Hauffenia sp. nov.

nov. is an as yet undescribed (in 2013)[2] species of freshwater snail that lives underground, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Hydrobiidae.

[3] Šteffek et al. (2011)[4] confirmed that the snail from Slovakia appears to belong to the genus Hauffenia, based on the morphology of the penial characters.

[4] However, molecular phylogeny research based on sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I (COI) genes appears to demonstrate that although these snails belong to the family Hydrobiidae, they are not closely related to the genus Hauffenia.

[5] The former (subrecent) distribution of this species included also Miličské travertíny travertines near Banská Bystrica.

Reproductive system: The penis is broad and blunt, has a weakly marked lateral lobe on its left side near the apex, a very small stylet, a penial duct running in a zigzag, and no visible trace of an ejaculatory duct.

Photo of apical view.
Photo of umbilical view.