A contribution to the phylogeny of Albanian Agathylla (Gastropoda, Clausiliidae): Insights using morphological data and three mitochondrial markers

Abstract

In the present study, we revised Albanian Agathylla, combining the traditional shell morphological approach with a phylogenetic reconstruction based on three mitochondrial DNA markers (COI, COII and 16S rRNA). From the faunistic perspective, Albania was an almost completely unexplored country until the end of the 1990s. Following recent intense field sampling activity in Albania, the number of known Agathylla populations has increased, providing an opportunity to investigate how additional material can contribute to the resolution of the taxonomy of the Albanian Agathylla species. Newly discovered populations indicate greater morphological variability than previously recorded and highlight the presence of various other character state combinations. Based on these findings, we argue that only two Agathylla taxa occur in the region, namely A. neutra and A. biloba. Due to apparent morphological differences, they are still treated as distinct species, but high intraspecific morphological variability makes it unjustifiable to delimit subspecies. The molecular phylogeny indicates a close relationship between A. neutra and A. biloba, but could neither confirm nor refute their reciprocal monophyly, so their possible conspecificity requires further evaluation. © 2013 © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved.