Search

An extensive literature exists regarding the cellular, physiological, and genetic effects of cadmium (Cd)—A highly toxic, but commonly used trace metal in modern industry. However, limited data are available on its epigenetic effects, especially for terrestrial sentinel invertebrates. We determined Cd retention, total DNA methylation, and the methylation status of 5′ end of the Cd-MT gene in the hepatopancreas of the brown garden snail, Cornu aspersum, fed Cd sulfate for four weeks. Bodyweight changes and survival were also measured. Hepatopancreas cadmium increased in a dose-dependent manner from the third-lowest dose onward, with very large amounts being found for the highest treatment group. However, no mortalities occurred, irrespective of dietary Cd dose. We identified significant genome-wide hypermethylation in specimens given the highest dose, which overlapped with a significant bodyweight decrease. The Cd-MT gene showed an unmethylated 5′ end of the Cd-MT gene and this status was not affected by cadmium exposure. Hepatopancreas DNA methylation is as sensitive as bodyweight to non-lethal concentrations of dietary Cd given as cadmium sulfate but less responsive than tissue accumulation. Such an exposure event, by contrast, does not affect the methylation status of the Cd-MT gene 5′ end.

Otesiopsis Habe, 1946 is a land snail genus, which is known so far from Japan and Taiwan. Individuals of this genus were collected from Gageodo Island, South Korea. This is the first record of the genus Otesiopsis from this country. The individuals from Gageodo Island appear to be a new species because of their unique shell morphologies, while the details of their anatomy are still lacking. Further studies are encouraged to investigate the taxonomic and conservation status of the genus Otesiopsis in South Korea.

Among all molluscs, land snails are a scientifically and economically interesting group comprising edible species, alien species and agricultural pests. Yet, despite their high diversity, the number of genome drafts publicly available is still scarce. Here, we present the draft genome assembly of the land snail Candidula unifasciata, a widely distributed species along central Europe, belonging to the Geomitridae family, a highly diversified taxon in the Western-Palearctic region. We performed whole genome sequencing, assembly and annotation of an adult specimen based on PacBio and Oxford Nanopore long read sequences as well as Illumina data. A genome draft of about 1.29 Gb was generated with a N50 length of 246 kb. More than 60% of the assembled genome was identified as repetitive elements. In total, 22,464 protein-coding genes were identified in the genome, of which 62.27% were functionally annotated. This is the first assembled and annotated genome for a geometrid snail and will serve as reference for further evolutionary, genomic and population genetic studies of this important and interesting group.

Introduction:The feeding habitats of land snails are essential for their survival. Some are little known,for exampletheupper surfaceof leaves, habitat of tropical arboreal and shrub snails.Objective:To analyzethe feedingbehavior and preferences in the feeding habitat ofthe tropical snailTikoconuscostarricanus.Methods:In a humid montane tropical forestinCartago, Costa Rica, I recorded every 3 to 4 hours thefeedingactivityand general behaviorof individuallymarked snails on a 2km trail (seven24-hourvisits inMay 2010-March 2011).Results:I observeda total of167individualspecimens and made 781 observationsabout their behavior and the leaves on which they were found. These snails preferred monocotyledonous leaves with manyepiphylls, despite the fact that those leaves were not common in this forest. They avoided ferns,and during the less rainy season,they preferred leaves with many trichomes, although there were fewsuch leaves. On average,they spent 11 hours on eachindividualleaf and visited two leaves per day. The few snails seen onstemswere almost always moving, as opposed to those on theleafunderside. On average they moved a net 65 cm each day. Feeding concentrated around 9:00 am and defecation around 4:20 am.Conclusions:These snailsprefer leaves with manyepiphylls,where theyfind goodcamouflage,moisture and food. The preference for trichomes could be due to mechanical reasons. The lack of seasonality in their behavior mayreflecttheir stable food source in a forest that remains humidyear round. Introducción: Los hábitats de alimentación de los caracoles terrestres son esenciales para su supervivencia. Algunossonpococonocidos,comoelhaz de las hojas, hábitat decaracolestropicales arborícolas yarbustícolas.Objetivo: AnalizarcomportamientosypreferenciasdehábitatenTikoconuscostarricanus.Métodos:Enunbosque tropical húmedomontanodeCartago, Costa Rica,registré cada 3 a 4 horas la actividad decaracoles individualmentemarcadosenunsenderode 2km(siete visitas de un díaentre mayo 2010 ymarzo 2011).Resultados: Observé 167 especímenes e hice 781 observaciones.Estos caracoles prefirieronlasescasashojas monocotiledóneas y con muchosepífilos. Evitaronlos helechos y durante la épocacon menos lluviaprefirieronhojas con muchos tricomas, a pesar deque había pocas. En promediopasaron11 horas en cada hoja y visitaron dos hojas por día. Los pocos caracoles vistos entalloscasi siempre se estabandesplazando, al contrario delos que estaban en el envés. En promedio sedesplazaron65 cmnetoscada día. La alimentaciónseconcentró alrededor delas 9:00am y la defecaciónalrededorde las 4:20 am.Conclusiones: Esta especie prefiere hojas conmuchosepífilosdondeencuentranmejorcamuflaje, humedad yalimento. La preferencia porlostricomaspodría deberse a razones mecánicas.Sufaltade estacionalidadpuede debersequeasufuente de alimentoesestable en un bosque que permanece húmedotodo el año.&nbsp

Introduction: The objective was to determine the content of fatty acids in edible snail fat by snail species, collection site, and processing stage. Material and Methods: The research material comprised 180 edible fat samples from the three genera of edible snails collected in Poland: free-living Helix pomatia (HP) and two cultivated Cornu subspecies: C. aspersa maxima (CAM) and C. aspersum aspersum (CAA). All snails came from the Greater Poland and Lower Silesian Provinces: HP from their natural habitat and CAM and CAA from heliciculture farms. The studies focused on the raw meat, cooked meat, and frozen meat processing stages. Fatty acid (FA) profiles were determined by the gas chromatography method. Results: Helix pomatia fat showed a higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, whereas the fat of Cornu genus snails had a higher unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) component, i.e. monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Thermal processing of snail meat increased all the determined SFA and decreased all the PUFA values, and increased the content of C18:1, C20:1, and C22:1 acids in the MUFA group. The material collection site had limited impact on FA content as differences were noted only in levels of C18:1, C18:2 n6, and C20:5. The differences pertained only to the fat of farmed snails of the Cornu genus. Conclusion: Due to the high content of UFA and a favourable ratio of n6:n3 acids and PUFA:SFA, snail fat can be regarded as nutritionally valuable.

Riparian ecosystems are crucial for landscape-level biodiversity, especially in highly anthropic and agricultural areas. Although the low mobility of snails reduces their dispersal capacity and makes them vulnerable to habitat degradation, they are less commonly used as indicators. We evaluated the potential of land snails as bioindicators of riparian forest quality in central European riparian forests by surveying snail communities in relation to habitat characteristics that characterize its quality. Habitat characteristics were found to affect both snail abundance and species richness. The abundance of snail species increased with the forest continuity, forest width and abundance of leaf litter and decreased with the cover of ruderal plant species and presence of household waste deposits. Snail diversity was positively influenced by habitat continuity, forest width, and abundance of dead wood. The community composition was also sensitive to habitat characteristics, most species having their optimum in habitats with high amounts of decaying dead wood and litter. Many species responded positively to habitat continuity, demonstrating that fragmentation is the main factor affecting abundance of land snail communities. Both total abundance of land snail communities and species richness were good predictors of habitat quality, snail abundance being more powerful than diversity. Aegopinella epipedostoma, Perforatella bidentata, and Helix pomatia were best at discriminating among high and poor quality forest habitats among individual species. Our study showed that among the parameters describing habitat quality, spatial and temporal continuity of riparian forest are the main factors affecting snail communities. Habitat fragmentation and the absence of suitable microhabitats for snail species preferring decaying wood lead to lower abundance and diversity of land snail communities confirming the potential of land snails as bioindicators of riparian forest quality.

Terrestrial Caenogastropoda form an important but threatened component of the Borneo tropical rainforest malacofauna, where the group is nearly as rich in species as the Stylommatophora. They are, however, more sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation. On a field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new caenogastropod species, belonging to the genus Craspedotropis, was discovered by the course participants. The participants decided to name the species Craspedotropis gretathunbergae n. sp., in honour of the climate change activist Greta Thunberg, as caenogastropod land snails, such as this species, are likely to suffer because of climate change.

A phylogenetic analysis using a combination of mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear markers (ITS2, 28S) indicated that Punctoidea, as previously interpreted, is polyphyletic. It comprises two main groups, containing northern hemisphere (Laurasian) and predominantly southern hemisphere (Gondwanan) taxa respectively, treated here as separate superfamilies. Within Punctoidea sensu stricto, Punctidae, Cystopeltidae and Endodontidae form separate monophyletic clades, but Charopidae, as currently interpreted, is paraphyletic. Most of the charopid taxa that we sequenced, including Charopa coma (Gray, 1843) and other Charopinae, grouped in a clade with Punctidae but some charopid taxa from Australia and South America grouped with Cystopeltidae. Cystopeltidae previously contained a single Australia-endemic genus, Cystopelta Tate, 1881, but our analysis suggests that it is considerably more diverse taxonomically and has a much wider distribution. For taxonomic stability, we suggest that Charopidae be retained as a family-level group for now, pending further study of the systematic relationships of its constituent taxa. A new superfamily, Discoidea, is erected here for two Northern Hemisphere families, Discidae and Oreohelicidae, which were previously assigned to Punctoidea. The North American species Radiodomus abietum, previously in Charopidae, is also here assigned to Discoidea. The phylogenetic relationships of Helicodiscidae, previously assigned to Punctoidea, were not fully resolved in our analysis, but the family is apparently closely related to Arionoidea Gray, 1840 and infraorder Limacoidei.

The fatty acid (FA) profile of wild Theba pisana, Cornu aspersum, and Eobania vermiculata land snail samples, collected in Sicily (Southern Italy), before and after heat treatment at +100 °C were examined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The results show a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in all of the examined raw snails samples, representing up to 48.10% of the total fatty acids contents, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The thermal processing of the snail samples examined determined an overall reduction of PUFA levels (8.13%, 7.75%, and 4.62% for T. pisana, C. aspersum and E. vermiculata samples, respectively) and a species-specific variation of saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents. Oleic acid remained the most abundant FA of all of the snails species examined, accounting for up to 29.95% of the total FA content. A relevant decrease of ɷ3/ɷ6 ratio was found only for T. pisana samples. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed a separation of the snail samples in terms of species and heat treatment. The results of this work suggest land snails as a valuable source of MUFA and PUFA contents and boiling as appropriate treatment, according to the maintenance of healthy properties.

Background Land snails, especially the chocolate banded snails, Eobania vermiculata are destructive pests of a wide range of field and vegetable crops. New pesticides in different pesticides groups were used against the adults and eggs of chocolate banded snail, E. vermiculata under laboratory conditions. These pesticides include indoxacarb, abamectin, and spiromesifen. Other two pesticides were used against the eggs as ovicides. These two pesticides are imidacloprid and fipronil. Results The obtained results showed that indoxacarb was the most effective against the adults of E. vermiculata followed by abamectin and spiromesifen. The LC50’s were 58.6, 83.3, and 280.9 ppm, respectively. On the other hand, the recommended field rate of both fipronil and imidacloprid sharply decreased the hatchability percentage to 22.7 and 16.2%, respectively, compared with 96.3% in control. Conclusion These results cleared that indoxacarb and abamectin can be used as promising molluscicides against the adults of E. vermiculata especially in the conventional crops such as wheat and imidacloprid and fipronil can be used as soil treatment against the eggs of E. vermiculata.

From 2009–2014, incidental collections of terrestrial molluscs were made from the Far North of Ontario, Canada. Thirty-four species of terrestrial molluscs were identified from these collections, including one exotic species, Deroceras reticulatum, and three newly reported species from the Far North, Vallonia pulchella, Vertigo cf. genesii, and Gastrocopta similis. Vertigo cf. genesii is newly reported from Ontario. Some species have not been collected in Ontario for many years and some of these only once before. Subnational conservation ranks are discussed for higher-ranked species.

Background Monacha obstructa is one of the most abundant gastropod of Egyptian farms. It is a destructive land snail as they cause great damage to vegetables and crops. The present study aimed to control snails by ultraviolet radiation. Materials and methods Snails under study were subjected to the same dose of UV-A radiation for two different periods. The source of radiation was UV-fluorescent lamps, UV-A 366 nm. Small pieces of mantle edge, foot, digestive gland, and intestine of treated and untreated snails were taken and prepared for histological examination by light microscope. While small pieces of mantle edge and foot only were prepared for scanning electron microscopic examination. Results Histopathological changes in the mantle, foot, digestive gland, and intestine of treated snails were studied. The changes included destruction and disorganization of many cell types. UV-A radiation affected the fitness of the snails; they became less active. The changes in different organs will lead to alteration in their functions. Conclusions UV-A has a destructive effect on different organs of the snails under study. This effect will lead to the control of this snail (Monacha obstructa).

New records for Helicina schereri Baker, 1913, are reported. It was a species previously restricted to the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Alagoas and Tocantins in Northeastern Brazil, and State of Santa Catarina, much further south. The new occurrences reported herein fill distribution gaps and also significantly expand the range of the species ca. 970 km westwards. The new records are from the following locations: Bahia State (Ituaçu and Itaquara municipalities) in Northeast Brazil; Mato Grosso do Sul State (Bonito Municipality) in the Midwest; and Minas Gerais (Lagoa Santa municipality) in the Southeast.

Human neural angiostrongyliasis is an emerging infectious disease caused by nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The present study investigated the presence of Angiostrongylus spp. in terrestrial molluscs collected from the following areas in the Metropolitan Region of Aracaju, Sergipe State, Brazil: Barra dos Coqueiros, Nossa Senhora do Socorro, Sao Cristovao and Aracaju. In total, 703 specimens representing 13 mollusc species were screened for Angiostrongylus spp. Larvae of Angiostrongylus spp. were found in three species. Larvae recovered from Achatina fulica were used for experimental infection in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). For specific identification of nematodes, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) was sequenced from both larvae and adults recovered from molluscs and rats, respectively. Infection with A. cantonensis was detected in all municipalities and in the following three host species: Bulimulus tenuissimus, Cyclodontina fasciata (Barra dos Coqueiros), and A. fulica (Aracaju, Nossa Senhora do Socorro and Sao Cristovao). Co-infections were also found with Caenorhabditis sp. and Strongyluris sp. larvae. This is the first study of the helminth fauna associated with the terrestrial malacofauna in Sergipe State, and confirms that these three snail species are involved in the transmission of A. cantonensis in the state. In addition, B. tenuissimus and C. fasciata are newly reported natural hosts of the parasite.

Aim. Taxonomy of Caucasian land snails has been studied well enough, but at the same time, the question remains concerning the distribution of some species of snails on the main areas of the Caucasus, especially its eastern part. In this regard, we have set the goal of a more detailed study of the species composition and characteristics of the geographical distribution of land snails of the mountain areas of eastern Caucasus, intramontane Dagestan. Methods. All materials were collected during expeditions of 2011-2015 in the major areas of intramontane Dagestan. We made collections and identified the species according to standard procedures. When determining the species we used common identifiers. Results. As a result of our research we registered, for the territory of intramontane Dagestan, 20 species of land snails belonging to 17 genera of 12 families, among which the most richly repre sented in species diversity can be found the Hygromiidae Tryton family, 1886, which includes in its community 35% of species of land snails of the study area. Conclusion. The findings allow obtaining complete information on the species diversity and characteristics of the geographical distribution of land snails in the intramontane part of Dagestan.

El ciclo de luz y oscuridad del caracol Vertigo moulinsiana Dupuy, 1849 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Vertiginidae) y su patrón de actividad a diferentes temperaturas Vertigo moulinsiana es una especie de diminutos caracoles terrestres que necesitan condiciones de humedad elevada y que se encuentran en hábitats húmedos y temporalmente inundados. La especie figura en la Lista Roja de Especies Amenazadas de la UICN con la categoría VU (vulnerable) y se considera una prioridad alta de conservación. Asimismo, se menciona en el anexo II de la Directiva Hábitat de la Unión Europea, en la que se aconseja a los Estados miembros que hagan un seguimiento de la especie. Como el seguimiento de V. moulinsiana se basa en el conteo de los individuos adheridos a plantas en el campo, los resultados solo se podrán evaluar debidamente cuando se comprenda el comportamiento de la especie. Por consiguiente, el propósito de este estudio es analizar el ciclo de luz y oscuridad de adultos y juveniles, y comparar los patrones de actividad de ambos grupos de edad en condiciones de oscuridad a temperaturas de 6 ºC y 21 ºC. Las observaciones se realizaron en condiciones de laboratorio y con humedad elevada constante (del 100 % o casi). Se observó que los juveniles eran más activos que los adultos durante el día, por la noche y tanto a 6 ºC como a 21 ºC. Además, los dos grupos de edad de V. moulinsiana eran más activos a 21 ºC que a 6 ºC y su actividad era más elevada por la noche que durante el día. Estos resultados indican que el comportamiento puede incidir en los resultados del seguimiento basado en el examen visual y que debería tenerse en cuenta a la hora de interpretar los datos., Vertigo moulinsiana is a minute land snail species which requires high humidity conditions and is found in wet, temporarily inundated habitats. The species is listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species under the VU (vulnerable) category and is considered a high conservation priority. It is also mentioned in Annex II of the EU Habitat Directive, which imposes the obligation to monitor the species in member countries. The monitoring of V. moulinsiana is based on counting individuals attached to plants in the field, and thus any results may only be properly evaluated when the behavior of the species is understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the light–dark cycle of both adults and juveniles within the species as well as to compare activity patterns of both age groups in dark conditions in temperatures of 6 ºC and 21 ºC. Observations were carried out under laboratory conditions, at a high and constant humidity (humidity was at or nearly 100 %). It was shown that juveniles were more active than adults during the day, at night, and at 6 ºC and 21 ºC. In addition, both age groups of V. moulinsiana were more active at 21 ºC than at 6 ºC, and their activity was higher at night than during the day. Such behavior may have an impact on monitoring results based on visual examination and should be taken into account when the data are interpreted.

Land malacofauna of three islands of the Šibenik archipelago (Dalmatia, Croatia), Žirje, Kaprije and Prvić was studied. During field work, the highest number of species, 31, was recorded on the largest island, Žirje; on the mid-sized island of Kaprije, there were 27 species, and on the smallest of them, the island of Prvić, there were 20 species. We confirmed all the species recorded previously in literature, six for Žirje and one for Prvić. In the fauna we emphasize the recently described species Hypnophila zirjensis Štamol, Manganelli, Barbato & Giusti, 2018, so far found only on Žirje, Truncatellina lussinensis Štamol, 1995 was found on Kaprije which is the second find after its locus typicus on Lošinj island, and Delima (Semirugata) vidovichii vidovichii (L. Pfeiffer, 1846) on Prvić, which is the first island record of this taxon. Comparison of these malacofaunas with Adriatic islands similar in size – Žirje with Silba and Prvić with Piškera, showed that Žirje and Prvić have more species, which we assigned to the more diverse habitats., Obrađena je kopnena malakofauna triju otoka Šibenskog arhipelaga (Dalmacija, Hrvatska), Žirja, Kaprija i Prvića. Terenskim istraživanjem najviše je vrsta nađeno na najvećem otoku, Žirju - 31 vrsta, na srednje velikom otoku Kapriju nađeno je 27 vrsta, a najmanje – 20 vrsta, na najmanjem otoku, Prviću. Potvrdili smo postojanje svih literaturno zabilježenih vrsta, 6 za Žirje i jedne za Prvić. U fauni se ističu nedavno opisana vrsta Hypnophila zirjensis Štamol, Manganelli, Barbato & Giusti, 2018, dosada nađena samo na Žirju, Truncatellina lussinensis Štamol, 1995 nađena na Kapriju, što je prvi nalaz nakon locusa typicusa na Lošinju, te na Prviću Delima (Semirugata) vidovichii vidovichii (L. Pfeiffer, 1846) što je njen prvi otočni nalaz. Usporedba s malakofaunom slično velikih jadranskih otoka - Žirja sa Silbom te Prvića s Piškerom, pokazala je da Žirje i Prvić imaju više vrsta, što smo pripisali raznolikijim staništima.

Terrestrial gastropods are problematical for radiocarbon (14C) measurement because they tend to incorporate carbon from ancient sources as a result of their dietary behavior. The 14C ecology of the pulmonate land snail, Helix melanostoma in Cyrenaica, northeastern Libya, was investigated as part of a wider study on the potential of using terrestrial mollusk shell for 14C dating of archaeological deposits. H. melanostoma was selected out of the species available in the region as it has the most predictable 14C ecology and also had a ubiquitous presence within the local archaeology. The ecological observations indicate that H. melanostoma has a very homogenous 14C ecology with consistent variations in F14C across sample sites controlled by availability of dietary vegetation. The majority of dated specimens from non-urbanized sample locations have only a small old-carbon effect, weighted mean of 476±48 14C yr, with between ~1% and 9% of dietary F14C from non-organic carbonate sources. Observed instabilities in the 14C ecology can all be attributed to the results of intense human activity not present before the Roman Period. Therefore, H. melanostoma and species with similar ecological behavior are suitable for 14C dating of archaeological and geological deposits with the use of a suitable offset.

The collection of land caenogastropod snails in the genus Cyclophorus Monfort, 1810 housed in the Natural History Museum, London (NHM), includes 52 type lots. Lectotypes have been designated for 41 available species-level names to stabilize existing nomenclature, three previously designated lectotype, two holotypes, one paratype, two syntypes, one possible syntype and two paralectotypes are also listed. A complete catalogue of the Cyclophorus types in NHM, London is provided for the first time.

To forecast the responses of species to future climate change, an understanding of the ability of species to adapt to long-term shifts in temperature is crucial. We present a review on evolutionary adaptation and phenotypic plasticity of temperature-related traits in terrestrial invertebrates. The evidence for adaptive evolution in melanization is good, but we caution that genetic determination needs to be tested in each individual species, and complex genetic correlations may exist. For phenological traits allochronic data sets provide powerful means to track climate-induced changes; however, rarely are responses deconstructed into evolutionary and plastic responses. Laboratory studies suggest climate change responses in these traits will be driven by both. For stress resistance, the evidence for shifts in traits is poor. Studies leaning heavily on Drosophila have demonstrated potential limits to evolutionary responses in desiccation and heat resistance. Quantifying the capacity for these species to respond plastically and extending this work to other taxa will be an important next step. We also note that, although not strictly speaking a species trait, the response of endosymbionts to heat stress requires further study. Finally, while clearly genetic, and possibly adaptive, the anonymous nature of latitudinal shifts in clines of genetic markers in Drosophila prevents further interpretation.

During the field work of our research into the terrestrial malacofauna of the eastern Adriatic islands Šolta, Drvenik veli and Drvenik mali (Croatia) 36 snail species with shells were registered. That almost tripled the number of taxa recorded in the literature. We consider Lindholmiola corcyrensis (Rossmässler, 1836) and Delima (Piceata) piceata (Rossmässler, 1836), registered in the literature for Drvenik veli, non-existing for the researched area, as well as for Croatia. Of the recorded taxa we particularly refer to Odontocyclas kokeilii (Rossmässler, 1837) with Šolta and Drvenik veli being its second i.e. third island locality in Croatia, and the endemic clausilid snail Delima (Semirugata) hiltrudis H. Nordsieck, 1969, also found on Šolta and so far known only from the island of Brač. The greatest number of species were found on the biggest island of Šolta, and the smallest island Drvenik mali had the lowest number of species, as expected. The values of the Whittaker index of biodiversity and of the maximum index of biodiversity increased according to size of island. The average number of taxa per site is the highest on the mid- sized island of Drvenik veli, which is a consequence of the diversity and good state of preservation of its habitats.

Sierra Bibijagua are marmoreal elevations located on northern Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth), southwestern Cuba. Isla de la Juventud is the largest island (2,200 km²) of the Canarreos Archipelago, Greater Antilles. A checklist of terrestrial molluscs recorded from Sierra Bibijagua is presented, including the following information: synonymy, type locality, updated distribution, endemism, and photographs of shells and living individuals whenever possible. The checklist comprises 12 families and 16 genera currently known from the area, including six new records: Farcimen procer, Leidyula floridana, Liguus fasciatus, Subulina octona, Glandinella poeyana, and Bradybaena similaris.

Aegista chejuensis and Aegista quelpartensis (Family-Bradybaenidae) are endemic to Korea, and are considered vulnerable due to declines in their population. The limited genetic resources for these species restricts the ability to prioritize conservation efforts. We sequenced the transcriptomes of these species using Illumina paired-end technology. Approximately 257 and 240 million reads were obtained and assembled into 198,531 and 230,497 unigenes for A. chejuensis and A. quelpartensis, respectively. The average and N50 unigene lengths were 735.4 and 1073 bp, respectively, for A. chejuensis, and 705.6 and 1001 bp, respectively, for A. quelpartensis. In total, 68,484 (34.5%) and 77,745 (33.73%) unigenes for A. chejuensis and A. quelpartensis, respectively, were annotated to databases. Gene Ontology terms were assigned to 23,778 (11.98%) and 26,396 (11.45) unigenes, for A. chejuensis and A. quelpartensis, respectively, while 5050 and 5838 unigenes were mapped to 117 and 124 pathways in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. In addition, we identified and annotated 9542 and 10,395 putative simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in unigenes from A. chejuensis and A. quelpartensis, respectively. We designed a list of PCR primers flanking the putative SSR regions. These microsatellites may be utilized for future phylogenetics and conservation initiatives.

In this work, we have evaluated the molluscicidal activity of two cardenolide extracts from Adenium arabicum Balf f. [the benzene (B) and methanol (M) extracts], one cardenolide extract from Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton (extract C), and methomyl against the harmful land snail Monacha cantiana (Montagu). The contact LD50 values for the above mentioned plant extracts were 12.62, 34.63, and 34.35 mg·kg−1 of body weight, respectively, while the LD50 for methomyl was 116.62 mg·kg−1, that is, the plant extracts were 9.24, 3.37, and 3.4 times more toxic than methomyl. In addition, a simple colorimetric method, based on Kedde reagent, was modified to determine cardenolide concentrations in plant extracts. Thin layer chromatography analysis (TLC) showed several cardiac glycosidal compounds in each plant extract. The results proved that cardiac glycosides are promising candidate compounds that could be used to control land snails, or exploited to develop new, effective, and environmentally friendly molluscicides.

Plagiodontes weyrauchi sp. nov. is among the smallest species in the genus Plagiodontes (Doering, 1877). Statistical multivariate analyses confirmed its distinctiveness from other species, mostly because of its high number of whorls (8-9.75), relatively small width, and low proportions of last whorl and aperture length to shell length; multivariate discriminant analysis applied to this species and its most similar relative, P. multiplicatus parvus, correctly identified 100% of specimens. Pallial and genital anatomy supports P. weyrauchi as a different species, mainly because of the position of the ureteric pore, the small general size of the genital system, the presence of an accessory lobe alongside the verge, and the vaginal internal structure. Internal anatomy of four other small-sized taxa in the genus was studied. Two of them have a verge with no accessory lobe [P. dentatus (Wood, 1828) and P. patagonicus (d'Orbigny, 1835)], while the remaining two have an accessory lobe with different characteristics [P. rocae Doering, 1881 and P. multiplicatus parvus (Hylton-Scott, 1952)]. Internal structure of the vagina also shows specific differences among Plagiodontes species; their phylogenetic significance will be further investigated. Fil: Piza, Julia. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Zoología de Invertebrados I; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Cazzaniga, Néstor Jorge. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Zoología de Invertebrados I; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Species richness is commonly thought to increase with habitat diversity. However, a recent theoretical model aiming to unify niche and island biogeography theories predicted a hump-shaped relationship between richness and habitat diversity. Given the contradiction between model results and previous knowledge, we examine whether the relationship between species richness and habitat diversity is consistently monotonically increasing and under which circumstances, if at all, such relationships could be hump shaped. We review the empirical evidence about the shape of such relationships and show that species richness on islands usually increases with habitat diversity and that it never decreases. We also critically examine the assumptions of the theoretical model and modify them to incorporate a less restrictive definition of niche width. The modified assumptions lead to simulations that better capture real patterns, using either simple parameters or observed distributions of niche breadth. Further work is needed to incorporate ecological interactions and metacommunity dynamics if the aim is to merge niche and island biogeography theories in a realistic modeling framework. © 2009 by The University of Chicago. 174 E205 E217 Cited By :76

Little is known about the evolutionary history of Helix, despite the fact that it includes the largest land snails in the western Palaearctic, some of which (e.g. H. pomatia Linnaeus, 1758) are valuable human food. We compared two groups of Helix with apparently contrasting evolutionary histories: the widespread species H. pomatia and the group distributed along the Italian Apennine chain, a relatively unknown set of species with a restricted distribution over a range of altitudes. To reconstruct the evolutionary trajectories of these two groups, we analysed morphological (shell and genitalia) and molecular characters (mitochondrial and nuclear markers) in a total of 59 populations from northern and central Europe (H. pomatia) and along the Apennine chain (various species). We also reconstructed the phylogeny and the evolutionary history of the genus by combining our data with that currently available in the literature. We found that spatial changes did not merely imply fragmentation of populations, but also implied environmental changes (woodlands vs. grasslands) that may have triggered the observed phenotypic diversification. We also found that Anatolia is the ancestral range of Helix and is therefore an important area for the Palaearctic diversity. The results provide insights into the evolutionary history of species richness and more generally into the processes that may have shaped the distribution and diversification of these organisms across Europe and the peri-Mediterranean area.

Terrestrial mollusca are sparsely studied in Chile and, for the first time, a formal record of the diversity of land snails in northern Chile is reported. Coastal and desertic areas in the Region of Atacama, in the border of the Atacama desert and the Pacific Ocean, were surveyed with the aim to describe the presence and distribution of this poorly known fauna. Of the fourteen species recorded, the geographic distribution records for nine species are extended, and some taxa are recorded for the first time since their original descriptions. All, except one, of the fourteen terrestrial molluscan species occurring in the area are endemic to Chile; they are all terrestrial species, most of them have a restricted geographic distribution, and none of them is currently protected by law. The results reveal that the region of Atacama has one of the most diverse terrestrial snail biodiversity in Chile, ranking only after the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. Distribution records of all the studied species and a taxonomic key are also provided.

Bu çalışmada, dünyada ve Türkiye'de yaygın kullanılan 2,4-D herbisitinin, karasal alanlarda geniş dağılım gösteren kara salyangozu, Cornu aspersum'un sindirim ve albümin bezine etkileri, histopatolojik olarak incelenmiştir. Öncelikle 10'ar bireyden oluşan 11 deney grubu oluşturulmuş; enjeksiyonla madde uygulaması yapılarak akut toksisite testleri düzenlenmiş ve probit analizi ile 2,4-D'nin Cornu aspersum için LD50 değeri 400,407 mg/kg olarak hesaplanmıştır. Akut toksisite test sonuçlarına göre belirlenen düşük, orta, yüksek ve çok yüksek doz uygulama grupları ile kontrol gruplarında 5'er birey kullanılmış; 96 saat sonra disseksiyonlar ve tespitler yapılmış; uygulama dozlarına bağlı olarak, organlarda meydana gelen değişiklikler, kontrol grupları ve birbirleriyle karşılaştırılarak, çeşitli histolojik ve histokimyasal boyama yöntemleriyle incelenmiştir. Deneyler üç tekrarlı olarak gerçekleştirilmiştir.Her iki organda, dozlara bağlı olarak, bez yapısını oluşturan asinuslarda bütünsel deformasyonlar ve asinuslar arası boşluklar; bazal membran tabakalarında düzensizleşme ve kalınlaşmalar; asinuslar arası bağ dokuda deformasyonlar; asinuslarda normal seviyenin üstünde vakuolleşmeler; asinus epitel hücrelerinde artan nekrotik nukleuslar; nötral glikoprotein ve glikojen depolarını gösteren PAS pozitif özelliğinde değişimler gibi belirgin histopatolojik değişiklikler gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca sindirim bezinde, asidik glikoprotein ve glikozaminoglikanları gösteren AB pozitif özelliğinde belirgin değişimler; kalsiyum depolarında indirgenme ve düzensizleşmeler gözlenmiştir.Asinuslar arasında artan mesafeler ve bazal membran tabakalarındaki kalınlaşmalar, tek yönlü varyans analiziyle incelenmiş; dozlara bağlı olarak, gruplar arasında ortalamalardaki farklılıkların, istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır (p˂0,05).Anahtar sözcükler: 2,4-D, Cornu aspersum, sindirim bezi, albümin bezi, akut toksisite, LD50, histopatoloji In this study, the effects of 2,4-D, a herbicide widely used in the world and Turkey, on the digestive and albumen glands of Cornu aspersum, a widespread snail species in terrestrial areas, were histopathologically examined. Firstly, 11 experimental groups of 10 individuals each were formed. They were exposed to substance injection and application for acute toxicity tests to be implemented. By the means of probit analysis, the LD50 value of 2,4-D for Cornu aspersum was estimated around 400,407 mg/kg. There were 5 individuals each in the control groups and low, medium, high and very high doses of application groups determined by acute toxicity test results. Animal dissection and tissue fixation was carried out after 96 hours. By the means of various histological and histochemical staining methods, the alterations in the organs, at varying degrees of application doses, were detected, examined and subject to a comparison with control groups and within the application groups. Each experiment was conducted three times consecutively.Depending on the application doses, in both organs, the significant histopathological changes were observed such as holistic disruptions in gland-forming acini and space coming into being between acini; disorder in and thickening of basal membrane layers; deformation in the connective tissues betwen acini; the vacuolization above normal levels in acini; increasing numbers of necrotic nuclei in the acini epithelial cells; and changes in PAS positive characteristic, indicating the neutral glycoprotein and glycogen storage. Also, in the digestive gland, significant changes in the AB positive characteristic, an indicator of acidic glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans, and reduction and irregularity in calcium storage were to be observed. The widening distances between acini and the thickening in the basal membrane layers were studied with one-way variance analysis. The result is that, depending on the doses, the variance of group averages is statistically meaningful (p˂0,05). Key words: 2,4-D, Cornu aspersum, digestive gland, albumen gland, acute toxicity, LD50, histopathology 201

We announce the presence of two species of exotic terrestrial mollusks new for Argentina: Oxychilus draparnaudi (Oxychilidae) in Buenos Aires province and Opeas (O.) pumilum (Subulinidae) in Tucumán province. New records expand further the distributions of seven other species in Argentina: Paralaoma servilis (Punctidae) and Deroceras (Agriolimax) reticulatum (Limacidae) throughout the country; in northern tropical climates, O. (O.) pumilum and Bradybaena (B.) similaris (Helicidae); in the warm central area, Theba p. pisana (Helicidae) and O. draparnaudi; in Patagonia, Limax (L.) maximus (Limacidae); and Vertigo ovata (Vertiginidae) and Hawaiia minuscula (Pristilomatidae) in northern and central Argentina. The presence of Deroceras laeve and D. agrestis (Limacidae) could not be confirmed. It is not clear if Pupisoma (Ptychopatula) dioscoricola (Vallonidae) is a native or exotic species in Argentina. Se da a conocer la presencia de dos especies de moluscos terrestres estilomatóforos exóticos, nuevos para la República Argentina: Oxychilus draparnaudi (Oxychilidae) en la provincia de Buenos Aires y Opeas (O.) pumilum. (Subulinidae) en la provincia de Tucumán. Nuevos registros amplían las distribuciones en la Argentina de otras siete especies: Paralaoma servilis (Punctidae) y Deroceras (Agriolimax) reticulatum (Limacidae), se registran en todo el país; en climas tropicales del norte aparece Bradybaena (B.) similaris (Helicidae), en el área central templada Theba p. pisana (Helicidae), en Patagonia, Limax (L.) maximus (Limacidae), en tanto que Vertigo ovata (Vertiginidae) y Hawaiia minuscula (Pristilomatidae) se encuentran en el norte y centro de la Argentina. No se ha podido confirmar la presencia de Deroceras laeve y D. agrestis (Limacidae) o el carácter de especie nativa o exótica de Pupisoma (Ptychopatula) dioscoricola (Vallonidae). Fil: Virgillito, Marisol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina Fil: Miquel, Sergio Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina

Megalobulimus K. Miller, 1878 is a genus of land snails that includes the largest living snails in the Neotropics. The main goal of this paper was to review all species of Megalobulimus that have a red lip, and which are distributed in Peru. We carried out a detailed description of their shells and soft parts, and conducted a multivariate analysis on their shells and geographic distribution. There are two species reported from Peru, Megalobulimus capillaceus (Pfeiffer, 1855) and Megalobulimus separabilis (Fulton, 1903). Megalobulimus capillaceus is known to occur in three regions - San Martín, Huánuco and Cusco - but the Cusco population is undoubtedly different from all remaining populations, and is recognized herein as a new species, Megalobulimus florezi sp. nov. This species has a more elongated shell, penis club-shaped, epiphallus longer, and free oviduct longer than M. capillaceus. By contrast, the male genitalia of M. separabilis is filiform and does not present an external diverticulum in the free oviduct.

The present study was designed to investigate histochemically the detection of carbohydrate and protein in the normally feeding snails and after 15 and 30days of starvation. Generally, abundant carbohydrate and protein materials were detected in the component cells of the digestive gland of normally feeding snails. The results of this investigation revealed a pronounced decline of carbohydrates in the digestive gland cells of Monacha cartusiana snails after starvation. Severe decline in carbohydrate content was observed especially after 30days of starvation. Moreover, protein inclusions have exhibited a week stainability in the digestive gland cells of these snails as a consequence of starvation.

Three new species of the streptaxid snail genus Perrottetia are described from north and northeastern Thailand, Perrottetia aquilonaria sp. n., Perrottetia dermapyrrhosa sp. n. and Perrottetia phuphamanensis sp. n. Each species is endemic to a single or a few limestone mountain ranges. The species are characterized by the morphology of their genital organs, as well as by shell characters. Perrottetia aquilonaria sp. n. has a club shaped distal penis and large penial hooks are present and penial papillae cover almost the entire penial hook portion; adjacent areas possess low reticulated folds. Perrottetia dermapyrrhosa sp. n. has a long genital atrium and the penial sheath is about two-thirds of the penis length. Penial hooks are long, scattered and sunken into deep ovate hollows; vaginal hooks are present. Perrottetia phuphamanensis sp. n. has a rounded and protruded shell periphery. The aperture is subcircular, peristome is thick and the second parietal lamella is adjacent to the first parietal lamella; a basal lamella is the smaller than in the other Thai species.

Bu çalışmanın amacı, su ürünleri kapsamına giren, tüm istatistikî raporlarda ve ihracat verilerinde bir su ürünü olarak kabul gören kara salyangozunun; doğadan damızlık temini ile yumurta alımı, yavruların yetiştirilmesi ve bu aşamalarda karşılaşılan hastalıkların belirlenmesidir.İzmir?in Urla ve Konak ilçesinden toplanan 60 adet damızlık Helix aspersatürü kara salyangozu, laboratuvar şartlarında formüle edilmiş yem ile beslenmiştir. 20-24°C sıcaklık, %75-%90 nem, 18 saat aydınlık 6 saat karanlık fotoperiyot uygulanan laboratuvar şartlarında, 1 hafta sonra kopulasyonlar gerçekleşmiştir. Kopulasyonlardan 10-12 gün sonra birçok yumurta bırakma aktivitesi başlamıştır. Sadece ilk üç batının kullanıldığı çalışmada inkübasyona alınan yumurtalardan yüksek oranda (%94,83) yavru çıkışı sağlanmıştır. Yumurtadan çıkan yavrular tekrar aynı ortam şartlarında üç grup halinde, üç farklı formüldeki yemle beslenmiş ve 60 gün boyunca yetiştirilmiştir. Ulaşılan ortalama son ağırlıklar sırasıyla; A grubu 0,583gr, B grubu 0,503gr?dır. Yetiştiricilik sırasında mortalite A grubunda %15, B grubunda %36,6, C grubunda ise %100 olmuştur. Ölen yavru salyangozlar ile sağlıklı damızlık bireylerden rastgele seçilen 10 adet salyangoz, hastalıklar yönünden incelenmiştir. İncelenen damızlık salyangozlarda digenea, nematoda grubu parazitlere ve bol miktarda Staphylococcus sp. bakterilerine rastlanmıştır. Yavru salyangozların vücutlarının iki lam arasında ezilmesiyle elde edilen preparatlarda ise çok sayıda nematodagrubu parazitleri görülmüştür.Anahtar kelimeler: Kara salyangozu, Helix aspersa, salyangoz yetiştiriciliği,salyangoz çiftliği, kara salyangozu hastalıkları The aim of this study is to determine egg-take by natural breeding, raising the hatching snails and observed diseases during these processes of land snail, regarded as living in the sea in all statistical reports and export outcomes in scopeof aquaculture.Breeding Helix aspersa, 60, collected in Urla and Konak, İzmir, fed on formulated feed under laboratory conditions in where the temperature was 20-24 °C, the humidity was 75%-90%, 18 hours light, 6 hours dark, copulations existed one week later. 10-12 days later after copulations, egg-laying activity started. In this study, only the first three generations used and a very high rate of hatching was realized (94.83%) by the eggs under incubation. The hatching werefed in 3 groups with 3 different formulated bait and raised for 60 days. The average final weights were; Group A 0,583 gr, Group B 0,503 gr respectively. During raising process, mortality was 15% in Group A, 36,6% in Group B and 100% in Group C. Dead young snails and chosen from healthy breeding ones randomly and were examined in terms of diseases. We determined parasites of digenea, nematoda and a lot of Staphylococcus sp. bacteria in this examination. In the preparates obtained by squashing the bodies of young snails between two lamellas, we met a lot of nematode parasites.Keywords: Land snail, Helix aspersa, snail culture, snail farm, land snail diseases 56

A la secrecion mucoproteica del Achatina fulica se le han asignado propiedades antibacterianas, antifungicas y cicatriciales que pueden estar influidas por el tipo de alimento que se ofrece a este especimen. Este estudio investigo el potencial curativo de peliculas basadas en la secrecion mucosa de Achatina fulica alimentaba con diferentes tipos de plantas. Fueron tratadas heridas provocadas en el dorso de ratas Wistar con peliculas de colageno y peliculas realizadas a partir de la secrecion mucosa de A. fulica, alimentados con plantas de lechuga (L. sativa), utilizando como parametro de comparacion la curacion del grupo de control. Despues de 3,7,14 y 21 dias los animales fueron sacrificados y las heridas fueron evaluadas microscopicamente. En los dias 3 y 7, las heridas tratadas con moco mostraron mejores tasas de formacion y maduracion del tejido de granulacion, epitelizacion, y mas rapido recambio de colageno tipos III y I. A los dias 14 y 21, hubo una intensa deposicion del colageno tipo I y aceleracion en la regeneracion de la piel. Los resultados obtenidos a partir de A. fulica alimentados con plantas de lechuga (L. sativa) mostraron mejores resultados. Este estudio sugiere que las peliculas producidas con secrecion mucosa de A. fulica pueden ser utilizadas con exito como aposito, especialmente si los caracoles se alimentan con plantas de lechuga L. sativa.

The lively debate about speciation currently focuses on the relative importance of factors driving population differentiation. While many studies are increasingly producing results on the importance of selection, little is known about the interaction between drift and selection. Moreover, there is still little knowledge on the spatial-temporal scales at which speciation occurs, that is, arrangement of habitat patches, abruptness of habitat transitions, climate and habitat changes interacting with selective forces. To investigate these questions, we quantified variation on a fine geographical scale analysing morphological (shell) and genetic data sets coupled with environmental data in the land snail Murella muralis, endemic to the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) and eight nuclear microsatellite loci showed that genetic variation is highly structured at a very fine spatial scale by local palaeogeographical events and historical population dynamics. Molecular clock estimates, calibrated here specifically for Tyrrhenian land snails, provided a framework of palaeogeographical events responsible for the observed geographical variations and migration routes. Finally, we showed for the first time well-documented lines of evidence of selection in the past, which explains divergence of land snail shell shapes. We suggest that time and palaeogeographical history acted as constraints in the progress along the ecological speciation continuum. Our study shows that testing for correlation among palaeogeography, morphology and genetic data on a fine geographical scale provides information fundamental for a detailed understanding of ecological speciation processes.

International audience; Ectotherms from sunny and hot environments need to cope with solar radiation. Mediterranean land snails of the superfamily Helicoidea feature a behavioural strategy to escape from solar radiation-induced excessive soil heating by climbing up vertical objects. The height of climbing, and also other parameters like shell colouration pattern, shell orientation, shell size, body mass, actual internal and shell surface temperature, and the interactions between those factors may be expected to modulate proteotoxic effects in snails exposed to solar radiation and, thus, their stress response. Focussing on natural populations of Xeropicta derbentina, we conducted a 'snapshot' field study using the individual Hsp70 level as a proxy for proteotoxic stress. In addition to correlation analyses, an IT-model selection approach based on Akaike's Information Criterion was applied to evaluate a set of models with respect to their explanatory power and to assess the relevance of each of the above-mentioned parameters for individual stress, by model averaging and parameter estimation. The analysis revealed particular importance of the individuals' shell size, height above ground, the shell colouration pattern and the interaction height x orientation. Our study showed that a distinct set of behavioural traits and intrinsic characters define the Hsp70 level and that environmental factors and individual features strongly interact.

Los moluscos terrestres son un grupo muy poco estudiado a nivel mundial. Hay 183 especies reportadas para Costa Rica, 30% son endémicas y 7% posiblemente están extintas. Se espera que en el país haya alrededor de 400 especies, de más del 95% se desconoce su biología, ecología, distribución, genética y otros campos de estudio. En Costa Rica las familias con mayor número de especies son Spiraxidae, Orthalicidae y Subulinidae. No obstante, es posible que Euconulidae sea aun más diversa, pues habitan las zonas altas del país que es en donde menos trabajo se ha hecho. El estudio de regiones altas aumentará el porcentaje de endemismo. Los futuros trabajos malacológicos taxonómicos, biológicos y ecológicos deben considerar la poca movilidad de este grupo, su tendencia a formar especies nuevas en simpatría, la especificidad de requerimientos de microhábitat, el hermafroditismo, la alta tasa de evolución (10% por millón de años) y la divergencia entre especies (2-30%). Para proteger adecuadamente la biodiversidad de la malacofauna costarricense, se requiere de estudios que determinen la distribución y abundancia de las especies y el efecto del uso de la tierra y del climático.Terrestrial mollusks (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Costa Rica: classification, distribution and conservation. Terrestrial mollusks are poorly known worldwide. The country has 183 reported species, 30% endemic and 7% are probably extinct. About 400 species are expected to inhabit the country. Biology, ecology, distribution, genetics and other areas of research are unknown for more than 95% of the species. The most diverse families are Spiraxidae, Orthalicidae and Subulinidae. However, the family that may have more species is Euconulidae. Euconulids inhabit the highlands, where less work has been done. The study of species of highlands will also rise the endemism rate. Future taxonomic, biological and ecological work should consider their low vagility, tendency to produce new taxa in sympatry, specific microhabitat requirements, hermaphroditism, high evolutionary rate (10% per million years), and divergence between species (2 to 30%). Urgent studies to protect the Costa Rican malacofauna include: distribution, abundance, effect of land use and climate changes on populations. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (4): 1165-1175. Epub 2010 December 01.

Four species of land snails are described from Costa Rica and Panama. Two are new species and two have remained poorly known since their first discovery. A fifth species from Mexico and Guatemala is illustrated for comparative purposes because it has not been figured since 1877, and previous figures of it are inadequate for comparative purposes. The Spiraxidae subfamilies and the piraxinae genera are redefined. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (1): 195-202. Epub 2010 March 01.Se describen cuatro especies de caracoles terrestres de Costa Rica y Panamá. Dos son especies nuevas y dos han permanecido poco conocidas desde su descubrimiento. Se ilustra en detalle una quinta especie de México y Guatemala, para efectos comparativos, ya que no se había ilustrado desde 1877, y sus descripciones previas no son adecuadas para una comparación. Se redefinen las subfamilias pertenecientes a Spiraxidae y el género Spiraxinae.

The bulimulid genusBostryxTroschel, 1847 is the most species-rich genus of land snails found in Chile, with the majority of its species found only in the northern part of the country, usually in arid coastal zones. This genus has been sparsely studied in Chile and there is little information on their distribution, diversity or ecology. Here, for the first time, a formal analysis of the diversity of bulimulids in the Región de Atacama, northern Chile, is reported. Of the seventeen species recorded for the area, most of them were efectively found in the field collections and one record was based on literature. Five taxa are described as new:Bostryx ancavilorumsp. nov.,Bostryx breureisp. nov.,Bostryx calderaensissp. nov.,Bostryx ireneaesp. nov. andBostryx valdovinosisp. nov., and the known geographic distribution of seven species is extended. Results reveal that the Región de Atacama is the richest region in terrestrial snails in Chile, after the Juan Fernández Archipelago. All of the terrestrial molluscan species occurring in the area are endemic to Chile, most of them with restricted geographic distributions along the coastal zones, and none of them are currently protected by law. Further sampling in northern Chile will probably reveal more snail species to be discovered and described.

Aim. Use in scientific research of biogeographic maps for assessment of biological diversity of individual groups and territories today is a very important technique that is widely used by many researchers. The object of this study was elected phyletic compact group of land snails, characterized by stringent strictly confined to a particular environment and a poor ability to overcome geographical barriers, which makes it very convenient model when conducting ecological and zoogeographical studies. Methods. In work was used the method of blending the modern habitats of the terrestrial mollusk fauna on paleokarst Caucasian Islands Paleogene-Oligocene period. The family Clausiliidae Gray, 1855 was chosen for analysis , as occupying a leading position in species composition relative to other families of mollusks in the Caucasus. Results. The analysis of the propagation of biological diversity of land snails Caucasian family Clausiliidae using the method of «overlay areas», showed a high percentage of the study group attachment to the Caucasus paleo islands - 79% or 50 species from 20 genius are placed within them, while 8 species from 6 genius paleo island found near the borders, and 5 species belonging to 4 genius, marked a considerable distance. Main conclusions. The results demonstrate the ability to use the group of land snails as a model for the study of correlations and paleogeographic reconstruction of the events of the Caucasus Isthmus

There are few studies on the terrestrial molluscs of the Great Plains of Alberta. Nearly all previously published surveys have focused on the faunas of the Rocky Mountain Foothills, the Cypress Hills, the Parklands of Central Alberta, or the boreal forests. By means of hand-picking and litter samples, we surveyed for the first time the terrestrial snail fauna in the Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, southern Alberta, Canada. From among the hoodoos (weathered rock formations) and along the cliffs on the north side of the Milk River, we found terrestrial snails at four of our five sites within the hot, dry valley of the river. Our study confirms our assumptions that the terrestrial snail fauna in these hostile habitats lacks diversity.

El estudio taxonómico y sistemático de ejemplares de moluscos terrestres recolectados bajo hojarasca en fragmentos aislados de bosque nativo secundario, Parque Botánico Hualpén, (36º45´-36º49´ S, 73º9´-73º13´ W), Universidad de Concepción, Chile, permitió describir dos géneros nuevos Pichikadi gen.n. de la familia Punctidae, y Chellius gen.n. de la familia Charopidae, con las siguientes especies nuevas para la ciencia: Pichikadi hualpensis sp.n. y Chellius piramidalis sp.n. Para facilitar interpretaciones y estudios posteriores, se sigue a diversos autores en describir las características de la concha, que como otros caracteres filogenéticos han dado origen a la aparente estabilidad sistemática de los micromoluscos terrestres en el ámbito mundial. Las descripciones y observaciones de cada género y especies se complementan con una clave para las especies de estas familias encontradas en Chile continental.Two new genera of land snails (Stylommatophora: Arionacea) from Chile. We describe two new genera of land molluscs found under wet leaf litter in isolated fragments of a secondary native forest at the Hualpén Botanical Park (36º45´-36º49´ S, 73º9´-73º13´ W), University of Concepción, Chile. The new taxa are Pichikadi gen.n., of Punctidae, and Chellius gen.n., of Charopidae, with the following new species: Pichikadi hualpensis sp.n., and Chellius piramidalis sp.n. English diagnosis are presented for all taxa, together with an English identification key and English versions of figure captions and table headings. To facilitate subsequent studies and interpretations, we follow recent authors in using mainly shell characters, an approach that has favored the present taxonomic stability of the world’s land micromollusca. The diagnosis and observations are complemented with a key for the species of these families inhabiting continental Chile. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (2): 693-708. Epub 2007 June, 29.

The land snail fauna of Mayotte, the oldest of the Comores Islands, has been resurveyed for the first time since the pioneering work of Morelet in the 19th century. All historically recorded species in the family Charopidae are now documented based on live-taken specimens or fresh shells. In contrast with many other radiations of tropical island land snails, the Mayotte faunule appears to be exempt from extinctions. The family Charopidae is represented in Mayotte by 10 species of Psichion Gude 1911, five of them new, and one new species of Phaulocystis H. Watson 1934. All species are endemic to the Comores, and all except two may be restricted to Mayotte. Helix mica Morelet 1879 is treated as a senior synonym of Helix miliaris Morelet 1887, the type species of Psichion. Helix mutica and H. radiolata, both Morelet 1882 (earlier classified in the family Hygromiidae), H. homalospira Morelet 1883 (earlier classified in the Punctidae) and Helix arachne Morelet 1877 are transferred to Psichion. key words: land snails, Psichion, Phaulocystis, new species, Comores, Mayotte, extinction.

Bu çalışmada, Diyarbakır il merkezi ile ilçelerinin sınırları içinde dağılış gösteren kara salyangolzarının dağılışı ortaya çıkarılmıştır. 1997 - 1998 yılları içinde yapılan arazi çalışmaları ile kara salyangozları toplanmıştır. Örnekler laboratuvarlara getirilip temizlendikten sonra, ayrı ayrı plastik kutulara alınarak etiketlenmiştir. Örneklerin teşhisi için çeşitli literatürlerden ve Dicle Üniv. Fen - Ed. Fakültesi Biyoloji Bölümü müzesinde yer alan örneklerden yararlanılarak yapılmıştır. Örneklerin teşhisi ayrıca bu konuda spesiyalist olan Dr. Hartwig SCHÜTT' ün görüşüne de başvurulmuştur. Metinde, örneklerin sistematikteki yerleri, tayin anahtarı, şematik şekilleri, bazı morfolojik özellikleri, habitatları, Türkiye ve Dünyadaki dağılışları ile fotoğrafları verilmiştir. Çalışma sonunda 7 familyaya ait 3 1 tür saptanmıştır. Bu türlerden Orcıılella palatalis, Turanena zilchi, Xeropicta derhentina. Tııranena colenogata, Eopolita protensa, Helix lucorum ve Helix cheikliensis Diyarbakır ili, Tııranena colenogata, Eopolita protensa ve Helix lucorum Güneydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi için yeni kayıttır. Toplanan örnekler Dicle Üniversitesi, Fen-Edebiyat fakültesi Biyoloji Bölümü Müzesinde saklanmaktadır. In this study, it has been studied, the distribution of land snails in Diyarbakır province. Land snails were collected in the years 1997-1998. Samples were brougt to the laboratory, clenaed and put in plastic caps separately. For idendification, some literatures and the samples present in the collection of Biological Museum of Dicle University, Science Faculty, Biology Department were used. Dr.Schiitt was also consulted for the identification of these study. In this study, the systematical place, identification key, drawings, some morphological features, habitats, the distributions in Turkey and World and photos of species were given. At the end of this study, totally 31 species belong to 7 families were identified. Among these, Orculella pla/alis, Tunmena zilchi, Xeropicia derhentina, Turanena colenogata, Eopolita protensa, Helix hicorum and Helix cheikliensis are new record for Diyarbakır, Turanena colenogala, Eopolita protensa, Helix lucorum, are new record for Southestern Anatolia. Collected materials were kapt in the collection of Biological Museum of Dicle University, Science faculty. Biology Department. 71

Ill ÖZET Yüksek Lisans Tezi BURSA BÖLGESİ KARA SALYANGOZUNUN (Helix pomat i a L. 1758) ET VERİMİ VE ETİNİN KİMYASAL YAPISI İlkin EKEN Ankara Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Su Ürünleri Anabilim Dalı Danışman: Doç. Dr. Selçuk SEÇER 1993, Sayfa: 50 Jüri: Doç. Dr. Selçuk SEÇER : Prof. Dr. Muammer ERDEM : Prof.Dr.Gülten KOKSAL Bu araştırma, kara salyangozlarından olan bağ sal yangozunun (Helix pomatia L. 1758) et veriminin, etinin kimyasal yapısının (besin maddeleri içeriği) ve farklı depolama koşullarının, salyangozun besin maddeleri içeri ğine etkilerinin saptanması amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırmada et verimini belirlemek için tesise işlenmek üzere getirilen canlı bağ salyangozlarından, yenilebilir et kısmının kimyasal yapısını belirlemek için ise bütün işleme safhalarından geçmiş haşlanmış-dondurul- muş bağ salyangozlarından ayrı ayrı örnek alınarak kimyasal analizleri yapılmış, ayrıca -7°C ve -18°C'lerde farklı depolama koşullarının su, ham protein, ham yağ, ham kül içeriğine ve tiyobarbitürik asit miktarına etkileri de incelenmiştir. İL,, ^nIV Yapılan araştırma sonucunda bağ salyangozunun (Helix pomatia L.) et verimi % 40.63 olarak bulunmuştur. Bağ salyangozunun, ortalama canlı ağırlığı 17.586±0.704, kabuk ağırlığı 4.480±0.178 g, yenilebilir et ağırlığı 6.708±0.279 g ve iç organ ağırlığı 4.166±0.190 g olarak bulunmuştur. Bağ salyangozunun, ortalama % 27. 21' ini kabuk, % 25.04* ünü iç organ ve % 4 0.63' ünü yenilebilir et kısmı nın oluşturduğu saptanmıştır. Kimyasal analiz sonuçlarına göre bağ salyangozunda su oranı % 78.52, ham protein % 14.76, ham yağ % 0.48 ve ham kül % 1.28 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Farklı depolama koşullarında, bağ salyangozunun besin maddeleri içeriğinde ve tiyobarbitürik asit mikta rında saptanan farklılık, istatistiki olarak önemsiz bulunmuştur (P>0.05). ANAHTAR KELİMELER: Bağ salyangozu (Helix pomatia L. 1758), biyolojik özellikler, değer lendirme teknolojisi, et verimi, besin değeri. V ABSTRACT Master Thesis MEAT EFFICIENCY and CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TERRESTRIAL SNAIL (Helix pomatia L. 1758) IN THE BURSA REGION İlkin EKEN Ankara University Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences Department of Fisheries Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk SEÇER : 1993, Pages: 50 Jury: Assoc. Prof.Dr. Selçuk SEÇER : Prof. Dr. Muammer ERDEM : Prof.Dr.Gülten KOKSAL The aim of this research was to determine the meat efficiency and the chemical composition of one of the terrestrial snails namely, grape snail and furthermore to investigate the effect of different storage conditions on the nutrient content of the snail. Live grape snail specimens were used to determine the meat efficiency and fully processed boiled-frozen specimens to determine the chemical composition of the meat. Moreover, the effect of two different storage temperatures namely, -7°C and -18 °C on the moisture, crude protein, crude fat and crude ash content as well as thiobarbitursaure acid quantity were investigated. The meat efficiency of grape snail of Bursa region was found to be 40.63 %. The mean live weight, shell weight, edible meat portion and internal organ weight were determined to 17.586±0.704 g, 4.48010.178 g, 6.708İ0.279 g and 4.166±0.190 g respectively.VI It was also found that grape snail consists of 27.21 % shell, 25.04 % internal organs and 40.63 % edible meat. The chemical composition of the grape snail was determined as follows: 78.52 % moisture, 14.76 % crude protein, 0.48 % crude fat and 1.28 % crude ash. The nutrient content and the thiobarbitursaure acid quantity of the grape snail meat did not different significantly (P>0.05) under different storage conditions. KEY WORDS: Terrestrial snail (Helix pomatia L. 1758), biological features, processing technology, meat efficiency, nutrient content. 50

Se estudiaron (Junio, 1995 a Agosto, 1996) los caracoles terrestres de la región oriental de San Luis Potosí, México. Esta región posee una gran variación topográfica y climática. Los muestreos (161) se realizaron en 48 localidades. Los principales componentes zoogeográficos de los gastrópodos terrestres fueron el endémico (32.18%: 28 especies y tres subespecies) y el neotropical (27.59 %: 24 especies y cinco subespecies). Spiraxidae fue la familia con más endemismos (16). La Sierra Madre Oriental posee el mayor número de especies en la región.The land snails of the eastern region of San Luis Potosí, México were surveyed (June, 1995 - August, 1996). This region has much topographic and climatic variation. Samples (161) were obtained in 48 localities. The main zoogeographic groups of were the endemic (32.18%: 28 species and three subspecies) and the neotropical (27.59%: 24 species and five subspecies) gastropods. The family Spiraxidae has the largest number of endemic species (16). The Eastern Sierra Madre has the largest number of species in the region.