Atlas of Land and Freshwater Molluscs of Britain and Ireland
... F. Müller, 1774) also known as Planorbis albus, commonly known as the white ram's horn snail, is a small species of freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Planorbidae. This species is widespread throughout most of Europe and western Asia (Kerney, 1999;Michalik-Kucharz, 2008). The shell is characteristically yellowish or greenish-whitish, transparent, radially and spirally striate, with 3-4 regularly rounded whorls, without a keel, with a concave upper surface with a large umbilicus and an opening slanting towards the upper surface. ...
... The shell is characteristically yellowish or greenish-whitish, transparent, radially and spirally striate, with 3-4 regularly rounded whorls, without a keel, with a concave upper surface with a large umbilicus and an opening slanting towards the upper surface. The average size is usually 1.5-2.5 x 4-7 mm (Kerney, 1999;Sumner, 2006). They are found in stagnant and slow moving waters, lake margins, shallow water on mud and aquatic plants (Dussart, 1979;Kerney, 1999;Zealand & Jeffries, 2009). ...
... The average size is usually 1.5-2.5 x 4-7 mm (Kerney, 1999;Sumner, 2006). They are found in stagnant and slow moving waters, lake margins, shallow water on mud and aquatic plants (Dussart, 1979;Kerney, 1999;Zealand & Jeffries, 2009). Ecological studies have been carried out to assess dispersal and the effects of degradation of wetlands where Gyraulus albus is found (Niggebrugge et al., 2007;Spyra, 2010;Lorencová et al., 2021). ...
Here we describe the embryonic and larval development of Gyraulus albus. The morphogenetic changes along its development were followed by in vivo, using recently obtained egg clutches kept at 25 ºC, by taking serial photographs to determine the mean time and the different structures that characterize the embryonic stages. Our results on the detailed characterization of the embryonic development of Gyraulus albus could serve as a reference for future studies on parasitology, ecological indicators and taxonomic characteristics, among others.
... The published range of this vitrinid covers the Pyrenees and northern Spain westwards up to Cantabria, northern, eastern, and southern Ireland, and scattered places in south-western France and Brittany (Welter-Schultes 2012;Cadevall & Orozco 2016;Bertrand 2018;Anderson 2024). Semilimax pyrenaicus is said to be very common in the French eastern Pyrenees (Bertrand 2020) and in expansion in Ireland (Kerney 1999;Rowson et al. 2014b). This species, typically associated with a Lusitanian distribution, was not expected in Belgium. ...
... This plausible hypothesis of anthropogenic dispersal in S. pyrenaicus warrants further investigation through an in-depth study of the genetic diversity within its populations. Kerney (1999) suggested that S. pyrenaicus may have been introduced in Ireland in the 18th or 19th century when exotic ornamental trees and shrubs were massively imported. ...
... In Brittany, the species is confined to oak-beech forests aged 60-120 years (Bénéat 1999), a pattern also observed in Schoten. Similarly, Kerney (1999) reported that nearly all recorded habitats of S. pyrenaicus in Ireland have undergone anthropogenic modifications. ...
Semilimax pyrenaicus, a terrestrial gastropod with a primarily Lusitanian distribution, is mainly confined to the Pyrenees and Ireland, with a few isolated populations in western France. It was first recorded in Schoten (Belgium) in February 2024. Further investigations confirmed the presence of a well-established, localized population, with different age classes, ranging from early juveniles to adults. The species identification was confirmed through genetic analysis. The occurrence of the population near two garden centers suggests a recent introduction via human-mediated pathways, such as the horticultural trade. This finding also highlights the significant role of citizen science in documenting new occurrences.
... A further problem with the generalisation implicit in the use of ecological groups is that several species may have more restricted ecological niches at the edge of their geographical range. Helicidonta obvoluta, for example, is a species of ancient woodland in Britain but occurs in a far wider range of habitats across Europe, while Alinda biplicata, thought to be a Roman introduction to the British fauna, is a rare species restricted to a few sites along the River Thames in and around London, yet is the most common clausiliid in Europe (Kerney 1999;Welter-Schultes 2012). Ena montana, considered an anthropophobic snail of old woodland in southern England, is associated with hedgerows in southern Europe and appears in Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts at archaeological sites that had already experienced woodland disturbance (Kerney 1968;Robinson 2009). ...
... Some of the species found in Britain may be limited by climatic factors (e.g. Pomatias elegans (Kerney 1968(Kerney , 1999 or several of the Vertigo species such as V. alpestris and V. genesii (Kerney 1999)), and contractions in the ranges of some species since the climatic optimum between 7 and 5 ka BP have been observed (Kerney 1968;Limondin-Lozouet & Preece 2014), which suggest the method may be applicable to some British assemblages. ...
... Some of the species found in Britain may be limited by climatic factors (e.g. Pomatias elegans (Kerney 1968(Kerney , 1999 or several of the Vertigo species such as V. alpestris and V. genesii (Kerney 1999)), and contractions in the ranges of some species since the climatic optimum between 7 and 5 ka BP have been observed (Kerney 1968;Limondin-Lozouet & Preece 2014), which suggest the method may be applicable to some British assemblages. ...
When J.G. Evans's Land Snails in Archaeology was published in 1972, it established a new understanding of the environmental history of prehistoric archaeological sites in southern Britain and in the process introduced archaeologists to the value of studying assemblages of land snail shells from archaeological deposits. This paper reflects on the impact of the book, reviews developments in the discipline over the intervening half century, and proposes some future directions for the practice of archaeological land-snail analyses.
... Within the Mediterranean, this genus has been found in the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, southern France, some western Mediterranean islands and north-western Africa (Glöer et al. 2010(Glöer et al. , 2015Boeters & Falkner 2017;Holyoak et al. 2017;Boulaassafer et al. 2018;Miller et al. 2022). On the Atlantic coast, confirmed records include the southern British Islands, northern continental Europe and Macaronesia (Kerney 1992(Kerney , 1999. Members of the genus mainly inhabit springs, ditches, streams and even some river sections, all with permanent water and a slow flow, which help to clean and oxygenate the water. ...
... The species is distributed in springs, streams, small rivers, coastal lakes (étangs) and ditches near the Mediterranean coast of southern France, the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa (Boulaassafer et al. 2018) and on the island of Majorca (Fig. 1). It has also been reported near the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, northern France, Apennine peninsula, Great Britain and various Atlantic islands (Wollaston 1878;Kerney 1999;Bodon et al. 2005;Kadolsky 2011). We were unable to confirm previous records of the species for Great Britain (Baker et al. 1999;Abrehart & Forster 2012), the Azores islands (Wollaston 1878) and North Africa (Taybi et al. 2017). ...
... The systematics of populations of Mercuria that occur in the British Islands has always been confusing as many authors have attributed these populations, seemingly indiscriminately, to species distributed over the Mediterranean (i.e., M. similis) or in Atlantic coastal streams (i.e., M. anatina). Kerney (1999) and Anderson & Rowson (2020) cited all of the collected populations as M. confusa. Further assignations corrected the name, at least for the cases involving M. similis, though the authors cautiously named the species as M. cf. ...
The freshwater snail genus Mercuria is widely distributed in lowland waters across Western Europe, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean islands. Approximately two-thirds of the currently recognised species are described based on their shell morphology, which may vary within species due to biotic and abiotic factors. Recent molecular phylogenies that included numerous previously documented populations recovered 14 species clades, nine of which correspond to nominal species and five, to undescribed taxa. Here, we formally describe the five undescribed taxa as new species and provide morphological descriptions of the shell and other anatomical structures for three of the other inferred clades and for the species M. maceana to elucidate their taxonomic status and assess the utility of morphological characters for species delimitation in Mercuria. Taken together, the morphological and molecular evidence suggest new identifications and synonymies, having implications on the known geographic range of the studied species, including the type species M. similis. Anatomical measurements and geometric morphometric analysis of shell shape revealed no clear differentiation among the species analysed, predicting the importance of molecular data in elucidating the species diversity of the genus.
... This species prefers more saline, brackish to marine conditions and is commonly found in the upper half of the intertidal zone within estuaries, intertidal mudflats and saltmarshes where it can tolerate subaerial exposure at low tide. The frequency of these two species suggests a low salinity, more sheltered, environment with low or no tidal activity (Kerney, 1999). ...
... Instead Gyraulus (Planorbis) laevis and Gyraulus (Planorbis) crista are the dominant elements of the fauna. G. laevis is today found in clean, quiet water, usually among weeds and it can tolerate slightly brackish water (Kerney, 1999). There is some evidence for slow flowing water since Bithynia tentaculata is also present which is often found in large bodies of slow-moving welloxygenated water, particularly favouring muddy-bottomed situations where there are dense growths of aquatic plants (Kerney, 1999). ...
... G. laevis is today found in clean, quiet water, usually among weeds and it can tolerate slightly brackish water (Kerney, 1999). There is some evidence for slow flowing water since Bithynia tentaculata is also present which is often found in large bodies of slow-moving welloxygenated water, particularly favouring muddy-bottomed situations where there are dense growths of aquatic plants (Kerney, 1999). This is supported by the presence of Valvata piscinalis and V. cristata which have similar ecological requirements. ...
The Hampshire Basin of southern England contains a number of sites, reviewed here, that contain evidence for former sea levels over a period of c. 0.5 million years and can also be used to aid in understanding of uplift over time and human activity in the landscape. They include three sites where fossiliferous sediments overlie a palaeo shore platform in either Chalk (Boxgrove and Black Rock) or softer sediments (Bembridge), which are the most robust evidence of former sea levels. The other four sites are less useful as palaeo sea level indicators, but contain rich fossil sequences (e.g., Selsey East Beach, Boxgrove, Earnley, Stone Point) or abundant archaeological artefacts (Boxgrove, Priory Bay). Black Rock is most significant for the very rare cold-stage deposits overlying the raised beach and their associated fauna.
... and Unio spp. are widely distributed throughout southern England (Kerney, 1999). A. anatina and U. pictorum are found in both rivers and lakes, while A. cygnea is more common in lakes and canals, and U. tumidus is found only in rivers (Kerney, 1999). ...
... are widely distributed throughout southern England (Kerney, 1999). A. anatina and U. pictorum are found in both rivers and lakes, while A. cygnea is more common in lakes and canals, and U. tumidus is found only in rivers (Kerney, 1999). P. complanata is rarer than these other species, and is found mainly in lowland rivers in southern England (Müller, 1999;McIvor, 1999). ...
... margaritifera is restricted to fast-flowing upland rivers and streams; its main British populations are found in Scotland and southern Ireland (Kerney, 1999). This thesis focuses on the five unionid species. ...
Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) are filter feeders, removing phytoplankton and other suspended particulate matter from the water. The removal of suspended matter from water is often considered desirable, in order to reduce algal blooms and in the treatment of drinking water. This thesis investigates the potential role of freshwater mussels as living filters, or “biofilters”, in a variety of settings. Initial measurements of the filtration rates of British freshwater mussels showed that individual mussels can filter up to half a litre of water per hour. Calculations of the filtration rates of mussel populations in four British rivers indicate that mussel filtering removes between 7% and 30% of the particulate matter in a parcel of water travelling 10km downstream. This implies that mussels play an important role in the removal of suspended particulate matter in river ecosystems. In a large-scale experiment on the Ouse Washes RSPB reserve, mussels were placed in three eutrophic ditches to assess their potential use in the biomanipulation of these ditches. Although mussels suffered high mortality in two ditches, in the third ditch 70% of mussels survived, and the section of ditch containing mussels remained clear of floating macrophytes throughout the summer. However, mussels had little effect on the water quality in ditches, and further work is needed before they are used in future biomanipulations. The novel use of mussels in drinking water treatment was investigated by placing mussels in large flow-through tanks at Coppermills drinking water treatment plant (operated by Thames Water). Mussels reduced the concentration of chlorophyll a and suspended solids in the water flowing through tanks, and increased sedimentation through the production of faeces and pseudofaeces. Therefore mussels behaved as flocculators, and could be used in the early stages of drinking water treatment. In order to assess the feasibility of producing the large numbers of mussels needed for their use as biofilters, freshwater mussels were cultured in the laboratory. Juveniles of and were successfully reared for over a year, and reached 14mm in length (mean = 11.3mm, n = 17) with 20% survival. and were also reared for 274 and 100 days respectively, although they had lower survival and growth. The apparatus used in these rearing attempts was small and inexpensive, and could be scaled up to produce the required number of mussels for their use as biofilters. Additionally, the rearing of is vital for the conservation of this rare mussel species, and offers the first opportunity to study its juvenile morphology and habitat requirements.
... The faucet snail, B. tentaculata, inhabits both lentic and lotic water bodies; it is highly resistant and adaptable in its feeding strategy and survival (Brendelberger 1995;Glöer 2002). It is widespread in the Palaearctic; it is one of the most common and abundant snail species in Ireland and Great Britain (Kerney 1999), as well as in other parts of Europe, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean (Glöer 2002). Bithynia tentaculata is well known as an intermediate host of trematodes in Europe (Glöer 2002), and within the order Littorinimorpha, it is recorded as harbouring the most trematode species (see Cichy et al. 2011;Faltýnková et al. 2016;Schwelm et al. 2020). ...
... Recently, an abundant fauna of trematode parasites from freshwater pulmonate snails (Lymnaeidae and Planorbidae) in Ireland was recorded, overlapping with trematode data reported from other parts of Europe including Finland, Iceland, and Norway Pantoja et al. 2021;Faltýnková et al. 2022). In Ireland, B. tentaculata has so far not been examined for trematodes, although the species is occurring in most parts of the country (Kerney 1999). ...
Trematodes and their snail hosts have developed intimate parasite-host associations, with snails supporting a diverse and often species-specific trematode fauna. In the faucet snail, Bithynia tentaculata (Caenogastropoda, Littorinimorpha), a unique trematode fauna has been recorded recently. However, knowledge of the exact species identity, phylogenetic relationships, and geographical distribution remains limited as many of the species belong to groups with unclear or controversial taxonomical assignment. To contribute to our knowledge of the trematodes, we investigated the trematode fauna of B. tentaculata by examining a total of 556 snails from lakes in County Galway, Ireland. Using an integrative taxonomic approach including DNA sequence data analyses (28S rRNA gene, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, ITS2, cox 1, nad 1) and morphological tools (taxonomical drawings and measurements), we identified nine trematode species of seven families, with seven species occurring as cercariae ( Cyathocotyle prussica , Lecithodendrium linstowi , Lecithodendrium sp., Asymphylodora progenetica , Sphaerostoma bramae , Metorchis xanthosomus , and Notocotylus sp.) and three species occurring as metacercariae ( A. progenetica , Parasymphylodora parasquamosa , and Sphaeridiotrema sp.). Except for S. bramae , all are new species records for Ireland and provide the most western distribution of these trematodes in Europe. The trematode species recorded are known to use a wide range of definitive hosts and have a wide geographical distribution; among them are species members of genera that are zoonotic ( Metorchis ) and pathogenic to wildlife ( Cyathocotyle , Sphaeridiotrema , and Notocotylus ). There remains an ongoing need for precise identification of the trematode species to ensure that wider ecological contexts are correctly understood and biodiversity and disease threats can be accurately evaluated.
... It has been suggested that this species was introduced to the British Isles in historical times (Kerney 1970(Kerney , 1999Evans 1972). Our previous research on several M. cantiana populations, using an integrative approach combining analysis of the shell structure and genital anatomy with that of nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear gene fragments, revealed six lineages, namely CAN-1, CAN-2, CAN-3, CAN-4, CAN-5 andCAN-6 (Pieńkowska et al. 2018b, 2019a). ...
... Prior suggestions that M. cantiana was introduced into England in historical times (Kerney 1970(Kerney , 1999Evans 1972;Pieńkowska et al. 2018b) appear to be correct. This allows us to speculate that the Roman conquests also spread M. cantiana in northern France (as well as in the area of modern-day Holland). ...
Features of shell and genitalia as well as nucleotide sequences of selected mitochondrial and nuclear genes of specimens of Monacha cantiana from ten northern French and two Dutch populations were compared with the same features of British and Italian populations. They were found to be very similar to populations previously identified as belonging to the CAN-1 lineage of M. cantiana. This confirms previous suggestions that M. cantiana was introduced to western Europe (England, France and the Netherlands) in historical times.
... Stagnicola sp., formerly abundant, has also not been recorded recently. Radix auricularia is another species recorded by Kevan that has not been seen in recent years; in fact, it seems to have been lost from Edinburgh and the surrounding areas, and no live animals have been seen for many years (Kerney, 1999;pers. obs.) ...
... Finally, the ten species should be noted that have arrived in Scotland, and the Edinburgh area, in recent years ( Table 4). Many of these species are alien invaders (Kerney, 1999;Rowson et al., 2014), and are now widespread in and around Edinburgh, and it is hardly surprising that they have turned up in the Duddingston area. ...
The molluscan fauna of Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh, Scotland and surrounding areas has been studied in recent years, and compared with earlier reports, particularly that of D.K. Kevan in 1929–1930. Ten freshwater mollusc species that were recorded in the past have not been found in recent years, while other species have arrived and flourished. Reasons for such changes may include adverse effects of algal blooms and the introduction of certain fish. The terrestrial mollusc fauna in the Duddingston Loch area has not changed in the same way, but several alien species that have become widespread in the Edinburgh area and in Scotland generally have also appeared here. As a result, a total of 76 species of mollusc has been recorded in the Duddingston Loch area, making this one of the richest sites for molluscs in Scotland.
... other invertebrate taxa were noted if present, and their abundance recorded on a semi-quantitative three-point scale (as for the plant remains, see previous paragraph). Nomenclature for beetles and bugs follows Kloet and hincks (1964-77) and snails follow Kerney (1999). reSULtS aNd dISCUSSIoN radiocarbon dates the radiocarbon dates gave a 2-sigma calibrated (95% probability) timeframe for the deposits ranging from Cal bp 9920-9600 to Cal bp 8180-8000, with the earliest peat layers being dated to Cal bp 9000-8620. ...
... - - Kloet and hincks (1964-77). Snails follow Kerney (1999). figures are minimum numbers of individuals represented. ...
... Much of this range can be attributed to their recent artificial introduction (Anderson 1996;Taylor 2003). These common freshwater snails readily occur inaccessible habitats such as ditches, ponds, lakes, small streams, and rivers (Økland 1990;Kerney 1999;Dillon et al. 2002). ...
... acuta as the correct name), while P. gyrina is regarded as a distinct species. The taxonomy of Physidae has changed drastically over the (Feliksiak 1939;Adam 1960;Backhuys 1975, Vidal Abarca & Suarez 1986Lisický 1991;Anderson 1996Anderson , 1997Turner et al. 1998;Cossignani & Cossignani 1995;Kerney 1999;Anderson 2003;Beran 2004;Bank 2006;Yildirim et al. 2006 . Tolerant species. ...
This is the first comparative study on alien and native Physidae (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Western and Central Europe. Morphology, ecological features and distribution are presented for each physid species. We analysed taxonomical features of physid snails from Europe in great detail. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods were used to elucidate the external morphology of the shells of physid gastropods that occur in Western and Central Europe. On comparison we found significant differences in the external morphology among the species. Morphological analyses facilitate the recognition of variations of physid shells. An interspecific similarities were noted within Physidae while interspecific differences were identified in the morphology of apex and spires. The lowest intraspecific variability in shells was noted between particular individuals of P. fontinalis and A. hypnorum. The most characteristic features and differences of representatives of Physidae are presented and discussed. This is especially important for the identification of Physa gyrina and the worldwide invasive species Physa acuta which resemble each other in shape and are difficult to distinguish. We also present a new identification key for physid species, including the results of ecological assessment and discuss current distribution of these species in Europe.
... Previous taxonomic works have reported the presence of Mercuria within the Mediterranean in the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, southern France, some western Mediterranean islands and north-western Africa (Boeters and Rolán, 1988;Boeters and Falkner, 2017;Giusti et al., 1995;Glöer et al., 2010). In the Atlantic lowland regions, a few species have been reported from the southern British Islands, northern continental Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Macaronesia (Boeters and Falkner, 2017;Glöer et al., 2015;Kerney, 1992Kerney, , 1999Marquet and Lenaerts, 2008). A large proportion of the Mediterranean range of Mercuria also comprises part of the distribution of Pseudamnicola species (subfamily Pseudamnicolinae Radoman, 1977), with species of both genera living together, even within the same locality, in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, southern France, Malta and the Balearic Islands (Boeters, 1988;Boulaassafer et al., 2020;Delicado et al., 2014;Glöer et al., 2010). ...
... For instance, the specimens from Arundel and Barking in the United Kingdom and Hoogvliet in The Netherlands, which were attributed to M. confusa (Kerney, 1999) and M. anatina (Boeters and Falkner, 2017), respectively, resolved as M. tachoensis in our molecular analyses. This finding suggests that these specimens were misidentified in the previous studies. ...
Dispersal is known to play an important role in shaping the diversity and geographic range of freshwater gastropods. Here, we used phylogenetic methods to test for the influence of dispersal and other biogeographic processes (such as vicariance) on the speciation and distribution patterns of Mercuria Boeters, 1971, a snail genus widely distributed in the western Palaearctic. The 25 extant species traditionally thought to comprise the genus, which were described mainly on the basis of morphology, have been recorded from lowland waters in both the Mediterranean and Atlantic river basins of Europe and North Africa. Using molecular phylogenies based on three gene fragments (COI, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA) from 209 individuals, four molecular species delimitation methods and a shell characterization, we identified 14 putative species in our dataset, nine of which correspond to species classified by traditional taxonomy. Furthermore, biogeographical modelling favoured a scenario in which recurrent founder-event speciation since the late Miocene is the most probable process explaining the species diversity and distribution of the Mediterranean clades, whereas episodes of postglacial northward colonization from Iberian refugia by the species M. tachoensis may explain the current presence of the genus in Atlantic lowlands. The dispersal events inferred for Mercuria, probably promoted by multiple factors such as the changing connectivity of drainage basins driven by climate change or better access for avian dispersal vectors in lowlands, may explain the rare case among hydrobiids of a species-rich genus containing individual species with a large distribution area.
... It has also recently been reported in a couple of departments in the North of France, notably in Pas-de-Calais and in the Aisne (reported respectively in 2008 and in 2010 by X. Cucherat in CardObs, in Gargominy, 2018). In the 1910's, an introduced population was discovered in the Devon in England (Ellis, 1926;Kerney, 1999), and several decades later, the species is wellestablished in the south of England, and ranges all the way to the Worcestershire area (Whitehead, 2008). It seems that H. limbata tends to extend its distribution in the North-East of its range. ...
... In its range, H. limbata is found in forests, shrubs, hedges, meadows, in lower vegetation (Welter-Shultes, 2012;Audibert & Bertrand, 2015;Cadevall & Orozco, 2016). In England, H. limbata is found in moist, grassy habitats among herbage and ground litter in gardens and other disturbed places (Kerney, 1999). The Rixensart site has all the characteristics to welcome the species. ...
A fresh shell of the Hedge Snail Hygromia limbata limbata (Draparnaud, 1805) was discovered in November 2018 in a hedge in Rixensart (Walloon Brabant, Belgium). This is the first record of this species in Belgium. This Atlantic range of this species is progressing northeast, now reaching Belgium. The persistance of a living population in the territory is not yet proven, but this species could potentially become more frequent in the future, as is the case with the recent colonization of Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801).
... It has also recently been reported in a couple of departments in the North of France, notably in Pas-de-Calais and in the Aisne (reported respectively in 2008 and in 2010 by X. Cucherat in CardObs, in Gargominy, 2018). In the 1910's, an introduced population was discovered in the Devon in England (Ellis, 1926;Kerney, 1999), and several decades later, the species is wellestablished in the south of England, and ranges all the way to the Worcestershire area (Whitehead, 2008). It seems that H. limbata tends to extend its distribution in the North-East of its range. ...
... In its range, H. limbata is found in forests, shrubs, hedges, meadows, in lower vegetation (Welter-Shultes, 2012;Audibert & Bertrand, 2015;Cadevall & Orozco, 2016). In England, H. limbata is found in moist, grassy habitats among herbage and ground litter in gardens and other disturbed places (Kerney, 1999). The Rixensart site has all the characteristics to welcome the species. ...
A fresh shell of the Hedge Snail Hygromia limbata limbata (Draparnaud, 1805) was discovered in November 2018 in a hedge in Rixensart (Walloon Brabant, Belgium). This is the first record of this species in Belgium. This Atlantic range of this species is progressing northeast, now reaching Belgium. The persistance of a living population in the territory is not yet proven, but this species could potentially become more frequent in the future, as is the case with the recent colonization of Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801).
... The remaining species not only occur in the British Isles today but also still inhabit Cheddar Gorge itself (cf., Kerney, 1999). The most frequent species was Trochulus cf. ...
... These are all species that typify temperate conditions and in Britain they are only known from interglacials (including the Holocene). The occurrence of Ena montana is particularly interesting because although widespread in central Europe, it has a far more restricted distribution in southern England (Kerney, 1999), where it is at the northern margin of its modern European range (Kerney et al., 1983;Welter-Schultes, 2012). It extends northwards into the Baltic States and European Russia and can clearly withstand cold winters. ...
Sun Hole, a small fissure cave on the north side of Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, is best known as the site where late Upper Palaeolithic artefacts are associated with human and other mammal remains that immediately pre-date the Lateglacial interstadial. These remains from the upper levels (Unit I) overlie sediments (Unit II) that are thought to have accumulated during a full glacial period, below which are sediments (Unit III) attributed to an interglacial stage. The extinct land snail Retinella (Lyrodiscus) sp., which in Britain was only known from the Hoxnian Stage, had previously been recovered from Unit III. The interglacial at the base of the sequence was therefore assigned to the Hoxnian Stage (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11, 424–374 kyr). Here we provide additional analyses of samples from Unit III, which as well as containing further Retinella (Lyrodiscus), also yielded a specimen of Monachoides incarnatus, its first record from the British Pleistocene. An associated assemblage of small mammals included a few that are rare in the British Pleistocene, such as birch mouse (Sicista cf. betulina) and garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus). The vole Lasiopodomys gregaloides and the shrew Sorex (Drepanosorex) savini do not occur as late as the Hoxnian and therefore suggest an older age in the early Middle Pleistocene. The record from Sun Hole therefore has parallels with the well-known sequence from the upper Calcareous Member in the nearby cavern system at Westbury-sub-Mendip.
... Native to the Ponto-Caspian region, they were first recorded in Great Britain the 1820s at the Surrey Commercial Docks, and within 10 years colonised waterways in Yorkshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh (Aldridge et al. 2004). Populations were thought to have remained stable, or in some areas locally declined, for the following century (Kerney 1999). In the early 2000s it was reported by the Environment Agency, national water companies, and angling clubs that D. polymorpha populations increased significantly within a time span of 1-5 years across Great Britian (Aldridge et al. 2004). ...
Recent increased interest in the role of invasive bivalve species in the translocation of non-native parasite and symbiont species prompted the re-examination of archived samples of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha collected in 2012 and 2013 from Cardiff Bay, Wales and Grafham Water, England. Histopathological survey of parasites and pests identified the presence of haplosporidian-like cells. Comparison of these cells with the published description and digitally scanned tissue sections of the type of material of Haplosporidium raabei indicated the presence of H. raabei in established populations of zebra mussels in the UK. Confirmatory FFPE DNA extraction and targeted PCR confirmed the molecular identity of the parasite. This is the first record of the lethal, but presumed rare, zebra mussel parasite in UK waters, and demonstrates the value of archive samples for invasive parasite records. The translocation and establishment of this freshwater mussel pathogen should be further researched, given the current ecologically threatened status of native freshwater mussels.
... Using robust diagnostic features generated through the integrative empirical revision (see above), species identification was verified for all 1781 Perpolita lots in the author's collections. As P. radiatella is absent from the United Kingdom, we assume that all P. hammonis records provided by Kerney (1999) to be correctly assigned. However, the co-occurrence of P. hammonis and P. radiatella in Sweden prevented the use of P. 'hammonis' records from Waldén (2007). ...
The Holarctic land snail genus Perpolita was used to explore the influence of past and current biogeography on diversification. The number of empirically-supported species was determined using a consensus between mtDNA sequence, nDNA sequence, conchology, and geographic and ecological range with five valid temperate-boreal species (Perpolita binneyana, Perpolita electrina, Perpolita hammonis, Perpolita petronella, and Perpolita radiatella) being recognized. Only P. petronella was unchanged in both nomenclature and diagnostic characteristics with the remainder requiring alterations. Perhaps the most important of these was elevation of P. radiatella to a valid species, with its populations having been previously lumped either under European P. hammonis or North American P. electrina. Divergence times of 18.7–10.0 Mya were suggested through genome-wide SNPs in combination with the fossil record, indicating a pre-Pleistocene origin for all Perpolita species. Using genetically-confirmed diagnostic shell characters, we accumulated > 2000 valid occurrences and used these to estimate appropriate modern and Last Glacial Maximum climate extents for all species. These models suggest that modern intra-specific gene pool diversity may generally reflect Pleistocene palaeoclimatology.
... For some samples with very abundant molluscs, frequency estimates are given instead of absolute counts. To facilitate interpretation, the taxa have been placed in one of fifteen ecological groups for both terrestrial and aquatic habitats ( Fig. 10; SM Tables S2a and S2d), defined according to published ecological data (Favre, 1927;Boycott, 1934Boycott, , 1936Ellis, 1962;Puisségur, 1976;Mouthon, 1980;Kerney et al., 1983;Turner et al., 1998;Kerney, 1999;Glöer, 2002, Glöer, 2020Welter-Schultes, 2012) and personal field observations. Malacozones have been defined (SM Tables S2b and S2c) based upon the presence and abundance of biostratigraphic marker species, significant changes in the frequencies of more common taxa and the proportional representation of the ecological groups. ...
In the Alpine region of Central Europe, terrestrial Early Pleistocene deposits with preserved faunal and botanical remains are rare. The predominantly gravelly Höhere Deckenschotter (HDS) deposits of northern Switzerland and adjoining south-western Germany are considered the oldest Quaternary sediments in the northern Alpine Foreland, linked with the first extensive Quaternary Alpine glaciations.
This multidisciplinary study investigates the Hasli Formation (HF), a unique silty unit with well-preserved biological remains within an HDS sequence at the Irchel Plateau north of Zürich, providing new climatic and environmental data for these exceptional deposits, as well as crucial information about their age. Systematic mapping of the HF, in addition to the underlying and covering gravel units, has been coupled with sedimentary logging and biostratigraphic analysis at several sites. The HF is present over an area c.4 by up to 1.4 km, and where studied is 1.6–6.2 m thick. The sediments and biological material are indicative of overbank deposits accumulating within the damp floodplain of a large meandering river.
The recovered small mammal remains are from eight arvicolid species or genera, including Mimomys pliocaenicus, M. reidi/tigliensis and Clethrionomys cf. kretzoii, which became extinct c.1.8 Ma, and Pliomys episcopalis/simplicior, which first appeared c.2 Ma ago. The over 75k identified molluscs, include c.72k coming from 89 terrestrial species and over 3k from 28 aquatic taxa. The molluscan faunas from all locations where the HF has been studied share important biostratigraphic marker species, and indicate analogous climatic and environmental conditions. The marker species include several that became extinct during the Early Pleistocene, of which Clausilia stranzendorfensis and Cochlostoma salomoni, present throughout the HF, are the most important as they disappeared c.1.8 Ma. Many marker species have modern or palaeo-distributions that lie far to the west, south and east of the Swiss Plateau, showing that the climate was much warmer than today, typical for the Tiglian warm stage. The alluvial floodplain was covered by rather dense, mature woodland.
Amino acid (AA) analysis shows that molluscan remains from the HF are among the oldest of the Quaternary shell material studied from across the Swiss Plateau. Palaeomagnetic data shows a change from reversed to normal polarity within the upper part of the HF. When combined, the small mammal and molluscan remains, palaeomagnetic measurements, AA geochronology and sedimentary data, suggest an age of 2.1–1.8 Ma for the HF. Recently produced cosmogenic dates bracket the age of the HDS gravels beneath the HF to depositional periods between 2.6 and 0.9 Ma, with the youngest ages being in disagreement with our findings. The abundance and diversity of the molluscs from the Irchel Plateau, with several rare extinct species, together with a notable small mammal assemblage, make this a key palaeontological site and an important reference point for European Quaternary biostratigraphy.
... There are also a few species which persisted from the Late-glacial but became extinct in the early Post-glacial period, probably being unable to survive rising temperatures. Kerney (1999) considered that two now extinct species, Trochoidea geyeri (now Xerocrassa geyeri) and Helicopsis striata succumbed to the increasing tree-cover in the early Post-glacial period. ...
The introduction into Britain of two helicid species, Cochlicella acuta and C. barbara, is discussed in the knowledge that old carbon may have influenced the chronology; modern specimens of C. acuta from Cornish sand dunes gave radiocarbon dates which are 600−800 years old. The introduction of C. acuta is confirmed to the early Bronze Age and it may have been present in the late Neolithic. C. barbara arrived in Cornwall prior to its first observation in the 1960s but, in view of the old carbon problem, a precise date cannot be determined. Xerocrassa geyeri became extinct in most of southern Britain in the early Holocene, but survived at Gwithian in Cornwall for several more millennia, with radiocarbon dating suggesting that it could have been present there until the later part of the early Bronze Age.
... Four species referred to the genus Oxychilus Fitzinger, 1833 are present in Britain and Ireland. Only two of them are native, but all four are somewhat tolerant of habitat disturbance and are frequently found in humid microhabitats in parks or large gardens (Kerney 1999;Cameron 2008). ...
... It comprises snails characteristic of wet and very wet sites inhabiting open alkaline fens and includes two rare and protected calciphile species. Apart from Vertigo angustior, occurring already in the sediments, Vertigo geyeri, a boreal alpine species considered endemic to Europe (Kerney, 1999), is present (Table A.2). This species associated with open alkaline fens with very stable water levels (Welter-Schultes, 2012; Horsák et al., 2013Horsák et al., , 2019) is a glacial relict whose distribution in the non-glaciated areas of Europe was much more significant during the ice age (Horsáková et al., 2018). ...
Protection and restoration of the CaCO3 depositing alkaline fens require an in-depth understanding of these unique and declining ecosystems. The present study investigates the development of the formerly heavy tufa depositing alkaline fen in East-Central Europe after CaCO3 precipitation markedly declined ca. 5400 cal yr BP. By combining palaeoecological and monitoring data, we aim to identify the limiting factors for tufa deposition and to recognise the vegetation and mollusc response to the change. Investigation of the current fen ecosystem included a botanical and malacological inventory and a monthly monitoring of the physicochemical properties of the groundwater emerging at the fen. It was also tested whether CaCO3 precipitates there. Transformations of the fen ecosystem since the mid-Holocene tufa decline were recognized by applying plant macrofossil and malacological analyses supplemented with organic matter and CaCO3 contents and the radiocarbon chronologies of the sediment cores. Although macroscopic tufa is currently not observed at the fen surface, the monitoring study revealed the microscopic calcite crystals at the glass slides during the spring and summer. A combination of cooling, gradual depletion of the Ca2+ pool, acidification of soils, and water table fluctuations was likely responsible for limiting tufa deposition in the mid-Holocene and maintaining this state during the late Holocene. Share of the calciphilous species' macrofossils (e.g. moss Tomentypnum nitens) declined following the sedimentary CaCO3 drop, whereas the contribution of species associated with high nutrient levels raised (e.g. Juncus articulatus). Inspection of the contemporary vegetation of the fen revealed that only Carex paniculata is associated with the calcium-rich substrate. The response of molluscs to the decline in tufa deposition remains unclear as mollusc shells did not preserve in CaCO3-depleted sediments, except for the youngest deposits. The present-day malacofauna consists of 21 species, including two rare and protected calciphilous species, namely Vertigo angustior and V. geyeri.
... The native range is believed to be around the Black Sea, where it occurs in deciduous forest (Wiktor and Norris 1982;Wiktor 1983). Limax maculatus has been known in Great Britain since 1884, but it was in Ireland that it became widespread already in the twentieth century (Kerney 1999). Over the last 20 years it has been spreading rapidly through Great Britain, particularly but not exclusively in synanthropic habitats. ...
Five terrestrial slug species are reported from Hungary, either for the first time or confirming earlier records that had been considered unreliable: Limacus maculatus, Deroceras invadens, Ambigolimax valentianus, Ambigolimax parvipenis, and Milax nigricans. In all cases identification was supported by anatomical examination and barcoding sequences of the COI mitochondrial gene. For M. nigricans we also sequenced individuals of this species from Italy and France so as to establish differences to sequences of M. gagates. Most records came from garden centres in Budapest and from two botanical gardens; these habitats may therefore be crucial in the spreading of non-indigenous species. A Facebook appeal was used to involve citizen scientists in searching for further sites for L. maculatus, but the Limacus populations reported proved all to be L. flavus. Studies over the last four years have added altogether seven slug species to the 26 hitherto recognised in the Hungarian fauna. This demonstrates the importance of continuing to check for additional introduced species.
... In the case of M. dilatatus, the pathway of entry into the Danube Delta is an absolute mystery. This North American species has spread to several European countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic (Mouthon 1986;Jansen 1999;Kerney 1999;Beran 2005;Müller et al. 2005;Kolodziejczyk and Lewandowski 2015), and it also occurs in various river basins of the lowland part of western Ukraine (Stadnychenko 2019). ...
Studies of alien aquatic invertebrates in 2021–2022 covered fresh marine and transitional waters mostly within the boundaries of the Danube Biosphere Reserve. As a result of these studies, important new findings of six species of aquatic macroinvertebrates were obtained: Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841) is first indicated for the Danube Basin, and three marine species (Arcuatula senhousia (Benson, 1842), Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1802 and Streblospio gynobranchiata Rice & Levin, 1998) for the first time for Ukrainian Danube Delta. For two species (Pectinatella magnifca (Leidy, 1851) and Ferrissia californica (Rowell, 1863)), new localities were found within the delta. In the case of M. dilatatus, the pathway of entry into the Danube Delta is an absolute mystery. The most likely pathway of dispersal of this species is natural dispersion, both along the river network and associated with waterfowl, however, the large distance between the Danube Delta and the nearest locations in Western Ukraine makes direct transportation unlikely. In all probability, the similarity of this species with local species leads to the formation of cryptic populations, not identified by researchers, which may be intermediate stages of species expansion towards the Northern Black Sea area.
... Forestry roads are often used for illegally dumping all kinds of materials (i.e., grass mulch, building materials, furniture, tires) that could act as slug-transporting substrates, including the vehicles themselves (Dörge et al. 1999;Aubry et al. 2006). The dispersal of non-native species from roadside margins has been suggested for many slug species (Barker 1999;Kerney 1999;Hutchinson et al. 2014) and the gradual slug invasion along damp roadside ditches is likely a significant range expansion method in our study region. ...
Slugs are fungivores, herbivores, carnivores and decomposers that provide important ecosystem services and disservices in natural and disturbed habitats. Our aim was to estimate the effects of local vegetation structure (tree basal area and canopy openness) and landscape composition (land cover types) on the occurrence of native and non-native slugs in 13 cool-temperate forested wetlands across Nova Scotia, Canada. We collected 1437 slugs of eight species (five non-native species and three native species). The non-native Arion subfuscus and Arion fuscus were dominant, and together represented 84.3% of all the slugs collected. The native Deroceras laeve and the non-native Arion hortensis were also relatively common. Among Arion species A. subfuscus was positively associated with open wetlands within a 1000 m radius, whereas A. fuscus and A. hortensis were positively associated with road density within 250 and 750 m radii, respectively. The native species Deroceras laeve and Pallifera dorsalis did not respond to local vegetation and landscape composition. These findings suggest that forested wetlands across Nova Scotia are dominated by non-native Arion species that benefit from road systems and non-forested habitats in the surrounding landscape. The absence of effect on the native species D. laeve and P. dorsalis suggests these species can forage in multiple mainly forested habitats that were the dominant land use types in the studied landscapes. Such information is crucial to fill knowledge gaps and support priority actions for tackling biological invasions at appropriate spatial scales.
... It comprises snails characteristic of wet and very wet sites inhabiting open alkaline fens and includes two rare and protected calciphile species. Apart from Vertigo angustior, occurring already in the sediments, Vertigo geyeri, a boreal alpine species considered endemic to Europe (Kerney, 1999), is present (Table A.2). This species associated with open alkaline fens with very stable water levels (Welter-Schultes, 2012; Horsák et al., 2013Horsák et al., , 2019) is a glacial relict whose distribution in the non-glaciated areas of Europe was much more significant during the ice age (Horsáková et al., 2018). ...
Calcium carbonate precipitating alkaline fens are a specific type of wetland functioning of which depends on the active supply of soligenous waters rich in calcium ions. This alkaline ecosystem hosts many rare and protected calciphilous species with low nutrient demands, particularly sedge-moss communities, accompanied by characteristic mollusc assemblages. Factors controlling CaCO3 precipitation at alkaline fens are complex and include: (i) changes in temperature at the fen surface controlled by climate and changes in tree cover that controls shadowing of the fen surface; (ii) variations of groundwater water supply at the fen driven by shifts in climate humidity and changes in evapotranspiration at the fen and its catchment; (iii) rate of Ca2+ supply controlled by chemical denudation of carbonate deposits in the aquifer and depletion of this Ca2+ source. Whenever CaCO3 precipitation is disturbed, peat is deposited on the fen surface, and specific interbedding peat and tufa sediments form.
Since the 1990s, there has been a conviction that CaCO3 precipitation from freshwaters in Europe was the most intensive during the Holocene thermal maximum (HTM), i.e. ca. 9000-6000 cal yr BP. This was recently challenged by Dabkowski (2020), who compiled data from a range of CaCO3 depositing sites across Europe and showed much greater complexity than previously thought. The temporal variability in CaCO3 precipitation is also observed at alkaline fens. Tufa deposition continued throughout the Holocene (Dobrowolski et al., 2016), was deposited only during the HTM (Apolinarska et al., 2022) or started in the upper Holocene (Hájková et al., 2020); (Gałka et al., 2021). In central Europe, the distribution of CaCO3 depositing alkaline fens, sediments of which have been studied, is very uneven. In contrast to the Carpathians and Lublin Upland, the young glacial did not receive enough attention.
In the present study, we investigate the time frames of CaCO3 deposition at five sites located in north-eastern Poland and Latvia. Four located in the extent of the Weichselian glaciation: Turtul (Tu; 54°13'22.5" N, 22°48'99.6" E, 197 m a.s.l.), Puszcza Romincka (PR; 54°20'20.5" N, 22°33'55.8" E, 153 m a.s.l.), Maitiku (Mai, 56°50'49.2'' N, 22°38'49.1'' E), and Lustūžkalns (Lus, 56°59'29.724" N, 23°17'1.896", 35 m a.s.l.); and one, Makowlany (Mak; 53°31'56.3" N, 23°26'46.0" E, 155 m a.s.l.) about 50 km south from the Last Glacial Maximum. Time frames and conditions of tufa deposition, and palaeoenvironmental history of the fens, were reconstructed using plant macrofossil, mollusc and geochemical, including loss on ignition and δ13C and δ18O, analyses of two sediment sequences taken from the top and slope of the fen cupola, at each of the sites. The chronology of the sediments is based on radiocarbon dates from plant macrofossils.
The start of CaCO3 (tufa) precipitation differs among sites. The early Holocene onset of tufa deposition was observed in northeastern Poland: PR - ca. 11650 cal yr BP, Mak – ca. 10730 cal yr BP, and Tu – ca. 9250 cal yr BP. In Latvia, deposition started in mid- ca. 6500 cal yr BP - Mai, and late Holocene ca. 3000 cal yr BP - Lus. The early Holocene onset of tufa deposition is associated with the activation of groundwater circulation after the permafrost decline. The exact reasons for the delayed start of CaCO3 precipitation at Latvian sites need to be provided.
The decline in tufa deposition ca. 5400 cal yr BP in Tu and Mak is concurrent with similar observations at numerous European sites where freshwater carbonates were deposited. The ca. 5500 cal yr BP decline in CaCO3 precipitation is usually associated with climate cooling in the mid-Holocene; however, progressive Ca2+ leaching from glacial sediments and groundwater acidification after Picea abies spread are also considered. The Holocene-long tufa deposition at PR fen, exceptional in NE Poland, likely resulted from site-specific hydrogeological conditions assuring a strong supply of Ca2+-rich artesian waters. The extension to the recent tufa deposition at Mai can indicate the significance of the bedrock of Palaeozoic limestones being an inexhaustible source of Ca2+ ions in the groundwater compared with glacial deposits with scattered CaCO3 detritus.
Financing source: Polish National Science Center, Grant No 2018/29/B/ST10/00120
References
Apolinarska, K., Kiełczewski, R., Pleskot, K., Marzec, M., Aunina, L., Gałka, M., 2022. High-resolution record of geochemical, vegetation and molluscan shifts in a Central European spring-fed fen: implications for regional paleoclimate during the early and mid-Holocene. Holocene, 1-16.
Dabkowski, J., 2020. The late-Holocene tufa decline in Europe: Myth or reality? Quaternary Science Reviews 230, 106141.
Dobrowolski, R., Bałaga, K., Buczek, A., Alexandrowicz, W.P., Mazurek, M., Hałas, S., Piotrowska, N., 2016. Multi-proxy evidence of Holocene climate variability in Volhynia Upland (SE Poland) recorded in spring-fed fen deposits from the Komarów site. The Holocene 26, 1406-1425.
Gałka, M., Feurdean, A., Sim, T.G., Tobolski, K., Aunina, L., Apolinarska, K., 2021. A multi-proxy long-term ecological investigation into the development of a late Holocene calcareous spring-fed fen ecosystem (Raganu Mire) and boreal forest at the SE Baltic coast (Latvia). Ecological Indicators 126, 107673.
Hájková, P., Jamrichová, E., Šolcová, A., Frodlová, J., Petr, L., Dítě, D., Hájek, M., Horsák, M., 2020. Can relict-rich communities be of an anthropogenic origin? Palaeoecological insight into conservation strategy for endangered Carpathian travertine fens. Quaternary Science Reviews 234, 106241.
... Several of these are rare in southern Britain today. Spermodea lamellata inhabits old woodland, but in southern Britain it is now restricted to a few relict populations, such as that inhabiting Burnham Beeches (Kerney 1999). Ena montana is another noteworthy woodland species that has scattered populations in southern England, although it is more common in central Europe. ...
This article describes two Mesolithic sites excavated during 1981–3 as the M25 was under construction. The first site, in the vicinity of Mansfield Farm near Iver, has been dated to the early Mesolithic on typological grounds, although the flint assemblage from here was small. The nearby excavation of a substantial trench intended for diversion of the lower reaches of the Alderbourne enabled some recording of an earlier deposit associated with the Holocene infilling of the adjacent river Colne. Radiocarbon dates on plant remains were obtained from this deposit. The second site, in the Misbourne valley, produced a substantial assemblage of worked flints and animal bone. Most of these were recovered from tufa deposits that were found to occur throughout much of the valley floor. The tufa also yielded rich assemblages of molluscs, which showed that the site became progressively drier through the sequence. Woodland is indicated by some of the land snails, as well as the assemblage of small mammals. Radiocarbon dates on some larger bones indicated that the archaeology was late Mesolithic, a conclusion consistent with typology and faunal analyses. These sites again highlight the unusual richness of Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sites in the Colne valley and its tributaries.
... Cette famille a une distribution holarctique et néotropicale (APPLETON et al., 1989) et elle figure en bonne place dans les écosystèmes aquatiques, en particulier dans les habitats lentiques (WETHINGTON & LYDEARD, 2007). Les Physidae se trouvent sur presque tous les continents (BURCH, 1989 ;APPLETON, 2003 ;PARAENSE & POINTIER, 2003 ;BALASHOV et al., 2013 ;NG et al., 2018) dans des habitats tels que les fossés, les étangs, les lacs, les petits ruisseaux et les rivières (ØKLAND, 1990 ;KERNEY, 1999 ;DILLON et al., 2002). Les coquilles de cette famille présentent un enroulement sénestre, une spire courte à élevée, une ouverture différemment développée, variant d'étroite à relativement large, contractée dans son angle adapical. ...
Résumé - Les espèces nouvelles Aplexa risleius nov. sp., Aplexa canculae nov. sp., Aplexa iota nov. sp. et Aplexa oryza nov. sp. sont décrites des calcaires et des marnes du Thanétien (Paléocène supérieur) et du Sparnacien (Yprésien, Éocène inférieur) des gisements de Rilly-la-Montagne, de Montchenot et de Grauves (Marne). Ces nouvelles espèces sont discutées et comparées aux taxons paléogènes les plus proches. Les noms Aplexa cotiensis nom. nov., Aplexa zhui nom. nov. et Platyphysa nagensis nom. nov. sont ici proposés pour corriger respectivement les homonymies primaires Physa (Aplecta) [sic] brevispirata Cossmann & Pissarro, 1913 de l’Éocène du bassin de Paris non Physa (Isodora) tchadiensis brevispirata Germain, 1905, une espèce actuelle du Lac Tchad (Afrique) ; Physa fusiformis Zhu, 1980 de l’Albien (Dalazi Formation, Crétacé inférieur) de Chine non Physa fusiformis Nelson & Taylor, 1879, une espèce actuelle d’Australie et Physa prinsepii elongata Hislop, 1860 du Crétacé d’Inde non Physa elongata Say, 1821, une espèce actuelle de l’Illinois (Etats-Unis). Des néotypes sont désignés pour les taxons Physa gigantea Michaud, 1837 et Physa brevispirata Cossmann & Pissarro,1913 = Aplexa cotiensis nomem novum.
Abstract: The new species Aplexa risleius nov. sp., Aplexa canculae nov. sp., Aplexa iota nov. sp. and Aplexa oryza nov. sp. of Thanetian (Upper Paleocene) and Sparnacian (Ypresian, Lower Eocene) limestones and marls of the deposits from Rilly-la-Montagne, Montchenot and Grauves (Marne) are described. These new species are discussed and
compared with the Paleogene taxons the most close. The names Aplexa cotiensis nom. nov., Aplexa zhui nom. nov. and Platyphysa nagensis nom. nov. are proposed here to correct respectively the primary homonymy Physa (Aplecta) [sic] brevispirata Cossmann & Pissarro, 1913 from the Eocene of Paris Basin non Physa (Isodora) tchadiensis brevispirata Germain, 1905, a Recent species of the Lac Tchad (Africa); Physa fusiformis Zhu, 1980 from the Albian (Dalazi Formation, Early Cretaceous) of China non Physa fusiformis Nelson & Taylor, 1879 a Recent species of Australia and Physa prinsepii elongata Hislop, 1860 from the Cretaceous of India non Physa elongata Say, 1821, a Recent species of Illinois (USA). Neotypes are designated for the taxons Physa gigantea Michaud, 1837 and Physa brevispirata Cossmann & Pissarro, 1913 = Aplexa cotiensis nomem novum.
... In this study, we used a common pond snail Ampullaceana balthica (Linnaeus, 1758) to investigate the impact of disturbances on bacterial communities in a host-protected environment. A. balthica is a Palaearctic species widely distributed in Eurasia (Mandahl-Barth, 1938;Økland, 1990;Kerney, 1999) and North Africa (Van Damme, 1984;Glöer and Diercking, 2010). The snail prefers low-altitude freshwater bodies such as lakes, ponds, drainage ditches, and lentic zones of rivers, rich in nutrients and submerged vegetation (Glöer and Diercking, 2010). ...
Environmental disturbances influence bacterial community structure and functioning. To investigate the effect of environmental disturbance caused by changes in salinity on host-protected bacterial communities, we analyzed the microbiome within the gastrointestinal tract of Ampullaceana balthica in different salinities. A. balthica is a benthic gastropod found in fresh- and mesohaline waters. Whereas the total energy reserves of A. balthica were unaffected by an increase of salinity to 3, a high mortality rate was detected after a shift from freshwater to salinity 6 suggesting a major disruption of energy homeostasis. The shift to salinity 6 also caused a change in the gastrointestinal bacterial community composition. At salinity 3, the bacterial community composition of different host individuals was related either to the freshwater or salinity 6 gastrointestinal bacterial community, indicating an ambivalent nature of salinity 3. Since salinity 3 represents the range where aquatic gastropods are able to regulate their osmolarity, this may be an important tipping point during salinization. The change in the intestinal microbiome was uncoupled from the change in the water bacterial community and unrelated to the food source microbiome. Our study shows that environmental disturbance caused by salinity acts also on the host-protected microbiome. In light of the sea-level rise, our findings indicate that salinization of the near-shore freshwater bodies will cause changes in organisms’ intestinal microbiomes if a critical salinity threshold (presumably ∼3) is exceeded.
... The Shining ram's-horn snail Segmentina nitida (Muller, 1774) is a small (4-6 mm diameter) rare European freshwater snail (Figure 1) which is highly sensitive to changes in management of ditches and is found only in good quality, well vegetated ditches (Rowson et al, 2021). Although once common in UK, and widespread across lowland England and south Wales, the range of this species has substantially declined since the 1840s (Kerney, 1999). Its presence has been verified at only a few locations in southeast England where it is mainly confined to marshes and shallow drainage ditches with dense emergent vegetation (Watson and Ormerod, 2003). ...
Segmentina nitida Müller 1774 is a freshwater snail which was formerly widespread throughout England and south Wales. Since the 1840s it has seen a rapid decline in its range which has been attributed to deteriorating water quality due to nutrient enrichment, lowering of water tables and over-management of the ditches in which it resides. Segmentina nitida has therefore been identified as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) priority species which recommends further research for its conservation. Here we have developed a Taqman based qPCR eDNA assay for the detection of S. nitida at the Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve and compared the results with a manual survey of the ditches at this location. Our eDNA analysis exhibited an observed percentage agreement of 84% with a kappa coefficient of agreement between manual and eDNA surveys of 0.56. Three ditches determined to be negative for Segmentina nitida by eDNA analysis were manual survey positive, and a further two ditches that were negative by manual survey were positive by eDNA analysis revealing the potential for improved overall detection rates using a combination of manual and eDNA methodologies. eDNA analysis could therefore augment manual survey techniques for Segmentina nitida as a relatively quick and inexpensive tool for collecting presence and distribution data that could be used to inform manual surveys and management of ditches.
... Pupilla and Vertigo lots from the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Royal Ontario Museum and National Museum of Canada (Nekola & Coles, 2010). For species whose diagnostic features are easily observed and did not change, we also incorporated occurrence data from the UK/Ireland (Kerney, 1999) and Sweden (Waldén, 2007). Over 9200 individual occurrence records were accumulated ( Figure 1). ...
Aim
We document realized and potential global species ranges based on empirically vetted species concepts in conjunction with global climate databases and climate suitability modelling. From this we investigate the nature of dispersal barriers and illustrate how they generate ecological uniqueness.
Location
Holarctic.
Methods
Fifty‐two small body‐size (i.e. < 5 mm) land snail taxa within the genera Euconulus , Pupilla and Vertigo were considered. These represent ~10% of all small body‐size Holarctic land snails and are among the most proficient known passive dispersers. Their potential climatic ranges were determined using Maxent modelling based on 9205 occurrence records. From these we inferred the location, width and nature of isolating barriers and tested for their effects on regional species pool richness and turnover.
Results
Use of unvetted traditional taxonomic concepts and unverified occurrence records would have created up to threefold higher or lower estimates of species‐specific climatic tolerances than the actual values. Modelling must thus only use high quality occurrence data. All but one taxon were shown at a global scale to possess multiple isolated areas of appropriate climate. While oceans represented the most common barrier (37%), intra‐continental barriers were in total almost twice as frequent (inappropriate climate – 29%, habitat/history – 27% and the Greenland ice sheet – 7%). These barriers restricted taxa to only a subset of their potential range, with European taxa possessing approximately twice the global occupancy rates as North American ones (median scores of 62 vs. 34%). As a result, regional taxa pools were three times smaller than their potential sizes, with 50% change in composition occurring over ~2600‐km distances.
Main conclusions
Even for these readily dispersing taxa, isolation barriers prevented species from saturating their potential global range, reduced the size of regional species pools by 2/3, and generated ecological uniqueness between them.
... Molluscs were identified to species level where possible under a low-power binocular microscope in consultation with a reference collection. Ecological interpretation was carried out with reference to standard sources for marine and non-marine Mollusca (Graham 1971;Evans 1972;Macan 1977;Kerney and Cameron 1979;Kerney 1999;Killeen et al. 2004;Davies 2008;Allcock et al. 2017). ...
Europe’s Lost Frontiers was the largest directed archaeological research project undertaken in Europe to investigate the inundated landscapes of the Early Holocene North Sea – the area frequently referred to as ‘Doggerland’. Funded through a European Research Council Advanced Grant (project number 670518), the project ran from 2015 to 2021, and involved more than 30 academics, representing institutions spread geographically from Ireland to China. A vast area of the seabed was mapped, and multiple ship expeditions were launched to retrieve sediment cores from the valleys of the lost prehistoric landscapes of the North Sea. This data has now been analysed to provide evidence of how the land was transformed in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.
This volume is the first in a series of monographs dedicated to the analysis and interpretation of data generated by the project. As a precursor to the publication of the detailed results, it provides the context of the study and method statements. Later volumes will present the mapping, palaeoenvironment, geomorphology and modelling programmes of Europe’s Lost Frontiers. The results of the project confirm that these landscapes, long held to be inaccessible to archaeology, can be studied directly and provide an archaeological narrative. This data will become increasingly important at a time when contemporary climate change and geo-political crises are pushing development within the North Sea at an unprecedented rate, and when the opportunities to explore this unique, heritage landscape may be significantly limited in the future.
... In total, the genus Deroceras accounted for about 74.1% of the identified Phasmarhabditis nematodes ( Table 2). D. reticulatum is a common slug pest across Europe, especially in areas near Ireland and the United Kingdom where Nemaslug R was originally discovered (Kerney, 1999). This serves as additional evidence that an infected invasive species of gastropod from Europe likely brought Phasmarhabditis to the United States where the relationship between the gastropod hosts remained. ...
Three species of Phasmarhabditis were recovered from 75 nurseries and garden centers in 28 counties in California during fall and winter 2012–2021. A total of 18 mollusk species were recovered, most of them invasive. Nematodes were identified by sequencing the D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU or 28S) rRNA. Based on these surveys, P. californica was the most widespread species (37 isolates, 53.6% recovery); followed by P. hermaphrodita (26 isolates; 37.7% recovery); P. papillosa and a closely related P. papillosa isolate (6 isolates; 8.7% recovery). Nematode isolates were mainly collected from four invasive slugs (Deroceras reticulatum, D. laeve, Arion hortensis agg, Ambigolimax valentianus) and snails (Oxychilus spp. and Discus spp.). Results suggest that P. californica and P. hermaphrodita share an ecological niche in Northern, Central, Coastal, and Southern California, north of Los Angeles County.
... Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841) is a planorbid snail native from the eastern United States, ranging from Florida and Texas north to Maine. It was introduced in Britain in the 19th century (Kerney, 1999), and in the last decades it has been cited in many other places in Europe. In a few cases it seems to have established populations, such as in France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Portugal (Mouthon, 1986;Müller et al., 2005;Beran, 2005;Devin et al., 2005;Bouqueler, 2008;Oliveira et al., 2010;Kołodziejczyk & Lewandowski, 2015;Holoyak et al., 2019), while in other places it has only been cited sporadically, such as in Ukraine, Belgium, Netherlands or Ireland (Neckheim, 1997;Stadnychenko, 2014;Anderson, 2016;GBIF 2019). ...
The first record of Menetus dilatatus is reported for the east of Iberian Peninsula. About one hundred specimens were found by searching in river debris. This finding highlights the lower stretch of the Ebro River as a hotspot for aquatic invasions, with a particularly elevated number of exotic molluscs already reported. Primera cita de Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) para España Resumen: Se reporta la primera cita de Menetus dilatatus para el este de la península Ibérica. Un centenar de especímenes fueron hallados mediante la búsqueda en sedimento aluvial. Este hallazgo confirma al tramo inferior del río Ebro como un punto caliente de invasiones acuáticas, con un número particularmente elevado de moluscos exóticos ya citados.
... These sites appear to conform more with the seasonally dry or damp habitat with which O. glabra is normally associated, at least in southern Britain, and differ from the permanent seepages at Challacombe Farm and Pizwell which ran well all year from 1999 to 2004. The species is clearly more widespread and frequent than its RDB2 status suggests, as indicated by nearly 70 post-1965 records in the most recent atlas, although it appears to have gone from large areas of lowland England (Kerney, 1999). The hydrophilid water beetle Chaetarthria seminulum is usually associated with mesotrophic and base-rich water margins (Foster, in prep.), although Boyce (2002) included it in his list of key species of acid-neutral seepages. ...
Quantitative sampling was undertaken along transects on three mire seepage systems on Dartmoor during April in two years to search for the larvae of the rare hoverfly Eristalis cryptarum (Fabr.). Although the hoverfly was not detected several nationally rare or scarce species were found frequently in the seepages, including the cranefly Triogma trisulcata (Schummel), the snail Omphiscola glabra (Mu¨ller) and the water beetles Laccobius atratus (Rottenberg), Helochares punctatus Sharp, Hydrochus angustatus Germar and Paracymus scutellaris (Rosenhauer), along with nine other uncommon wetland species. Ordination and classification of the data showed there were two distinct groups, one associated with faster open runnels and another with dense vegetation usually dominated by Sphagnum auriculatum Schimp.
Publication of the excavation of an early medieval multifunctional cemetery, medieval chapel and medieval settlement at Portclew, Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire, UK.
Modeled modern and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climate ranges for 47 genetically confirmed small Holarctic land snails documented profound landscape dynamism over the last 21,000 years. Following deglaciation, range areas tended to increase by 50% while isolating barrier widths were cut in half. At the same time, the nature of isolating barriers underwent profound change, with the North American continental ice sheet becoming as important in the LGM as the Atlantic Ocean is today in separating Nearctic and Palearctic faunas. Because appropriate modern climate occurs for these species throughout the Holarctic, with no clear barriers being present—especially for such efficient passive dispersers—the current >90% turnover observed between Eurasian and North American species pools appears at least in part related to the LGM landscape. Understanding current and predicting potential future biodiversity patterns thus requires consideration of the landscape template across at least 15,000 years time scales.
Background
Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 is amongst the fastest-spreading terrestrial slugs Europe-wide. In recent years, it has been recorded in Canada, Mexico and continues to expand eastwards into Eurasia. Renowned for its high invasiveness, combatting its swift spread creates significant challenges in organising effective preventative measures.
New information
This study presents the first record of Arion vulgaris from Armenia, which is the second record of this species' invasion of the Caucasus. In 2022, a substantial population of A. vulgaris was observed close to the City of Stepanavan, which is also the first record in Armenia of the family Arionidae. How the species was introduced to Armenia remains unknown. Identification of Arion vulgaris was conducted, based on external and genital morphology and mitochondrial CO1 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1) gene sequencing, revealing notable similarities with Central European clades. Our results confirm the introduction and distribution of A. vulgaris to Armenia. Invasion of such species into Armenia will require additional monitoring and would be aided by further research on Armenia’s mollusc fauna in the future.
Like many other groups of freshwater Mollusca, the lymnaeid snails are prone to extinction, the main cause of which is currently habitat degradation. Unfortunately, only a modest portion of species of this species have been assessed from the conservationist’s point of view, and the available information on distribution, ecology, and population trends of many of the assessed species is not enough to determine their current conservation status. The chapter deals with the state of the art of lymnaeid conservation and reviews the existing advances and challenges in the field. A quantitative analysis of the patterns of a rarity among the Lymnaeidae, based on the available IUCN assessments of their conservation status, is presented. A single case of a presumed rarity at the global scale (Myxas glutinosa) is reviewed and discussed. The article provides a brief overview of the eight shortfalls “impairing knowledge and conservation of freshwater molluscs” (Lopes-Lima et al., Hydrobiologia 848(11–12):2831–2867, 2021), with discussion of their application to protection and conservation of the lymnaeid snails.
Segmentina nitida Müller 1774 is a freshwater snail which was formerly widespread throughout England and south Wales. Since the 1840s it has seen a rapid decline in its range which has been attributed to deteriorating water quality due to nutrient enrichment, lowering of water tables and over-management of the ditches in which it resides. S. nitida has therefore been identified as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) priority species which recommends further research for its conservation. Here we have developed a Taqman based qPCR eDNA assay for the detection of S. nitida at the Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve and compared the results with a manual survey of the ditches at this location. 32 ditches were surveyed in November 2020 (22 at Stodmarsh) and February 2021 (10 outside the known range of S.nitida). Our eDNA analysis exhibited an observed percentage agreement of 84% with a kappa coefficient of agreement between manual and eDNA surveys of 0.56 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.92). Three ditches determined to be negative for S. nitida by eDNA analysis were manual survey positive, and a further two ditches that were negative by manual survey were positive by eDNA analysis revealing the potential for improved overall detection rates using a combination of manual and eDNA methodologies. eDNA analysis could therefore augment manual survey techniques for S. nitida as a relatively quick and inexpensive tool for collecting presence and distribution data that could be used to inform manual surveys and management of ditches.
We present a genome assembly from an individual Anisus vortex (the Whirlpool Ramshorn snail; Mollusca; Gastropoda; Hygrophila; Lymnaeoidea ; Planorbidae). The genome sequence is 869.5 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 18 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 13.57 kilobases in length.
The objective of this study is to provide an updated account of the distribution history of two invasive molluscs, Corbicula fluminea and Dreissena polymorpha, both in Europe and worldwide. In addition to this, the study also intends to review their ecological requirements to gain a better understanding of their invasive potential and distribution dynamics. Specifically, the study focuses on updating the distribution and ecological characteristics of these freshwater bivalves in the lower sector of the Danube River and the lakes of the Danube Delta. The purpose is to better understand their invasive and distribution dynamics and to develop effective measures to limit their spread in the future. To achieve this, environmental proxies such as sediment particle size and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) concentrations were used to assess their tolerances. However, the results did not show a significant correlation between the densities of these bivalves and the analyzed environmental parameters. Despite this, the species were found in high densities and formed well-developed benthic communities in some stations. The study contributes to the understanding of the invasiveness of these bivalve species and their distribution range dynamics. Nonetheless, further investigation is required to fully comprehend the role of environmental parameters in their distribution. The study covers the period between 2010 and 2020 and focuses on the lower Danube River sector and Danube Delta.
Transmission between hosts is crucial to the growth, development and reproduction of many parasites. As a consequence, parasites are under selection to maximise transmission success and exhibit many behavioural and morphological adaptations that allow detection of, and movement between, hosts. However, transmission success is not determined by parasites alone, but is also shaped by host behaviours. Often, host behaviours function to minimise the risk of exposure to parasites; in some cases, however, host behaviours may be manipulated by parasites to increase transmission success. In this study, we investigated transmission of the parasitic mite Riccardoella oudemansi between slug (Limacus maculatus) hosts, considering the role of both host and parasite behaviour in determining transmission success. Host-host transmission occurred when slugs were in physical contact, but mites were also capable of moving across the substrate to locate new hosts, a process facilitated by mucus trails. We found no strong evidence that slugs avoid parasitised conspecifics, or that mites manipulate slug behaviour to increase transmission. Finally, mites showed a preference for the mucus of parasitised slugs, but did not discriminate between mucus from their own host and another parasitised slug. A general preference for mucus from parasitised slugs is likely to be important in encouraging mites to remain in close contact with their host and may also facilitate host-switching and outbreeding. We encourage further study of parasitism by Riccardoella in limacid slugs, where cross-species variation in host social behaviour may drive differences in the rate and success of parasite transmission across slug species.
This datasheet on Arion vulgaris covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.
This datasheet on Cornu aspersum covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.
Increase in population in urban areas with lacking drinking water, there is a critical need to sort out the problems caused by the problems caused by energy and water as they are most common and essential part the human life. In this modern society the balancing of energy and adequate water supply with ergonomic surrounding is most important. These problems can short out by implementing Reverse osmosis (RO) system or by Conventional thermal distillation method. Utilising solar thermal energy membrane water distillation process represents a renewable energy and eco-friendly system. In ecologically perspective water demand in cities and urban areas are sorted by building environments in regions with a high correlation between water shortage and high solar rays. The main objective of this research is to treat the grey water with renewable energy system with cost effective manner.
The gut microbiome is one of the most important sites of host‐microbe interactions, however, mechanisms governing the responses of host‐associated microbes to changing environmental conditions are poorly understood. To address this, we investigated individual and combined effects of dietary changes and increase in salinity (from freshwater to salinity 3) or antibiotic concentration on the gastrointestinal bacterial community of the aquatic snail Ampullaceana balthica. In parallel, the energy reserves of the host were quantified. A change of natural food source to biofilm forming green algae Scenedesmus obliquus as well as the combined treatment of salinity and S. obliquus decreased the richness and changed the composition of the A. balthica gastrointestinal bacterial community. In these treatments Pseudomonas became the dominant bacterium. However, energy reserves of the host were higher in these treatments compared to the reference aquaria specimens and the combined treatment of antibiotics with S. obliquus. Obviously the presence of antibiotics inhibited the dominance of Pseudomonas, and resulted in lower energy reserves despite S. obliquus feeding. Therefore the host seems to be able to adapt and replace its bacterial community composition to respond to mild changes in salinity and food source. Antibiotics in the water can disturb this self‐regulating mechanism. Our study underlines the ability of aquatic macroinvertebrates to respond to sudden changes in food source and mild shifts in salinity. Moreover, it emphasizes the strong impact of the food source on the gastrointestinal microbiome and the importance of generalists during disturbance.
Des échantillons de 5, 10 ou 20 Omphiscola glabra adultes ont été introduits dans 12 fossés de route ou de chemin sur sol acide pour étudier la colonisation de ces nouveaux sites par le mollusque. Des relevés ont été ensuite effectués pendant les six années suivantes pour déterminer la superficie que ces individus colonisent dans ces nouvelles stations et décompter le nombre des individus transhivernants en avril ou en mai. De nouvelles populations se sont développées dans les 12 fossés étudiés. La colonisation de chaque collection d’eau a été plus rapide lorsque l’échantillon de mollusques introduits comprenait 20 adultes. L’effectif global des descendants décomptés en avril ou en mai est passé par un pic au cours de la deuxième année post-introduction avant de diminuer graduellement jusqu’à une moyenne de 32,3-33,5 mollusques à la sixième année. La Limnée étroite est donc capable de coloniser de nouvelles zones sur sol acide à condition qu’il y ait une source temporaire.
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