A survey of the European valvatiform hydrobiid genera with special reference to Hauffenia Pollonera, 1898 (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae)

All the taxa of genus and species groups introduced for the European valvatiform hydrobiids are analyzed, and if possible revised. All the type species have been redescribed on the basis of new anatomical studies or data in the literature when spirit specimens were not available. This enabled the following taxa. to be recognized as junior synonyms of Hauffenia Pollonera, 1898 (type species Horatia (Hauffenia) tellinii Pollonera, 1898): Erythropomatiana Radoman, 1978 (type species Valvata erythropomatia Hauffen, 1856); Lobaunia Haase, 1993 (type species: Lobaunia danubialis Haase, 1993); Neohoratia Schutt, 1961 (type species Valvata (?) subpiscinalis Kuscer, 1932); and Vrania Radoman, 1978 (type species Valvata wagneri Kuscer, 1928). Of the species currently assigned to Hauffenia, only a few from the eastern Alps and Balkans actually belong to it: H. erythropomatia (Hauffen, 1856); H. kerschneri (Zimmermann, 1930); H. media Bole, 1961; H. subcarinata Bole & Velkovrh, 1987; H. subpiscinalis ( Kuscer, 1932); H. tellinii (Pollonera, 1898) (with H. michleri Kuscer, 1932, as junior synonym); H. tovunica Radoman, 1978; H. wagneri (Kuscer, 1928); and H. wienerwaldensis Haase, 1992. Each is redescribed. Many "Hauffenia" species from the Balkans remain of uncertain generic status due to the absence, or incompleteness of anatomical data. However, Horatia (Hauffenia) raehlei Schutt, 1980, is placed in the genus Fissuria Boeters, 1981, on the basis of its anatomy. After anatomical study, most of the French "Hauffenia" have been assigned to Islamla Radoman, 1973a, and tentatively to the following species: I. minuta (Draparnaud, 1805), I. globulina (Paladilhe, 1866), I. spirata (Bernasconi, 1985), and I. consolationis (Bernasconi, 1985). Anatomical study of the French "Horatia" exilis (Paladilhe, 1867) supports its allocation to a new genus: Heraultia, n. gen. The Spanish species currently assigned to "Horatia" or "Neohoratia" do not belong to these genera. Some of them, namely "N." ateni (Boeters, 1969), "N." globulus globulus (Bofill, 1909), and "N." g. Iagari (Altimira, 1960), belong to Islamia. Diagnoses and keys are provided for the European valvatiform hydrobiid genera and for the species of Hauffenia, together with tables summarising their taxonomic status and distribution.