A fast snail’s pace: colonization of Central Europe by Mediterranean gastropods

Abstract

Central Europe faces an influx of terrestrial invertebrates from more southerly regions, in particular from the Mediterranean. This process is particularly noticeable among terrestrial gastropods. In the last 30 years, the number of non-native land snail species found outdoors in the Czech Republic increased from 5 to 15 (8% of all species); more than half of these have presumed Mediterranean origin. The trend has accelerated recently; seven new alien species (six Mediterranean) have been recorded since 2000. As the most recent example, we report the finding of a large helicid species from the South-East Mediterranean, Helix lucorum. A well-established overwintering population was found in Prague, over 400 km from the nearest known localities of the species. This trend of newly established snails corresponds with increases in average temperatures as well as the intensity of foreign trade in the past six decades, suggesting a synergistic effect of both climatic conditions and socioeconomic factors.