Taxonomic revision of the subterranean genus Virpazaria Gittenberger, 1969 (Gastropoda, Spelaeodiscidae)

Abstract

Virpazaria Gittenberger, 1969 is distributed in the Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Montenegro and Croatia) and inhabits the shallow subterranean habitat (MSS) on limestone base rock. Reviewing historical and recently collected material, two species, Virpazaria (Virpazaria) gittenbergeri Feher & Erőss sp. nov. and Virpazaria (Virpazaria) pesici Feher & Deli sp. nov., are introduced as new to science. The conservation status of the new species are assessed using IUCN criteria. Two taxa, Virpazaria (Virpazaria) pageti alexanderi Reischutz & Subai, 2012 and Virpazaria (Aemiliella) ripkeni pastorpueri Reischutz et al. , 2011, are synonymized with their nominate subspecies. Some new distribution records, as well as geological and geomorphological data about the known locations for Virpazaria , are presented.