New genus demonstrates distinct morphology and phylogenetic relationships in a limited geographic area.
A new genus and species of the Cochliopidae are described from the Dudu cenote, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola Island. Shell and its measurements, soft parts morphology and pigmentation, radula, female reproductive organs, and penes are described. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S and 12S, and nuclear 18S sequences have been applied to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. The Hispaniolan taxon clearly belongs to a clade that also includes many Heleobia W. Stimpson, 1865, species from the Americas, the European Eupaludestrina Mabille, 1877, as well as North American Heleobops F. G. Thompson, 1968. All analyses support the assignment of the Hispaniolan taxon to a distinct genus, new to science. Its known geographic distribution is restricted to this cenote so far.
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Falniowski et al. (2026) studied this question.
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