Folia Historico-Naturalia Musei Matraensis - A Mátra Múzeum Természetrajzi Közleményei 9. (1984)

Kinzelbach, R. K.–Roth, G.: Patterns of distribution of some freshwater molluscs of the Levant region

Fol. Hist.-nat. Mus. Matr. 9. 1984. Patterns of distribution of some freshwater molluscs of the Levant region* UMB3 BUDAPEST R. K. KINZELBACH and G. ROTH Institut für Zoologie, Tehcnische Hochschule Darmstadt, FRG ABSTRACT: The evolutionary and dispersal history of the following freshwater mollusc species of the northern Levant has been reconstructed as an example by using new records and an analysis of the subspecific arrangement: Unio elongatulus, Unió terminális, Coibicula fluminalis, Leguminaia saulcyi, Leguminaia wheatleyi, Potomida littoralis, Maigaritifera homsensis (Bivalivia), Theodoxus joidani, Melanopsis piaemoisa (Gastropoda). The patterns of distribution confirm and complement the general geological and paleogeographical theories concerning the Levant region. INTRODUCTION The Levant, situated at the intersection of several faunal regions, deserves, also in malacological, view, a particular attention. BOURGUIGNAT (1825), LEA (1863, 1864), ROLLE et KOBELT (1895-1897), BLANCKENHORN (1897), TCHERNOV (1973, 1975 a, b), SCHUTT (1982) stand for the large number of authors who worked in this field. Above all recent specialists pointed out clearly the still existing gaps in our knowledge, chiefly regarding the colonizationary and evolutionary history of this region. Filling them up will lead to results of general interest. As a basis of further research in this field collecting travels to the Levantine rift valley and its surroundings were carried out by KINZELBACH and his students during the years 1975—83, supported by Stiftung Volkswagenwerk and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. SCHUTT (1982) already revised to some extent the 60 species of freshwater molluscs collected so far. Great importance was attached to the requirement, that the collecting sites cover the freshwater systems in question as densely as possible. Additionally the subspecific arrangement of the species collected was investigated. From this procedure we expect information about the establishment of isolates and pathways of dispersal. In the following patterns of distribution of some selected bivalve and gastropod species will be presented and discussed. * Results of the travels of R. Kinzelbach to the countries of the Middle East, no. 70. US