Evaluation of Crenobia alpina and Crenobia montenigrina from Parang Mountains (Carpathians, Romania) according to the morphological and biological concepts of species

This paper assesses the taxonomic status - species or subspecies of the monopharyngeal and polypharyngeal Crenobia in Parang Mt. Romania. From the morphological point of view, the two forms belong to Crenobia alpina, respectively to Crenobia montenigrina. The analysis of the copulatory apparatus indicates a seasonal reproductive isolation (restriction from reproduction) of the two forms: the monopharyngeal alpina become able to mate during the warm season while the polypharyngeal montenigrina become able to mate during the cold season. Data on the reproductive biology and peculiar morphological data are also given. The study concludes that the monopharyngeal and the polypharyngeal Crenobia from Parang Mt. are good species according to both morphological and biological concepts.