ISSN 2755-3531
Martin Avery Snyder & Philippe Bouchet
Abstract. The neogastropod fasciolariid genus Fusolatirus Kuroda & Habe, 1971, is redescribed based on shell and radula characters. Fourteen species are tentatively placed in the genus, nine of them for the first time, all from moderately deep water (50-300 meters) in the tropical Indo-West Pacific. Additional species currently placed in Latirus or Peristernia may also be referable to Fusolatirus when the range of shell and radula characters are better understood. However, we do not regard as congeneric Fusolatirus kurodai (Okutani & Sakurai, 1964) nor Fusolatirus kuroseanus Okutani, 1975. Fusolatirus luteus n. sp. and Fusolatirus pachyus n. sp., both from the New Caledonia area, are described. Latirus cloveri Snyder, 2003 [June] is a new synonym of Euthria suduirauti Fraussen, 2003 [April], originally described as a buccinid and here referred to Fusolatirus. The ranges of Fusolatirus balicasagensis (Bozzetti, 1997), F. kandai (Kuroda, 1950), and F. rikae (Fraussen, 2003), earlier known only from Japan and/or the Philippines, are extended to the South Pacific.
Key words. Gastropoda, Fasciolariidae, Fusolatirus, new species, New Caledonia
New taxa. Fusolatirus luteus Snyder & Bouchet, 2006; Fusolatirus pachyus Snyder & Bouchet, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
C.A.D. Cameron, B.M. Pokryszko & D.C. Long
Abstract. The snail faunas of 30400 m2 woodland sites distributed among the Chilterns, the western South Downs, the Cotswolds and the Wye Valley were sampled in a standardized way. Evidence shows that species inventories are nearly complete. All faunas show a high level of similarity to each other, on both presence and absence data, and on measures taking account of relative abundance. Sites from the same area cluster together in these analyses; this generally reflects differences in environmental conditions and history, which influence the occurrence and abundance of only a few species, rather than absolute geographical limitations on species. The Cotswolds have the richest faunas, due mainly to the wetland element at some sites. The Chilterns have the poorest; woodlands there are dry and mainly secondary. Nevertheless, the Chilterns hold threequarters of all species found. Some of these sites are amongst the richest in N. Europe, and contain nearly all the regionally available fauna. These results are discussed in relation to earlier surveys in some of the same areas. Less intensive versions of the same sampling technique underestimate site richness and overestimate local heterogeneity. More extensive and repeated qualitative studies are far more effective for slugs, and provide good estimates of richness for areas of 25 ha or more. The results are also discussed in relation to the patterns seen in N. Europe and elsewhere.
Key words. Land snails, woodlands, species richness and composition
Date of publication. May 2006
The use of the computer-assisted measurements utility
María R. Alonso, Manuel Nogales & Miguel Ibáñez
Abstract. We compare traditionally used straight linear shell measurements, with “surface” and “perimeter” measurements, obtained using image analysis software. A preliminary assessment was made on four species from the family Enidae. We evaluated the quality of all measurements used to identify those of greatest taxonomic value. The results obtained demonstrate that the use of computer-assisted measurements provide more reliable and less variable data than traditional ones.
Key words. Mollusca measurements, surface, perimeter, morphometry, discriminant analyses
Date of publication. May 2006
Alberto Martínez-Ortí
Abstract. Living Atenia quadrasi (Hidalgo, 1855) were collected from Pego (Alicante) giving new data about the reproductive system, shell, radula and jaw. This data suggests that the genus Atenia Gittenberger, 1968 should be placed in the subfamily Lindholmiolinae Schileyko, 1978 within the gamily Helicodontidae Kobelt, 1904. The small range of this species and the threat to the habitat both suggest that A.quadrasi should be considered threatened.
Key words. Atenia quadrasi, Helicodontidae, Lindholmiolinae, systematic position, Iberian Peninsula
Date of publication. May 2006
Bernard Landau & Joan Fortea
Abstract. In this paper we draw attention to the previously unnoticed synonymy between Sansonia italica Raffi & Taviani, 1985 and the senior synonym, Mareleptopoma minor (Almera & Bofill, 1898). A short history of the Almera & Bofill collection is given and the collection is located in the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Spain. The similarity between a group of Neogene Mareleptopoma species including, M. minor, M. badenicum Janssen, 2004, M. kenneyi (Ladd, 1966), and an as yet undescribed French Oligocene species is discussed. This group is probably Indo-Pacific in origin and migrated eastwards to the Paratethys and then to the Mediterranean. Mareleptopoma minor is an example of a Mediterranean Pliocene Tropical Survivor, which today occurs in the Mauritanian-Senegalese molluscan faunal province, following the southwards shift seen in many Early Pliocene Iberian gastropods.
Key words. Gastropoda, Pickworthiidae, Pliocene, biogeography
Date of publication. May 2006
P. Graham Oliver & Anna M. Holmes
Abstract. A new species of Lucinoma is described from the upper bathyal zone of the Oman margin, Arabian Sea, living in a low oxygen environment. Shell morphology is conservative within the genus and similar species are found in many oceans. Comparisons are made with all known species but especially with L. bengalensis and L. yoshidai. The anatomy is described and as with other members of the genus the Oman species hosts chemosymbiotic bacteria. No specific adaptations to the low oxygen environment were found, species from cold seep and normal marine sediments being morphologically similar.
Key words. Lucinoma, Arabian Sea, Bathyal, Oxygen Minimum Zone
New taxon. Lucinoma gagei Oliver & Holmes, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
A new subspecies of Amphidromus (A.) inversus (Müller, 1774) from peninsular Malaysia
Chirasak Sutcharit & Somsak Panha
Abstract. Amphidromus (Amphidromus) inversus (Müller, 1774) was recently re-described and considered to consist of only three subspecies: the nominotypical subspecies, A. (A.) inversus annamiticus (Crosse & Fischer, 1863) and A. (A.) inverses andamanensis (Pfeiffer, 1871). Here we describe a new subspecies that was discovered during a recent malacological survey in eastern peninsular Malaysia. The prominent characteristics of the new subspecies are the chirally dimorphic, whitish shell, absence of brownish radial streaks and sub-peripheral band, and the long epiphallus with variable coiling.
Key words. Amphidromus inversus, tree snail, Camaenidae, Malaysia
New taxon. Amphidromus (Amphidromus) inversus albulus Sutcharit & Panha, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
Peter Glöer & M. Zeki Yıldırım
Abstract. Malacological investigations in the counties of Antalya and Isparta (Turkey) have provided new information on the distribution and status of Stagnicola species in Asia Minor. By comparing the anatomy of the material collected, two previously undescribed species where recognised.
Key words. Stagnicola tekecus n. sp., Stagnicola kayseris n. sp., Stagnicola, Lymnaeidae, Turkey
New taxa. Stagnicola tekecus Glöer & Yıldırım, 2006; Stagnicola kayseris Glöer & Yıldırım, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
Alcadia (Microalcadia) in Colombia (Gastropoda: Helicinidae)
B. Hausdorf
Abstract. Four new Alcadia (Microalcadia) species (Gastropoda: Helicinidae) are described from the Cordillera Oriental in the Departamentos Cundinamarca and Boyacá in Colombia.
Key words. Alcadia, Helicinidae, systematics, distribution, Colombia
New taxa. Alcadia (Microalcadia) novogranadensis Hausdorf, 2006; Alcadia (Microalcadia) nodulosa Hausdorf, 2006; Alcadia (Microalcadia) decussata Hausdorf, 2006; Alcadia (Microalcadia) bullula Hausdorf, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
Cyclophoridae and Pomatiasidae (Mollusca: Prosobranchia) of the Seychelles Islands
Justin Gerlach
Abstract. The taxonomy of the Cyclophoridae and Pomatiasidae of the Seychelles islands is reviewed. Two species of Cyclophoridae are recorded: Cyathopoma blandfordi Adams, 1868 and C. picardense sp. nov.. Three species of Pomatiasidae are recorded: Tropidophora pulchra (Gray, 1834), T. gardineri sp. nov. and T. ligata (Müller, 1774). The last species is recorded from one small population on Cosmoledo atoll, now possibly extinct, and an isolated shell washed ashore on Silhouette Island.
Key words. Aldabra, Cosmoledo, Cyathopoma, Silhouette, Tropidophora
New taxon. Cyathopoma picardense Gerlach, 2006
Date of publication. May 2006
Report of Globovula triploia Cate, 1973 from West Africa: A good species or a synonym of Globovula cavanaghi (Iredale, 1931)? (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Ovulidae) [Short Communication]
Carlo Smriglio, Frank Swinnen & Paolo Mariottini
Date of publication. May 2006
A first record of Deroceras agreste (L.) in Ireland [Short Communication]
Roy Anderson
Date of publication. May 2006
Ashfordia granulata (Hygromiidae) living in northern France [Short Communication]
Xavier Cucherat & François Boca
Date of publication. May 2006
Self-fertilising observed in the invasive Iberian slug Arion lusitanicus, Mabille 1868 [Short Communication]
Jan Hagnell, Ted von Proschwitz & Christoffer Schander
Date of publication. May 2006
Two notes on the invasive Iberian slug, Arion lusitanicus Mabille, 1868 [Short Communication]
Jan Hagnell, Ted von Proschwitz & Christoffer Schander
Date of publication. May 2006
Professor John Gwynne Evans, 1941~2005 Aka ‘Snails’ Evans [Obituary]
Michael J. Allen
Date of publication. May 2006