On the verge of extinction - revision of a highly endangered Swiss alpine snail with description of a new genus, Raeticella gen. nov. (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Hygromiidae).

The phylogenetic status of the alpine land snail Fruticicolabiconica has remained questionable since it was described by Eder in 1917. Considered a microendemic species from mountain tops in Central Switzerland, the shell is specially adapted for life under stones. Herein, we show via molecular and anatomical investigations that F.biconica neither belongs to the land snail genus Trochulus, nor to any other genus within Trochulini, but rather warrants placement within the newly established genus Raeticella Kneubühler, Baggenstos & Neubert, 2022. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that R.biconica is clearly separated from Trochulus. These findings are supported by morphological investigations of the shell and genitalia

New insights in Trichochloritis Pilsbry, 1891 and its relatives (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Camaenidae)

Volume: 865Start Page: 137End Page: 15

Revision of the " Chloritisdelibrata (Benson, 1836)" group (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Camaenidae).

Chloritisdelibrata (Benson, 1836), known from northeastern India, was believed to have three varietal forms, sometimes mentioned as subspecies: C.delibratavar.khasiensis (Nevill, 1877) and C.delibratavar.fasciata (Godwin-Austen, 1875) from the Khasi Hills, India, and C.delibratavar.procumbens (Gould, 1844) from Dawei in Myanmar. The reproductive anatomy of the latter form is known and does not match with those of any continental camaenid genera, but does with that of the newly examined Chloritisplatytropis Möllendorff, 1894 from Thailand. The latter species is conchologically similar to Bouchetcamaenahuberi Thach, 2018 (synonym of Helixfouresi Morlet, 1886), which is the type species of the genus Bouchetcamaena Thach, 2018. Thus, Bouchetcamaena can provisionally host the entire Chloritisdelibrata -group with the exception of var. fasciata, which is transferred to Burmochloritis Godwin-Austen, 1920 due to the multiple reddish bands on its shell. The examination of shells deposited in the Natural History Museum, London revealed that seven morphologically distinguishable forms are present, which are accepted here as representing distinct species. Four new species are described from India: Bouchetcamaenafoveata Páll-Gergely sp. nov., B.fusca Páll-Gergely sp. nov., B.raripila Páll-Gergely sp. nov., and B.subdelibrata Páll-Gergely sp. nov

Anatomical and phylogenetic investigation of the genera Alabastrina Kobelt, 1904, Siretia Pallary, 1926, and Otala Schumacher, 1817 (Stylommatophora, Helicidae)

This study presents new insights in the anatomy of genital organs of some large helicid gastropods from northern Africa. The genetic analysis with the markers COI, 16S, H3, and 5.8 S rRNA+ITS2 reveales a high support for Alabastrina and Otala as separate evolutionary lineages within the Otalini. The position of Siretia as another separate lineage within the Otalini is discussed. “Tingitana minettei decussata” clusters within the O. xanthodon clade and confirms that the genus Tingitana can be synonymised with Otala. The genus Alabastrina differs from all other known genera by possession of a penial appendix. This character state is also found in topotypic A. tistutensis. Examination of the twin penial papilla system in Otala recovers a reduction of the proximal penial papilla in O. punctata. The position of Helix murcica as a separate subspecies of O. lactea is not supported, and it is here considered to be a synonym of the latter species

Revision of the family Milacidae from Switzerland (Mollusca, Eupulmonata, Parmacelloidea).

In this work, the presence of species of the slug family Milacidae in Switzerland was investigated by using the barcoding marker cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) as well as traits of the body and the genital organs. Currently, three species of Tandonia living in Switzerland in established populations could be reported, i.e., T.rustica, T.budapestensis, and T.nigra. The three records of Milaxgagates were re-investigated, but only for one of these records could the identification be reconfirmed. This species has currently no established and thriving population in Switzerland. For all species recorded, detailed descriptions of body morphology, genital anatomy, and distribution data are provided based on the investigated Swiss animals. An unknown pale colour morph of a Tandonia sp. from Canton Ticino could be identified as T.nigra, and the barcodes of T.nigra specimens were submitted to GenBank for the first time. The identity of the Italian and Austrian populations of T.nigra from the Bergamasque Alps and north Tirol is evaluated. Observations on details of the morphology of the genital organs in T.rustica vs. T.kusceri are discussed

Adapting mark-recapture methods to estimating accepted species-level diversity: a case study with terrestrial Gastropoda.

We introduce a new method of estimating accepted species diversity by adapting mark-recapture methods to comparisons of taxonomic databases. A taxonomic database should become more complete over time, so the error bar on an estimate of its completeness and the known diversity of the taxon it treats will decrease. Independent databases can be correlated, so we use the time course of estimates comparing them to understand the effect of correlation. If a later estimate is significantly larger than an earlier one, the databases are positively correlated, if it is significantly smaller, they are negatively correlated, and if the estimate remains roughly constant, then the correlations have averaged out. We tested this method by estimating how complete MolluscaBase is for accepted names of terrestrial gastropods. Using random samples of names from an independent database, we determined whether each name led to a name accepted in MolluscaBase. A sample tested in August 2020 found that 16.7% of tested names were missing; one in July 2021 found 5.3% missing. MolluscaBase grew by almost 3,000 accepted species during this period, reaching 27,050 species. The estimates ranged from 28,409 ± 365 in 2021 to 29,063 ± 771 in 2020. All estimates had overlapping 95% confidence intervals, indicating that correlations between the databases did not cause significant problems. Uncertainty beyond sampling error added 475 ± 430 species, so our estimate for accepted terrestrial gastropods species at the end of 2021 is 28,895 ± 630 species. This estimate is more than 4,000 species higher than previous ones. The estimate does not account for ongoing flux of species into and out of synonymy, new discoveries, or changing taxonomic methods and concepts. The species naming curve for terrestrial gastropods is still far from reaching an asymptote, and combined with the additional uncertainties, this means that predicting how many more species might ultimately be recognized is presently not feasible. Our methods can be applied to estimate the total number of names of Recent mollusks (as opposed to names currently accepted), the known diversity of fossil mollusks, and known diversity in other phyla

Diversity, biogeography, evolutionary relationships, and conservation of Eastern Mediterranean freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

Located at the junction between Europe, Africa, and Asia, with distinct evolutionary origins and varied ecological and geographical settings, together with a marked history of changes in orogeny and configuration of the main river basins, turned the Eastern Mediterranean into a region of high diversity and endemism of freshwater taxa. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionidae) from the Western Palearctic have been widely studied in their European range, but little attention has been dedicated to these taxa in the Eastern Mediterranean region and their diversity and phylogeography are still poorly understood. The present study aims to resolve the diversity, biogeography, and evolutionary relationships of the Eastern Mediterranean freshwater mussels. To that end, we performed multiple field surveys, phylogenetic analyses, and a thorough taxonomic revaluation. We reassessed the systematics of all Unionidae species in the region, including newly collected specimens across Turkey, Israel, and Iran, combining COI+16S+28S phylogenies with molecular species delineation methods. Phylogeographical patterns were characterized based on published molecular data, newly sequenced specimens, and species distribution data, as well as ancestral range estimations. We reveal that Unionidae species richness in the Eastern Mediterranean is over 70% higher than previously assumed, counting 19 species within two subfamilies, the Unioninae (14) and Gonideinae (5). We propose two new species, Anodonta seddoni sp. nov. and Leguminaia anatolica sp. nov. Six additional taxa, Unio delicatus stat. rev., Unio eucirrus stat. rev., Unio hueti stat. rev., Unio sesirmensis stat. rev., Unio terminalis stat. rev. removed from the synonymy of Unio tigridis, as well as Unio damascensis stat. rev. removed from the synonymy of Unio crassus, are re-described. The nominal taxa Unio rothi var. komarowi O. Boettger, 1880 and Unio armeniacus Kobelt, 1911 are proposed as new synonyms of Unio bruguierianus, and Anodonta cyrea Drouët, 1881 and Anodonta cilicica Kobelt & Rolle, 1895 as new synonyms of Anodonta anatina. Also, the presence of Unio tumidus in the Maritza River is confirmed. The phylogeographic patterns described here are interpreted concerning major past geological events. Conservation needs and implications are presented, together with populations and species conservation priorities

MolluscaBase – announcing a World Register of all Molluscs

Resumen de comunicación oral en congresoThe Mollusca, second largest phylum on Earth, lack a global listing of valid names or even precise figures for the number of Recent species. The launching of MolluscaBase is intended to fill this gap, expanding the contents of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) to include all marine, freshwater and terrestrial molluscs, recent and fossil. The WoRMS database, hosted at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) at Oostende, had more than 1,000,000 unique visitors in 2013 and provides the taxonomic backbone for initiatives such as Encyclopedia of Life, Catalogue of Life, and others. It currently contains more than 44,000 valid species names of Recent marine Mollusca, which are estimated to represent approximately 95% of all valid species. There is no similar global list of the freshwater and terrestrial Mollusca. It is estimated that there are about 23,000 species of land snails/slugs and about 5,000 freshwater gastropods and bivalves. The number of named fossil Mollusca is not known, but is in the same order of magnitude as that of Recent species. MolluscaBase is intended as an authoritative taxonomic database, relying only on published sources and built by taxonomic editors who are active malacologists and respond to feedback from users. Like in WoRMS, the contents should include Taxonomic hierarchy, Current name and synonymy, Literature sources, Distributions (using countries as the basic unit for land-based distributions), Fossil range (expressed in terms of the international chronostratigraphic chart) and other taxon attributes. This initiative is supported by LifeWatch, the E-Science European Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research. In a first move, MolluscaBase should build on the existing WoRMS contents incorporating the contents of existing initiatives like CLEMAM (Checklist of European MArine Molusca), FreshGEN (Freshwater Gastropods of the European Neogene) and Fauna Europaea. The long term goal of filling the gaps in non-marine and fossil components of MolluscaBase needs your support! If you are a taxonomist, specializing in any group of non-marine or extinct molluscs, and wish to become a contributor to MolluscaBase, please let us know and contact the WoRMS team at [email protected], or the corresponding author, to find your possible role in MolluscaBase!Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The conservation status of the world's freshwater molluscs

With the biodiversity crisis continuing unchecked, we need to establish levels and drivers of extinction risk, and reassessments over time, to effectively allocate conservation resources and track progress towards global conservation targets. Given that threat appears particularly high in freshwaters, we assessed the extinction risk of 1428 randomly selected freshwater molluscs using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, as part of the Sampled Red List Index project. We show that close to one-third of species in our sample are estimated to be threatened with extinction, with highest levels of threat in the Nearctic, Palearctic and Australasia and among gastropods. Threat levels were higher in lotic than lentic systems. Pollution (chemical and physical) and the modification of natural systems (e.g. through damming and water abstraction) were the most frequently reported threats to freshwater molluscs, with some regional variation. Given that we found little spatial congruence between species richness patterns of freshwater molluscs and other freshwater taxa, apart from crayfish, new additional conservation priority areas emerged from our study. We discuss the implications of our findings for freshwater mollusc conservation, the adequacy of a sampled approach and important next steps to estimate trends in freshwater mollusc extinction risk over time

On a new species of Orculidae from Turkey (Gastropoda, Pulmonata)

A new sinistral species of the Orculidae from Turkey is described, Orculella bochudae spec. nov., and compared to two other sinistral congeneric species