Sliydfamy SSSR i sopredelnych stran (Gastropoda terrestria nuda) [The fauna of the slugs of the USSR and adjacent countries]

Great credit for studying the slugs of Russia must go to H. Simroth (1851 -1917). His most significant monographic study is Die Nacktschnecken des Russischen Reiches (321 pp., St. Petersburg, 1901). In this work he already paid attention to anatomy. Furthermore he also wrote important studies on the slugs of the Caucasus and central Asia. P. Hesse (1926), using Simroth's studies, put together a classification of slugs to which most research has adhered until now.

The very attractive book written by the prominent specialists I. M. Likharev and A. Wiktor represents an excellent monograph of the slugs occurring in the territory of the Soviet Union and adjacent countries, i.e. Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and also of the adjacent provinces of China and Korea. The slugs of the Balkan peninsula, of the western and southern parts of Europe and of north Africa have not been included.

The book consists of the following parts: first there is a systematic survey of the species, and then a general part devoted to morphology and to basic aspects of physiology (morphology, anatomy, reproduction and ontogeny). Later chapters deal with food, environment, parallel evolution, systematic position and phylogeny of individual families, geographical distribution, synanthropic and anthropochorous species, economic importance, methods of slug control and techniques of study (collecting, culturing, preserving, dissection). Three-quarters of the book are occupied by the systematic part. The classification has been arranged in a rather different way to that we are familiar with, especially as regards the position of the superfamily Arionoidea. The authors present a new superfamily classification, viz. 1 Limacoidea (Agriolimacidae, Boettgerillidae, Limacidae), 2 Trigonochlamydoidea (Trigonochlamydidae), 3 Zonitoidea (Parmacellidae, Milacidae), 4 Arionoidea (Philomycidae, Arionidae). The descriptions of individual species are based upon rich collections, revisions of type specimens, etc.

For each species the following data have been given: synonyms, type locality, investigated material (number of specimens and their origin), description of the animal (habitat, dimensions, shell, radula), anatomical characters (with illustrations to each species), distribution, way of life, and, if necessary, other remarks.

The book also includes keys to families, genera and species.

From the territory under investigation, 102 species belonging to 29 genera and 8 families are given. The most varied fauna rich in endemic species and genera has proved to be in the Caucasus and in the neighbouring mountainous territories of Turkey and Iran. Another, smaller centre of endemics lies in the mountainous region of central Asia.

The systematics both of species and of higher units have been radically altered here, if compared with former opinions. According to the most recent previous monograph (Likharev and Rammelmejer, 1951), 125 slug species belonging to 23 genera were given from the territory of the USSR. Now 68 species and 3 genera of that list are regarded as synonyms! At the present time, 70 species belonging to 27 genera are given from the territory of the Soviet Union (12 of these species are new to the fauna of the USSR and 3 species are new to science). The authors do not believe that investigation of this territory has finished, especially with respect to the immense areas of Siberia and central Asia which remain insufficiently explored. The book closes with 488 references to literature quoted.

As a whole, the reviewed book can be characterized as a unique monograph of the slugs of the territory concerned (i.e. a substantial part ofpalaearctic region) and will serve as an indispensable manual to students dealing with this animal group. Even to those who are unacquainted with the Russian language this work is understandable owing to the many (576) excellent line drawings (originals, or taken from other sources) made by Mrs. N. N. Frunzeeva.