Five alien achatinid land snails (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata) first reported in greenhouses of Italian botanical gardens

By

Manganelli, Giuseppe
Benocci, Andrea
Barbato, Debora
Giusti, Folco

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1208

Pages

99--132

Subjects

Geographical distribution , non-indigenous molluscs , shell and genital morphology , taxonomy , translocated species

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1208.119147

 

Abstract

Plant trade and exchange for horticulture, recreation or research play a significant role in the dispersal of molluscs. Alien slugs and snails accidentally introduced into Europe have established rich communities in several countries, but although these introductions could have ecological and economic implications, mollusc xenodiversity in Italian botanical gardens, plant nurseries, and greenhouses has never been investigated. Facilities throughout the country were therefore visited between 2017 and 2023. Here the list of the achatinoidean species so far recorded from Italian greenhouses is provided, giving a short description of their diagnostic characters. The greenhouses of Trento and Padua host interesting assemblages of achatinoideans: the results of this study include the first reports of four achatinids, namelyAllopeas clavulinum,Opeas hannense,Paropeas achatinaceumandSubulina octonafrom Italy and the first record ofGeostilbia apertafrom Europe. Reproductive anatomy of all species exceptGeostilbia apertais illustrated in detail, integrating anatomical knowledge of this group of tiny molluscs, some of which are known mainly from their shell characters. The systematics of all the species is discussed, highlighting topics for future research (e.g., status ofAllopeas mauritianum, real identity ofHelix hannense, anatomy ofOpeas hannense, species-level taxonomy ofSubulina, systematic relationships and species-level taxonomy ofGeostilbia).