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370 FABIO LIBERTO ET ALII

plica, is thinner and raised; rudimental posterior bution in C-E and S-E Sicily (Fig. 14) and Maltese
upper palatal plica fused to lunella apex; short basal Islands. M. syracusana (Philippi, 1836) is confined
plica fused to the base of lunella, small and curved to a few coastal locality of Syracuse province (locus
sulcal plica; clausilium slender; plough-like basal typicus Syracuse: Philippi, 1836), M. neuteboomi
plate, apically pointed, with subparallel columellar Beckmann, 1990 (locus typicus Cava d’Ispica,
and palatal edges, and rounded sutural angle; Modica, Raguse province: Beckmann, 1990) occurs
peristome continuous, reflected, distinct from the throughout the greater part of the S-E Sicily, M.
wall of the last whorl. brancatoi Colomba, Gregorini, Liberto, Reitano,
Genitalia (Figs. 9, 10) are characterized by: Giglio et Sparacio, 2012 has a restricted distribution
short vagina (1.47 mm), very short free oviduct (0.4 to South of Syracuse, and M. cyclopica n. sp., at
mm), well developed ovispermiduct and a short moment, is known only for the description locality:
copulatory duct (0.9 mm) ending in a branched Epipoli, a hill about 150 m high, very close to the
bursa copulatrix complex: one branch consisting of modern city of Syracuse (20–60 m). Muticaria
a short and wide diverticulum of the bursa copu- macrostoma (Cantraine, 1835) is endemic to the
latrix (0.78 mm) and the other branch with very Maltese Islands where it occurs with four subspe-
short bursa copulatrix duct and oval and elongated cies: M. macrostoma macrostoma, M. macrostoma
(1.52 mm) bursa copulatrix. Penial complex con- scalaris (L. Pfeiffer, 1850), M. macrostoma oscit-
sisting of flagellum, epiphallus, penial diverticulum ans (Charpentier, 1852) and M. macrostoma mamot-
and penis; epiphallus (2 mm) divided, by point in- ica (Gulia, 1861).
sertion of robust penial retractor muscle, into prox-
imal and distal portions, the latter very short; very COMPARATIVE NOTES. Muticaria cyclopica n. sp.
short and pointed penial diverticulum (0.55 mm) is morphologically closer to M. brancatoi n. sp. than
arising on border between distal epiphallus and other Muticaria species (see Colomba et al., 2012);
penis; penis short (1.22 mm). Internal walls of penis for the morphology of other Muticaria species see
without pleat. Giusti et al. (1995) and Colomba et al. (2010).
However, M. cyclopica n. sp. has a rudimental
VARIABILITY. Shell (10 specimens examined) posterior upper palatal plica (absent in M. bran-
(Figs. 1, 2, 4–8): dimensions in decollate specimens catoi), a more raised anterior portion of principal
(4–5 whorls): height: 15.19–12.55 mm (on aver- plica (fused to anterior upper palatal plica), a longer
age: 13.59 mm); maximum diameter: 4.43–3.90
mm (on average: 4.21 mm). The number of ribs on and often emerging parallel lamella; the genitalia
2 mm of the penultimate whorl ranges from 9 to 7 have a smaller penial diverticulum and the internal
(on average, 7.7); parallel lamella from emerging walls of penis without pleats (present in M. bran-
to scarcely visible in frontal view of the aperture; catoi).
spiral lamella adherent or fused to parallel lamella. Muticaria cyclopica n. sp. is similar to M. syra-
Genitalia (5 specimens examined) (Figs. 11, 13): cusana in morphology of shell but it is distinct for
short to moderately long vagina (1.20–1.65 mm) the longer and often emerging parallel lamella, the
and copulatory duct (0.9–1.65 mm); pointed to thinner anterior portion of principal plica (fused to
round penial diverticulum. anterior upper palatal plica), the rudimental pos-
terior upper palatal plica (more developed in M. sy-
ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is derived racusana); genitalia have a smaller penial divertic-
from the English word cyclopic referring to the ulum and shorter copulatory duct.
characteristic ancient Greek cyclopic walls of the Muticaria cyclopica n. sp. is well distinct also
type locality. from M. neuteboomi and M. macrostoma mac-
BIOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION. Like the other Muti- rostoma for the anterior portion of principal plica
caria species, M. cyclopica n. sp. is xeroresistant fused to anterior upper palatal plica (indipendent in
and calcicolous and lives on limestone blocks of the M. neuteboomi and M. macrostoma spp.) and for
ancient Greek walls of the type locality and under longer parallel lamella which adheres to spiral
stones in stony soils. lamella (indipendent in M. neuteboomi, M. mac-
The genus Muticaria is represented by about 7 rostoma macrostoma, M. macrostoma oscitans and
taxa, most of which having a strictly limited distri- M. macrostoma scalaris).