pair lies on annulus 4 and the longitudinally fused left and right eyes of the second and third pairs are found on annulus 5. As with all Alboglossiphonia species, there are variations in the arrangement (Fig.
Gonopores Both gonopores are very small and inconspicuous to almost invisible. Gonopores can only be seen in five specimens from a body length of 5.9 mm, mostly only very faintly. The distance between the male and female gonopore is two annuli. Sometimes the furrow between them also appears somewhat darker, giving the appearance of three gonopores. However, this remains unconfirmed.
Crop caeca. Crop caeca are only visible in a few animals (Fig.
The newly described species is named after the place where it was found. Bunia is the capital of Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The placement in the genus Alboglossiphonia results from the position of the eyes and the distance between the gonopores. Eleven species are known from Africa, and only six from south of the Sahara (including this one). All characteristics from Table
The gonopores of the species Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov. have a distance of 2 annuli, differing from A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978) and A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990, where the distance is only 1 annulus, and from A. hyalina, which has only one common gonopore. Alboglossiphonia conjugata and A. disuqi also have papillae and warts as well as rows of spots. The location of the gonopores is identical in the following species: Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov., A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939), A. iberica Jueg, 2008, A. levis Gouda, 2010, A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978), A. namaquaensis (Augener, 1936) and A. polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988. The presence of warts and prominent papillae clearly distinguish Alboglossiphonia disjuncta, A. macrorhyncha and A. polypompholyx from A. buniana sp. nov. An important diagnostic feature is the crop caeca, of which there are 6 pairs. Only Alboglossiphonia macrorhyncha, A. hyalina and A. disuqi have the same number. These species differ in the distances between the gonopores (see above). The number of crop caeca in Alboglossiphonia afroalpina is not known. However, this species clearly differs from all others in its distinctive spotting and body shape. Alboglossiphonia macrorhyncha is most similar to A. buniana sp. nov., however, the latter differs in the shape of the anterior sucker with mouth opening, the smooth body surface and especially the wavy to jagged hyaline outer edge. The pairs of eyes fused into three eyes with a round cross-section seem to be typical of Alboglossiphonia buniana. Fusions to form three eyes also occur regularly in Alboglossiphonia polypompholyx and A. levis, but not in a circle but rather as clusters of pigment (
Not much can be said about the ecology because no information other than the host animals was recorded when the specimens were collected in 1952. Alboglossiphonia buniana has been found feeding on Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Radix natalensis. Both snail species are widespread in Africa in standing and slow-flowing waters. Radix natalensis prefers flat riparian areas with different substrates (e.g. submerged vegetation, rocks, mud).
Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov. is only known from Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On the labels of the two tubes in the Central Africa Museum in Tervuren (Belgium) and in
With the species newly described here, eleven representatives of the genus Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976 are known from Africa, which belong to different zoogeographical regions. Two species of the Palaearctic fauna (A. hyalina and A. iberica) are known from Northwest Africa (
The eastern Palaearctic A. weberi (Blanchard, 1897), occasionally mentioned for Africa in the literature (e.g.
According to the distances between the gonopores, three groups can be distinguished worldwide within the genus Alboglossiphonia, which also mainly correlate zoogeographically.
Nine species belong to this group, of which only one species is found exclusively outside of Africa. This means that this trait is an original and almost unique trait of African species.
A. afroalpina Jueg, 2022: Afrika (Kenya),
A. annandalei Oka, 1922: India, Myanmar,
A. buniana Jueg, 2022: Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo),
A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939): Africa (southern of the Sahara)
A. iberica Jueg, 2008: Africa (Morocco), Iberian Peninsula,
A. levis Gouda, 2010: Africa (Egypt),
A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978): Africa (South Africa),
A. namaquaensis (Augener, 1936): Africa (south of the Sahara),
A. polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988: Africa (Egypt, Ethiopia?)
Seven species can be classified in this group, their distribution areas are limited to Africa and Australia. Only the sole Alboglossiphonia species in South America (A. mesembrina) breaks this rule.
A. australis (Goddard, 1908): Australia,
A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978): Africa (Namibia, South Africa),
A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990: Africa (Egypt),
A. intermedia (Goddard, 1909): Australia,
A. mesembrina (Ringuelet, 1949): South America,
A. multistriata (Mason, 1974): Australia,
A. novaecaledoniae (Johansson, 1918): New Caledonia,
Nine species comprise this group. All species of the Holarctic (North America, Europe, Asia except Orientalis) belong here. The range of this group extends further into the area south of the Himalayas and even as far as Australia.
A. heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761): Holarctic, India (southern Himalayas)
A. hyalina (O.F. Müller, 1774): Palearctic, India (southern Himalayas)
A. kashiensis Nesemann, 2007: India (Ganges)
A. lata (Oka, 1910): Eastern Palaearctic, Southeast Asia, Pacific
A. masoni (Mason, 1974): Australia
A. pahariensis Nesemann & Sharma, 2007: India (Ganges)
A. striata (Apáthy, 1888): West Palaearctic
A. tasmaniensis (Ingram, 1957): Australia
A. weberi (Blanchard, 1897): Eastern Palaearctic, India, Southeast Asia
1 | Male and female gonopores united in one opening (basic color amber, only in NW-Africa) | A. hyalina (O.F. Müller, 1774) |
– | Male and female gonopores separated by 1 or 2 annuli | 2 |
2 | Male and female gonopores separated by 1 annuli | 3 |
– | Male and female gonopores separated by 2 annuli | 4 |
3 | Crop caeca 6 (only in the Nile Delta) | A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990 |
– | Crop caeca 7 | A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978) |
4 | Body surface smooth, at most roughened by sensory papillae | 5 |
– | Body surface with distinct papillae or warts, usually arranged in distinct rows | 9 |
5 | Dorsally with distinct round to longitudinal oval spots on the annuli (Elongated body shape, only in the high mountains of Central Africa) | A. afroalpina sp. nov. |
– | Dorsally unicolor or with faint longitudinal stripes (muscle strands) | 6 |
6 | Cranial sucker conspicuously pear-shaped (Edge of body strongly jagged, eyes fused (only 3 eyes visible), crop caeca 6, so far only in Central Africa) | A. buniana sp. nov. |
– | Cranial sucker shaped differently | 7 |
7 | Mouth above center of cranial sucker (Basic color very variable (yellow, beige, blue, green, side edges hyaline, crop caeca 7, 200–400 eggs, in springs and spring streams, only Atlas Mountains) | A. iberica Jueg, 2008 |
– | Mouth in the center of cranial sucker | 8 |
8 | Dorsally irregular pattern of dark green chromatophores (Crop caeca 7, only in the lower reaches of the Nile) | A. levis Gouda, 2010 |
– | Dorsally monochrome, faint longitudinal striations, lateral margins unpigmented (Crop caeca 7, widespread) | A. namaquaensis (Augener, 1936) |
9 | Papillae irregularly arranged, body oblong (Brown ground color (dark even when fixed), crop caeca 7, only in the Nile) | A. polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988 |
– | Papillae arranged in (distinct) longitudinal rows | 10 |
10 | Proboscis almost as long as body, crop caeca 6, head not detached (Mouth with a conspicuous transverse slit, only found in a small area in South Africa) | A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978) |
– | Proboscis distinctly shorter than the body, crop caeca 7, head distinctly detached (Papillation very variable (possibly aggregated), almost throughout sub-Saharan Africa) | A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939) |
Alboglossiphonia hyalina (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Synonym: Glossiphonia heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761) partim
The distribution area of Alboglossiphonia hyalina extends over the entire Palaearctic and also reaches Tunisia and Morocco via Italy. From Tunisia, two records are known from reservoirs on the Cape Bon peninsula (Nabeul governorate) southeast of Tunis: Lebna reservoir (
Earlier mentions of Alboglossiphonia heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761) cannot be considered here, since it could be either A. hyalina or A. iberica (e.g.
Alboglossiphonia iberica Jueg, 2008
Another Palearctic species that appears to be restricted to the south of the Iberian Peninsula (here the only species of the genus) and the Atlas Mountains is A. iberica. This species is dependent on springs and spring streams with oxygen-rich, cold water. In
Alboglossiphonia polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988
The species Alboglossiphonia polypompholyx is the most widespread of the Egyptian species of the genus (
One specimen labeled Glossiphonia disjuncta Moore, 1939, paratype is stored in the Natural History Museum London under the coll. no. BMNH 1933.1.19.16-18 (Figs
Alboglossiphonia disuqi El-Shimy, 1990
Alboglossiphonia disuqi was only found in two places in the Nile Delta (
Alboglossiphonia levis Gouda, 2010
This species appears to be the rarest of the genus in Egypt. So far, Alboglossiphonia levis has only been found in the Al Sont Canal in Assiut, located between Cairo and Luxor (
Alboglossiphonia disjuncta (Moore, 1939)
Synonyms: Glossiphonia disjuncta Moore, 1939, Glossiphonia heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761) partim., Glossiphonia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) partim., Glossiphonia verrucata Sciacchitano, 1939
The species was described from Lake Bunyoni in Uganda (
Only one voucher from the Central Africa Museum in Tervuren could be confirmed as Alboglossiphonia disjuncta from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Weka on the Senze River in the Congo-Central Province, July 1937, leg. Dartevelle (RMAT, Coll.-No. 25907) (
For Togo,
The species Glossiphonia verrucata Sciacchitano, 1939, (not identical to the Glossiphonia verrucata (Fr. Müller, 1844) which is boreally distributed in Europe and North Asia), is an interesting case. There are 3 specimens in the Africa Museum Tervuren under the coll. no. 23517 et 23518, which can be clearly assigned to the genus Alboglossiphonia based on the position of the eyes and the gonopores. One individual is very well preserved (Fig.
Characterization of the type material used by
Specimen 1 | Specimen 2 | Specimen 3 | |
---|---|---|---|
Shape and size | oblong-oval; length 7,5 mm; maximum width 2,5 mm | oblong-oval; length 9,0 mm; maximum width 2,4 mm; Animal almost broken in the middle, front end turned over | oblong-oval; length ?; maximum width 3,0 mm; Animal folded up” several times |
Head region | indistinctly set off | indistinctly set off | indistinctly set off |
Colour | ? (fixed light colorless) | ? (fixed light colorless) | ? (fixed light colorless) |
Mottle/pattern | |||
Papills and tubercles | dorsally many prominent papillae, per annulus at least 12, larger papillae on every third ring, arranged in 5–7 rows; ventrally smooth | dorsally many prominent papillae, per annulus at least 12, ventrally smooth | dorsally many prominent papillae, per annulus at least 12, ventrally smooth |
Eyes | 6, 1st pair close together, small, 2. and 3. pair fused left and right, much further apart, V-shaped | 6, 1st pair close together, small comma shaped, 2. and 3. Paar jeweils links und rechts schräg verschmolzen, deutlich weiter auseinander, breit V-förmig | 6, 1st pair confused, 2. and 3. pair closely together left and right (single eyes crescent-shaped), V-shaped |
Cranial sucker | small, extended proboscis (1,1 mm long); 0,25 × 0,35 mm | somewhat elongated/triangular, proboscis slightly extended; 0,20 × 0,20 mm | somewhat elongated/triangular, proboscis slightly extended (tip only); 0,35 × 0,38 mm |
Mouth | in the middle, big | in the middle, slightly fissured | in the middle, slightly transverse |
Caudal sucker | circular, flat/even; 0,95 × 0,95 mm | circular, flat/even; 1,10 × 1,10 mm | circular, flat/even; dimensions ? |
Crope caeca | 7 (?), Postcaeca very well visible (with 4 simple lateral lobes) | 7 (?), 6 visible against the light (all unlobed), postcaeca not visible | ? |
Gonopores | 2, separated by 2 annuli | ? (front end turned over) | 2, separated by 2 annuli |
According to the current state of knowledge, there is reliable evidence of Alboglossiphonia disjuncta from Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, South Africa and Namibia. According to
It would be worthwhile to study the intraspecific range of variation of different traits of Alboglossiphonia disjuncta. This may be a species complex.
Alboglossiphonia conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978)
Synonym: Batracobdella conjugata Oosthuizen, 1978
According to current knowledge, Alboglossiphonia conjugata is restricted to South Africa and Namibia. The first description was based on specimens from Namibia (reservoir of the rest camp Daan Viljoen Game Park in the Khomas Hochland), (Figs
Alboglossiphonia macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978)
Synonym: Glossiphonia macrorhyncha Oosthuizen, 1978
Alboglossiphonia macrorhyncha shows an unusual distribution pattern. According to
Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis (Augener, 1936)
Synonyms: Clepsine namaquaënsis Augener, 1936, Alboglossiphonia namaquaënsis (Augener, 1936), Glossiphonia heteroclita (Linnaeus, 1761) partim., Batracobdella cheili Oosthuizen, 1978, A. cheili (Oosthuizen, 1978)
The species name of Alboglossiphonia namaquaënsis, described by Augener in 1936, refers to “Namaqualand”, a region on both sides of the Orange River in Namibia and South Africa, where the Nama people live. The ë contained in the name is a diacritical mark, which in this case is supposed to regulate the stress. According to the applicable nomenclature rules, such special characters are no longer permitted, so that an e must be written instead of the ë.
Until now, the systematic classification of Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis has been problematic, because important characters were not recognizable in the three animals found.
The three animals were collected on May 13, 1911, by Prof. W. Michaelsen (Hamburg) in a pond on the Frauenstein farm near Neudamm (50 km ENE Windhoek, Namibia). Another species was found in the same pond, Clepsinides windhukensis Augener, 1936. According to this revision, these specimens must be assigned to the species Placobdelloides multistriata (Johansson, 1909). Farm Frauenstein is located on the White Nossob, which flows into the Oranje, one of the largest rivers in south-west Africa. The White Nossob has not had any water for several decades, so there is little probability of being able to collect new material there for redescription. The pond that existed on the farm site in 1911 will almost certainly no longer exist. In the Windhoek region,
According to
Characterization of the three types of Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis,
Lectotype | Paralectotype 1 | Paralectotype 2 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shape and size | länglich-oval, oberseits gewölbt, ventral glockenförmig eingekrümmt; Länge 7,1 mm; max. Breite in 2. Körperhälfte 3,5 mm; Höhe 2 mm | ventral glockenförmig eingekrümmt (Individuum stark zusammengedrückt); Länge ca. 6 mm; max. Breite in 2. Körperhälfte ca. 3 mm, Höhe 2,5 mm | länglich-oval, oberseits gewölbt, ventral glockenförmig eingekrümmt; Länge 7,5 mm; max. Breite in 2. Körperhälfte 3,6 mm; Höhe 2,7 mm | länglich-oval, oberseits gewölbt, ventral glockenförmig eingekrümmt; Länge bis 7,5 mm; max. Breite in 2. Körperhälfte bis 3,6 mm; Höhe bis 2,7 mm |
Head region | short, set off by a nuchal furrow | short, set off by a nuchal furrow | short, clearly set off by a nuchal furrow | short, clearly set off by a nuchal furrow |
Colour | beige? | beige? | beige? | beige?; probably alive yellowish-brownish |
Mottle/pattern | > 30 thin, very faint appearing dark, partly interrupted, longitudinal rows (clearly visible in the backlight); Edge transparent | > 30 thin, very faint appearing dark, partly interrupted, longitudinal rows (clearly visible in the backlight); Edge transparent | ca. 30 thin, very faint appearing dark, partly interrupted, longitudinal rows (clearly visible in the backlight); Edge transparent | 30 thin, very faint appearing dark, partly interrupted, longitudinal rows (clearly visible in the backlight); Edge transparent |
Papills and tubercles | small flat papillae evenly distributed over the body; looks rather smooth, median slight increase recognizable (no crest) | none; Skin surface uneven due to sensory papillae, but no prominent papillae | small flat papillae evenly distributed over the body; looks rather smooth, sensory papillae equally present; median slight increase recognizable (no crest) | Prominent papillae absent, small flat papillae evenly distributed over the body; looks rather smooth, median slight increase recognizable (no crest) |
Eyes | 6; 1st pair close but separated, slightly shifted to the righ, on a4, distance between 1. and 2. pair greater than between 2. and 3. pair; 2. and 3. pair merged left and right respectively, on a6 | 6; 1st pair fused but separated, on a4; 2. and 3. pair each left and right fused, auf a6 | 6; 1st pair fused but separated, on a4; 2. and 3. pair each left and right fused, on a6 | 6; 1st pair fused, partially merged, on a4; 2. and 3. pair each left and right fused, on a6 |
Cranial sucker | roundish-acrossoval, moderately deep, thin walls; 0,8 × 0,9 mm | roundish-acrossoval, moderately deep, thin walls; 0,6 × 0,8 mm | oblong-oval, moderately deep, thin walls; 0,6 × 0,5 mm | roundish-acrossoval, moderately deep, thin walls; 0,6 × 0,7 mm |
Mouth | in the centre, big | in the centre, slightly fissured | in the centre, slightly transverse | in the centre, different sized |
Caudal sucker | acrossoval, almost square, moderately thick walls; 1,3 ×1,0 mm; directed ventrally | oblongoval; 1,1 × ? mm (strongly compressed); directed ventrally | roundish; 1,0 × 1,0 mm; directed ventrally | oblongoval, moderately thick walls; 1,1 × 1,0 mm; directed ventrally; posterior edge barely visible from dorsal |
Crope caeca | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Gonopores | ? (possibly 2, separated by 2 annuli) | ? | 2, separated by 2 annuli) | 2, separated by 2 annuli, very small, hard to see |
Eggs/juvenils * | none | 30 Juveniles ventral | 26 eggs ventral | clutches with at least 30 eggs/juveniles |
A comparison of Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis with the known Alboglossiphonia species from southern Africa (Table
Characteristics of African Alboglossiphonia species (north of the Sahara), Palaearctic. Based on
A. hyalina (O. F. Müller, 1774) | A. iberica Jueg, 2008 | A. polypompholyx Oosthuizen, Hussein & El-Shimy, 1988 | A. disuqi El-Shimy, 1990 | A. levis Gouda, 2010 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shape and size | oval to pear-shaped, broadly oval at rest, up to 10 mm long, up to 5 mm wide | elongated oval at rest, up to 16 mm long, up to 6 mm wide | oval to oblong when at rest, up to 13 mm long, up to 5 mm (?) wide | elongate-oval at rest, widest behind the middle, 7 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, dorsally convex, ventrally flat | elongate-oval, up to 8mm long, up to 3mm wide |
Head region | bluntly rounded | bluntly rounded | slightly pointed | not deposed, no narrowing of the neck | discontinued |
Basic color of living animals | orange-amber, rarely yellowish to white-grey | blue, green, turquoise, beige, brownish, yellowish, head and sides transparent | light brown with dark brown chromatophores | snow-white, slightly transparent | greenish |
Mottle/pattern | no | no | irregular dark brown longitudinal stripes | dark brown pigments on the tubercles of the central crest (on a2), irregularly also on other warts on a2 | irregularly arranged pattern of dark green chromatophores |
Papillae and tubercles | finely granulated by faint even papillae | smooth or small regularly arranged sensory papillae | 12–19 large papillae per annulus, irregularly arranged, many small papillae | Approx. 20 warts of unequal size per annulus, median row of warts like a crest, small papillae | smooth, without papillae except minute papillae in cranial sucker |
Eyes | 6, 1st pair mostly separate, 2nd and 3rd often fused, also absent | 6, 1st pair mostly fused, 2nd and 3rd often fused, also missing | 6, 1st pair fused, 2nd and 3rd pair with large space between and fused | 6, 1st pair mostly fused, 2nd and 3rd often fused, also missing | 6, 1st pair mostly fused, 2nd and 3rd often fused, various eye positions |
Cranial sucker | large, broad, bowl-shaped | pointed transversely oval, evenly curved in front, mostly with a blunt edge behind, filled in | Narrow transverse oval, evenly arched in front and behind, bowl-shaped | bowl-shaped with a thickened edge | cup-shaped, with a thickened rim |
Mouth | small, in the center of cranial sucker | small, slightly above center of cranial sucker | small, in the center of cranial sucker | subapical position | small, in the center of cranial sucker |
Caudal sucker | large, ± circular, > than half the maximum body width | small, ± circular, < half the maximum body width | small, ± circular, < half the maximum body width | small, ± orbicular (?), < half maximum body width, narrow crescent-shaped margin visible dorsally | small, circular, < 1/3 of maximum body width |
Pairs of crop caeca | 6, ± evenly curved, only the posterior branched | 7, angled, all branched | 7, all branched | 6 | 7, bilobed |
Gonopores | 1 | 2, separated by 2 annuli | 2, separated by 2 annuli | 1 | 2, separated by 2 annuli |
Eggs/juveniles | 30–60 | 200–400 | 30–50 | ? | 13–25 |
Food | Gastropoda | Gastropoda | Gastropoda (possibly only Bulinus truncatus) | Gastropoda (Gyraulus costulatus, Biomphalaria alexandrina, evtl. Theodoxus niloticus) | Gastropoda (all species offered), oligochaetes (esp. Tubifex) |
Biotope | rivers, lakes, ponds | sources and streams in the colline and montane regions | streams, rivers and canals, on stones, never on plants | stream and channels, under stones and at the base of water lilies (Eichhornia crassipes) | shallow, muddy, polluted calm water |
Distribution | Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Balkans, Italy, not on the Iberian Peninsula, to Central Asia, Northwest Africa | Southern Iberian Peninsula, Morocco (Atlas Mountains) | Egypt (Nile between Luxor and Delta), Ethiopia (?) | Egypt (Nile and irrigation canals in the Nile Delta) | Egypt (Al Sont Canal in Asyut) |
Characteristics of African Alboglossiphonia species (south of the Sahara), Afrotropis. Based on
A. afroalpina sp. nov., Jueg | A. buniana sp. nov., Jueg | A. disjuncta (Moore, 1939) [incl. Glossiphonia verrucata Sciacchitano, 1939] | A. macrorhyncha (Oosthuizen, 1978) | A. conjugata (Oosthuizen, 1978) | A. namaquaensis (Augener, 1936) [incl. A. cheili (Oosthuizen, 1978)] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shape and size | elongated, moderately curved dorsally, flat ventrally, 6.0 mm long, 1.6 mm wide, posterior edge strongly concave dorsally (part of the caudal sucker is exposed) | elongated-oval, dorsally moderately convex, ventrally flat, up to 7.1 mm long, up to 3.1 mm wide, tapering towards the front end, with head lobes, lateral edges wavy to very jagged | elongate-oval, first third narrow, 11.6 mm long, 2.2 mm wide, sexual maturity already at a small size, slightly convex, flat underside | pointed-oval, tapering towards the front end, flattened, up to 9.8 mm long, up to 4.2 mm wide | elongate-oval, moderately flattened, ventrally flat, 9.1 mm long, 2.8 mm wide, sexually mature even at a small size | elongate oval, moderately flattened, dorsally convex, ventrally flat to bell-shaped, up to 12.5 × 2.8 mm |
Head region | distinct, short and wide | not clearly set off, tapered in front | clearly set off over neck constriction | not deposed or widened | clearly separated, only slightly broadened | short, clearly set off by a nuchal furrow |
Basic color of living animals | probably light brown to beige | probably light brown to yellowish | flesh-colored or green | brown | green or brown, or shades thereof | brown or green |
Mottle/pattern | circular spots (only slightly darker than ground colour) on each annulus, giving a diffuse pattern on the dorsal side, suggesting (probably coincidentally) longitudinal rows which may be interrupted or of different lengths, higher concentration of circular spots on the sides of the body, fewer ventrally stain | 30–36 narrow dark vertical stripes, no spots or patterns | dorsally with about 36 longitudinal stripes at the widest part of the body or chromatophores irregularly distributed | more than 10 pairs of dark brown narrow longitudinal stripes, light median field, isolated pigments outside the stripes | 34–36 dark longitudinal stripes at the widest part of the body; Chromatophores evenly distributed dorsally except for head region, lateral margins and posterior sucker, sometimes forming transverse streaks, paler unicolor ventrally | dorsally with 30 dark brown or dark green narrow discontinuous stripes, fainter towards the ends, apex, postnatal ring and lateral margins unpigmented |
Papillae and tubercles | smooth, no warts or papillae, very small, barely visible, low sensory papillae in transverse rows on each annulus | smooth, no warts or papillae, very small, barely visible, low sensory papillae, especially numerous on the margins of the lateral lobes | 18 distinct papillae in transverse rows on each annulus in midbody region; larger papillae arranged in 7 longitudinal rows, many very sensory papillae unevenly distributed | roughened by clear papillae (largest on a2) on the dark longitudinal stripes | 3 pairs of longitudinal rows of papillae on both sides, 16 large papillae on each annulus, numerous small rounded papillae, ventrally fewer small papillae | no prominent papillae, very small, low dome-shaped sensory papillae evenly distributed over body, eye area and posterior suction cup with irregular papillae |
Eyes | 6, 1st pair on a4, 2nd and 3rd pair on a5, eyes of 2nd and 3rd pair larger, occasionally fused, great variability in arrangement | 6, 1st pair (fused) on a4, 2nd and 3rd pair (left and right fused) on a5, only 3 eyes visible | 6, 1st pair on a4, 2nd and 3rd pair most fused or close, both on a5 | 6, 1st pair of smaller ones, anterior and both lateral pairs often fused, variable | 6, 1st pair on a4, 2nd and 3rd pair on a5, eyes of 2nd and 3rd pair much larger, occasionally fused | 6, small, 1st pair in a4, 2nd and 3rd in a5, pairs of eyes close, sometimes fused, variable |
Cranial sucker | large, cupped, with strong edges | small, flat, pear-shaped, rounded in posterior part, grooved in front, thin-walled | small, shovel-shaped | flat | cupped with deep cavity, well-developed rim with numerous tiny papillae | roundish-oval, moderately deep, bowl-shaped with thin side walls, edge covered with small papillae; 0.6 × 0.7mm |
Mouth | in the center, mostly large, triangular, sides slightly concave, base slightly convex | in the center, stitch-like small | relatively large in the center | in the center, with a striking transverse slit | big in the center | large, on top of a large dome-shaped papilla, in the center |
Caudal sucker | small, circular, < half of maximum body width, slightly cupped, deepened in the middle, with a broad margin (ring-shaped) | small, circular, < third of maximum body width, flat, broad base, with thick wall | small, circular, diameter 0.9 mm, < half of maximum body width | small, circular, < half maximum body width, flat cup-shaped, distinct from body, dorsally with 7–8 brown bands | small, circular, < half maximum body width, deeply cupped with thin margin, broadly attached | small, circular-elongated oval, 1.1 × 1.0 mm; moderately thick walls; Posterior edge barely visible from dorsal |
Pairs of crop caeca | ? | 6, first 5 pairs slightly divided, 6th pair each with 5 small side lobes | 7, the first 6 unlobed, 7th pair each with 4 small side lobes | 6, first 5 pairs unlobed, 6th pair with 4 side lobes each | 7, bilobed, postcaeca with 5–6 lateral lobes | 7, the first 6 bilobed, postcaeca each with 15 slender lateral secondary lobes |
Gonopores | 2, separated by 2 annuli, very small and inconspicuous, areas visible only as narrow dark streaks in the sulci between the annuli | 2, separated by 2 annuli, very small and inconspicuous | 2, separated by 2 annuli (XI/XII and XIIa2/a3), male well visible, female not | 2, separated by 2 annuli, both small | 2, separated by 1 annulus, walls at male and female atria | 2, separated by 2 annuli, very small, poorly recognizable |
Eggs/juveniles | clutch with at least 20 eggs | ? | ? | ? | ? | clutch with at least 30 eggs |
Food | probably small mussels (Pisidium montigenum) and insect larvae (Chironomidae) | Gastropoda (Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Radix natalensis) | Gastropoda (Bulinus truncatus), insect larvae | Gastropoda | Gastropoda | Gastropoda (Bulinus truncatus), insect larvae |
Biotope | mountain lakes in the Afroalpine zone (3,000 to 4,500 m above sea level) | ? | permanent and semi-permanent bodies of water: rivers, lakes, reservoirs with muddy water, under stones | reservoirs, on riparian vegetation | springs with permanent water, rainwater pools, reservoirs with muddy water, under tree stumps | rivers (also ephemeral), rainwater basins, ponds, reservoirs, under stones |
Distribution | Kenya (Mt. Kenya Massif and Mt. Elgon Massif) | Democratic Republic of Congo, Bunia (Province of Ituri) | Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, South Africa | Coastal region of South Africa between Mozambique and Lesotho | Namibia, South Africa | Namibia, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya |
The type material for Alboglossiphonia cheili (Figs
In the Africa Museum Tervuren (Belgium) under the coll. no. 558 et 564 there are 10 voucher specimens labeled Glossiphonia heteroclita L. (Kiambi, 1934, leg. Dr. Gérard;
A specimen of this species was also found among the material in the Natural History Museum London, which was inventoried under Alboglossiphonia cheili, and which, according to the current nomenclature, must now be called A. namaquaensis. Under the coll. no. BMNH 1993.2.6-18 13 specimens are deposited, which were collected on August 21, 1984 in Kenya, Nyahuvuru, in the Ewaso Narbk River by C. A. Fisher and determined by J. H. Oosthuizen (Figs
Thus, Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis is known from Namibia, South Africa, the eastern and south-eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. It can be assumed that A. namaquaensis can also be found in the states between (e.g. Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique).
I would like to thank Messrs. Christophe Allard and Dr. Didier Van den Spiegel (Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium) for sending extensive historical museum material from the Sciacchitano collection (Alboglossiphonia afroalpina sp. nov., A. buniana sp. nov., A. disjuncta and A. namaquaensis) for revision. Many thanks to Mrs Emma Sherlock (Museum of Natural History London) for loaning the holotypes of Alboglossiphonia disjuncta, A. cheili, A. macrorhyncha, A. conjugata and A. disuqi as well as other specimens of Alboglossiphonia from Kenya and Ethiopia. For loaning the types of Alboglossiphonia namaquaensis and the types of Clepsinides windhukensis I would like to thank Dr. Alexandra Kerbl and Mariam Dunker (Zoological Museum Hamburg). Many thanks to Dr. Dieter Fiege (Senckenberg, Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/Main) for the possibility of checking the specimen from Syria previously deposited as Alboglossiphonia disjuncta.
For the time-consuming photography of important species and specimens, a big thank you goes to Dr. Peter Michalik (Zoological Institute and Museum of the University of Greifswald) and to Arnaud Henrard (Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium). His images were taken in the framework of the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO) project DIGIT04. I thank Brigitta and Frank Eiseler (Roetgen) for using a photo of Alboglossiphonia hyalina and Dr. Nasser El-Shiemy (University of Asyut, Egypt) for sending a photo of A. polypompholyx. Thankfully, Monika Jueg (Ludwigslust) took a photo of Alboglossiphonia buniana sp. nov. Uwe Göllnitz (Rostock) painstakingly created the distribution maps, for which he deserves special thanks.
Dr. Michael L. Zettler (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea research Warnemünde), Christophe Allard (Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium) and Nasser El-Shiemy (University of Assiut, Egypt) helped with the literature procurement, for which they are gratefully acknowledged. Dr. Kathrin Bößneck (Nordhausen) I would like to thank for providing information on the locality of A. afroalpina, including the biotope photo. I would like to thank Clemens Grosser (Elstertrebnitz) and Christophe Allard (Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium) for additional information on the species descriptions. Thank you very much for putting me in touch Prof. Dr. Maarten PM Vanhoove (University of Hasselt, Belgium) and Martina Weding (Ludwigslust).
Thanks to Mariam Dunker, Dr. Jenna Moore and Prof. Dr. Schmidt-Rhaesa (Zoological Museum Hamburg) for helping me with the professional translation of the text into English.