Charopid land snails (Gastropoda Pulmonata Charopidae) from Mayotte, Comores: alive and well

Abstract

The land snail fauna of Mayotte, the oldest of the Comores Islands, has been resurveyed for the first time since the pioneering work of Morelet in the 19th century. All historically recorded species in the family Charopidae are now documented based on live-taken specimens or fresh shells. In contrast with many other radiations of tropical island land snails, the Mayotte faunule appears to be exempt from extinctions. The family Charopidae is represented in Mayotte by 10 species of Psichion Gude 1911, five of them new, and one new species of Phaulocystis H. Watson 1934. All species are endemic to the Comores, and all except two may be restricted to Mayotte. Helix mica Morelet 1879 is treated as a senior synonym of Helix miliaris Morelet 1887, the type species of Psichion. Helix mutica and H. radiolata, both Morelet 1882 (earlier classified in the family Hygromiidae), H. homalospira Morelet 1883 (earlier classified in the Punctidae) and Helix arachne Morelet 1877 are transferred to Psichion. key words: land snails, Psichion, Phaulocystis, new species, Comores, Mayotte, extinction.