Non-Marine Recording – Activity and Highlights 2009

The installation of the two Irish databases into the main Conchological Society database has dramatically increased the number of records in the system and I would like to thank all of those involved within the Irish networks for all of their help in making this information available.

Over 200,000 records are now installed within the Conchological Society database. This is mainly thanks to the following who have submitted bulk records for inclusion within the system, Keith Alexander (1,000 plus), Janet Boyd (1,500 plus), Carl Ruscoe (1,000 plus), Chris du Feu (380 plus) and E.J. Redshaw (1,000 plus) as well as many others who have also kindly forwarded smaller numbers of records for inclusion within the dataset. Of the records added to the dataset, I have only received, for the year 2009, records from 39 of the 131 vice-counties, with only five, (VC11 South Hampshire, VC56 Nottinghamshire, VC61, 62 and 65, three of the Yorkshire vice-counties) exceeding 100 records throughout the year. A quick survey of the database revealed that it now contains over 1,100 names of collectors who have supplied data to the mapping scheme over many years and this number will grow as more data is entered. It is almost impossible to trace the majority of these people, many of whom have only submitted small numbers of records. I would like to take this opportunity to state once again that the database is being passed over to the National Biodiversity Network for the NBN Gateway. If any of our members, or associates, do not wish their records to be made available to a wider audience, and therefore to be used by conservation organisations and agencies such as Natural England, they must contact me as soon as possible stating their wishes.

The highlights of the year’s recording include the rediscovery of Omphiscola glabra in Ireland. It was found sparingly in July in a Menyanthes/Juncus swamp on the margins of a coldwater spring at Carrickavrantry in south County Waterford by Roy Anderson. Ben Rawson reported the discovery of the Ghost Slug Selenochlamys ysbryda from three further vice-counties.

However, the new discovery of the year goes to Barry Colville who found two fresh examples of Granaria under a mat of Red Fescue in a sheltered south-facing bay on St Agnes (SV886083) in the Scilly Islands on 12th June 2009. The two specimens were forwarded on to Edmund Gittenberger at Leiden Museum in the Netherlands who stated that the specimens belong to the Granaria frumentum illyrica group but the group is poorly understood and live examples are required for DNA examination before any further determination can take place. [see article, page 5]

A possible further interesting development relates to a specimen of Limax cinereoniger I forwarded to Ulrich Schneppat at the Bünder Naturmuseum in Switzerland who is working on the genus Limax on a European scale. The specimen was found at the top of Gunnerside Gill (VC65), North-west Yorkshire (SD94546991) by David Lindley and myself on 24th July 2009. After examining the specimen Ulrich commented that the specimen was strange. It is of an early male stage/sub-adult with a total length of 130mm, 9.0g total weight, with genital pores visible but only slightly open. The colour of the mantle and back is a uniform dark grey and so are the side fields of the sole. The keel is the same colour over its extreme length right up to the hind margin of the mantle! This is in fact, very strange and Ulrich states that only one species known in the genus with the same characteristics and that is L. wohlberedti from the southern Balkans. Included with this report are two photographs of the specimen. It may turn out to be just an extreme form of Limax cinereoniger but only time will tell. Rather like the specimens of Granaria we need further examples for DNA tests to establish the true identity of these animals.

New Vice-County Records

RMNH = Published in Gittenberger, Preece and Ripken 2006

West Cornwall (VC1): Balea heydeni, Bosigran Castle, Zennor, (SW4136) 24.05.1979 Col. & Det. K. Alexander; Granaria frumentum illyrica, St Agnes (SV886083) 12.06.2009 Coll. B. Colville Det. E. Gittenberger.

East Cornwall (VC2): Balea heydeni, Lanhydrock (SX0862) 27.05.1989 Col. & Det. K. Alexander.

South Devon (VC3): Balea heydeni, Eastern Cleave Wood, Lydford (SX5084) 24.05.1990 Col. & Det. K. Alexander; Balea perversa, Sidmouth (SY1694) 15.03.2009 Col. & Det. K. Alexander; Arion flagellus, Chardstock (ST2902) 17.02.1995 Coll. & Det. D.E. Bolton & G. Musker.

North Devon (VC4): Balea heydeni, Beckland Wood, Hartland (SS2826) 30.05.1990 Col. & Det. K. Alexander.

North Somerset (VC6): Selenochlamys ysbryda, Knowle, Bristol (ST587696) 05.08. 2005 Conf. B. Rawson.

Dorset (VC9): Balea heydeni, Durweston (ST80) Coll. D. Holyoak Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH.

Isle of Wight (VC10): Balea heydeni, Freshwater (SZ38) Coll. & Det. R.C. Preece RMNH.

West Sussex (VC13): Balea heydeni, Newtimber Hill (TQ2712) Coll. D. Holyoak Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH.

East Sussex (VC14): Balea heydeni, Seaford (TQ40) Coll. D. Holyoak Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH.

East Kent (VC15): Balea heydeni, Dover Castle (TR34) Coll. & Det. R.C. Preece RMNH.

North Essex (19): Arion hortenis ss, River Lee Country Park (TL376027) 18.11.2009 Coll. & Det. Peter Topley; Sphaerium nucleus, Chelmsford (TL724064) 05.10.2009 Coll. P. Wilson Det. I.J. Killeen.

Oxfordshire (23): Arion circumscriptus ss, Oxford (SP515048) 24.05.2008 Coll. & Det. A. Wardhaugh; Arion owenii, The Warren, Caversham (SU692753) 29.10.2009 Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Cambridgeshire (29): Balea heydeni, Grantchester (TL45) Coll. H. Watson Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH; Limacus maculatus, Coton (TL460589) 27.09.2002 Coll. R.C. Preece Conf. B. Eversham; Pisidium tenuilineatum, Cambridge Fen (TL447573) 11.12.2007 Coll. P. Wilson Conf. M. Willing.

Northamptonshire (32): Balea heydeni, Ring Haw Nature Reserve (TL0597) Coll. & Det. R.C. Preece RMNH.

East Gloucestershire (33): Balea heydeni, Baunton (SP020045) 04.05.2009 Coll. T. Walker Conf. D.C. Long.

Monmouthshire (35): Balea heydeni, Pye Corner, Nash (ST3485) 22.08.2008 Coll. & Det. K. Alexander; Selenochlamys ysbryda, Newport (ST344871) 03.10.2004 Conf. B. Rawson.

Staffordshire (39): Arion hortensis ss, Limacus flavus ss, Lehmannia valentiana, All Norton nr Cannock (SK020084) 18.08.2009 Coll. John Fleming Conf. A. Norris.

Glamorgan (41): Selenochlamys ysbryda, Caerphilly (ST134866) 30.09.2002 Conf. B. Rawson; Paralaoma servilis, Cardiff (ST182770) Coll. J. Gallichan 2008 Conf. N.M. Wales.

Caernarvonshire (49): Balea heydeni, Caerns, SW of Llanaelhaern (SH34) Coll. D.C. Holyoak Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH.

Durham (66): Arion circumscriptus ss, A. distictus ss, Cassop area (NZ3338) 14.05.2008 Coll. & Det. A. Wardhaugh.

Westmorland (69): Balea heyden, Low Crag (SD49) Coll. B. Colville Conf. R.C. Preece RMNH; Euconulus fulvus ss, Arion circumsciptus ss, Ullswater (NY4320) 30.03.2009; A. silvaticus, nr Brotherswater (NY402129) 20.04.2007; A. distinctus ss, Grizeldale (SD3394) 27.07.1989, all Coll. & Det. A. Wardhaugh.

Isle of Man (71): Succinea putris, Colby (SC218698) 02.08.2009 Coll. R. Selman Conf. A. Norris.

Dumfriesshire (72): Arion ater ss, Carrifran Wildwood (NT159120) 22.08.2005, A. circumscriptus ss, A. distinctus ss, Cepaea hortensis, Sanquhar (NS781101) Anisus vortex Sanquhar Loch (NS778097) 10.05.2005 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Kirkcudbrightshire (73): Balea heyden, Haugh Wood, Southwick Coast (NX9156) 05.04.1997 Coll. & Det. K. Alexander.

Ayrshire (75): Balea heydeni, Largs (NS25) Coll. F.C. Morgan Det R. Preece RMNH; Limacus maculatus, Auchinleck (NS548220 10.05.2005 Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Renfrewshire (76): Arion distinctus ss, Limacus maculatus, both Pollock Country Park, Glasgow (NS5596) 02.04.2008 Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Peeblesshire (78): Arion fasiatus, A. owenii, Tandonia budapestensis, all Innerleithen (NT3336) 25.10.2005. Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Roxburghshire (80): Arion circumscriptus ss, Hawick (NT508154); A. ater ss, A. distictus ss, A. silvaticus, Violet Woods, Hawick (NT4814) 20.04.2005 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Berwickshire (81): Limacus maculatus, Eyemouth (NT944642) 09.10.2005 Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

East Lothian (82): Oxychilus draparnaudi, Gullane-Luffness (NT475815) 24.08.2008; Boettgerilla pallens, Cochlicopa lubricella, Wallyford (NT368722) 18.09.2005; A. ater ss, nr Kilspindie Golf Club (NT457802) 08.09.2008, A. flagellus, (NT552850) 06.02.2008 and A. circumscriptus ss, both North Berwick (NT557850) 31.03.2008; Anisus leucostoma, Luffness (NT478808) 24.082008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Midlothian (83): Cochlicopa lubricella (NT267619), Arion ater ss (NT265625), Rosslyn Glen Country Park, 02.05.2009; A. distinctus ss, A. silvaticus (NT0969), A. circumscriptus ss, Euconulus fulvus ss (NT087687), Almondell Country Park (NT0869) 24.04.2005, Physella acuta, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh (NT331712) 08.08/2009 all Coll. A.T. Sumner, Det A. Norris

West Lothian (84): Bithynia leachii, Union Canal, Linthithgow (NS972758) 19.08.2005; Arion distinctus ss, Dundas Castle Estate (NT116760) 21.08.2005; A. ater ss, W. of Linthithgow (NS969758) 27.06.2008; A. circumscritus ss, Winchburgh (NT087753) 12.05.2008; Limacus flavus ss, Linlithgow Loch (NT006778) 20.07.2008; Columella aspera, Euconulus fulvus ss (NS998741), E. alderi (NT012741), A. silvaticus (NT006746) 16.05.2009, all Beecraigs Country Park all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Fifeshire (85): Cochlicopa lubricella (NO36813 5), Arion flagellus (NO370138) Cupar 30.06.2005, Arion distinctus, Crossgates Community Woodland (NT149893) 05.07.2009 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Stirlingshire (86): Arion flagellus, A. distinctus ss, Balmaha (NS419907) 03.09.2005; Deroceras panomitanum, Stirling (NS789939) 15.04.2008; A. silvaticus, Stirling (NS789943) 15.04.2008; A. ater ss E. of Polmont (NS948775) 27.06.2008; Boettgerilla pallens, Mugdock Country Park (NS554768), Tandonia sowerbyi, Mugdock Castle (NS549771) both 06.09.2008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

West Perthshire (87): Arion distinctus ss, Tandonia sowerbyi, T. budapestensis, (NS890933), Deroceras panomitanum, (NS885928) all Alloa 15.05.2008; A. ater ss, A. owenii, (NN574005), Euconulus fulvus ss, (NN856005) all Lake of Menteith 29.05.2009; Oxychilus draparnaudi, Aberfoyle (NN586005) 28.05.2009 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Mid Perthshire (88): Arion distinctus ss, A. circumscriptus ss, Friarton Island (NO12230) 15.03.2008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Moray (95): Balea heydeni, Elgin (NJ26) Coll. R. McAndrews Det. R.C. Preece RMNH; Deroceras panomitanum, (NJ030274), Arion distinctus ss, (NJ030268); Euconulus fulvus ss, (NJ030270), Grangetown-on-Spey 24.05.2008; Boettgerilla pallens, Carrbridge (NH899224) 24.05.2008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Argyll Main (98): Balea heydeni, Dunollie Castle (NM83) Coll. D.T. Holyoak Det. R.C. Preece RMNH.

Dunbartonshire (99): Arion distinctus ss, Gartocharn (NS421865) 03.09.2005; Bithynia leachii, Dalmuir-Clydebank (NS496704); Limacus maculatus, Dalmuir (NS484711); Lymnaea stagnalis (NS457731), Potamopyrgus antipodarum (NS462728), Arion silvaticus (NS458730) all from Old Kilpatrick 05.05.2008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

North Ebudes (104): Arion owenii, Armadale Castle (NG641047); Arion ater s.s., Kylerhea (NG787219); Arion distinctus, Broadford (NG644234); Balea heydeni, Limax cinereoniger, Euconulus fulvus, Tokavaig Wood (NG613120); Arion silvaticus, Euconulus alderi, Loch Cill Chriosd (NG612202) all Conchological Society Trip to The Island of Sky 11- 16.08.2009.

East Ross (106): Arion flagellus, Fairy Glen, Rosemarkie (NH734578) 22.06.2009 Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

East Sutherland (107): Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Helicella itala, Farr Bay, Bettyhill (NC7162) 27.05.2008; Arion ater ss, A. flagellus (ND032151) 30.05.2008, Ashfordia granulata, (ND030151) 31.05.2008 Helmsdale; A. distinctus ss, Tandonia budapestensis (NC906039), Limacus maculatus (NC906041), Brora 31.05.2008; Euconulus fulvus ss, Pittencrail (NC 726019) 27.06.2009, Columella edentula ss, (NC840007), all Coll. and Det. A.T. Sumner; Balea heydeni, Golspie (NC839001) 01.06.2008 Coll. A.T.Sumner Det. A.Norris.

Caithness (109): Balea heydeni, Achvarasdal, Reay (NC982649) Coll. A.T. Sumner Det A. Norris; Euconulus fulvus ss, Achvarasdal, Reay (NC982649), Boettgerilla pallens, Limacus maculatus, Wick (ND357609) 28.05.2008; A. silvaticus, (ND124688) Thurso 29.05.2008; A. circumsciptus ss, Dunbeath (ND159298) 30.05.2008; Monacha cantiana, Berriedale (ND120225) 30.05.2008 all Coll. & Det. A.T. Sumner.

Orkney Islands (111): Balea heydeni, Finstown (HY31) Coll A.D.J. Meeuse Det R.C. Preece; Arion flagellus, A. distinctus, Finstown (HY359138) 16.07.2008 Coll. & Det. A. Wardhaugh.

North Kerry (H2): Balea heydeni, Gortracuisane, Oakwood (V9484) 13.10.2001 Coll. & Det. K. Alexander.

Waterford (H6): Omphiscola glabra, Carrickavrantry (S546019) 28.07.2009 Coll. & Det. Roy Anderson.

Figure 1: Specimen of Limax cf. cinereoniger from Gunnerside Gill VC65 Yorkshire North-west (SD94546991) by David Lindley and Adrian Norris on 24th July 2009.