Atebbania bernasconii, a new genus and species from subterranean waters ofthe Tiznit plain, southern Morocco (Gastropoda : Hydrobiidae)

The new genus Atebbania is described for a new hydrobiid species, A. bernas conii, which lives in groundwaters of southern Morocco. Of the Hydrobiidae genera with known shell and anatomy Moitessieria is the closest to Atebbani a. The two share the following characters: shell elongate; teleoconch surfa ce with evident microsculpture; seminal receptacle absent. Atebbania is dis tinguished from Moitessieria by: shell ovate; penis with a) apical stylet, b) one lobe bent downward on left (inner) side and c) penial duct running n ear the right (outer) side; posterior end of foot indented. Atebbania berna sconii n. sp., lives in a limited area, the Tiznit plain in southern Morocc o. Other stygobiont hydrobiids from other areas of Morocco are currently be ing studied. None of them appears to be closely related to A. bernasconii o r to the species of Moitessieria.