Cornu aspersum (Gastropoda: Helicidae) in Western Ukraine with an overview of introduced species of land molluscs from this area

Roman Gural,Nina Gural-Sverlova

doi:10.5817/mab2021-20-123

Abstract

The first findings of Cornu aspersum in the Lviv region are described, including the shell size and shell colouration variability. A review of the known records of C. aspersum in different regions of Ukraine, from the second half of the 19th century to the present day, is also presented. The most probable ways of penetration and the possibility of further acclimatization of this species in Western Ukraine are discussed. The chronology of the records of introduced species of land molluscs in Western Ukraine is described in tabular form, which, to a large extent, should reflect the chronology of their penetration into this area. It is noted that the majority of alien species began to be found in Western Ukraine only at the end of the 20th or the beginning of the 21st century. Simultaneously several species appeared here, previously known only for the south of the country.

Highlights

Since the end of the 20th century, new alien species of land molluscs have been increasingly recorded in Western Ukraine, with their appearance being caused by human activities (Kirpan & Sverlova 2002, Gural-Sverlova & Savchuk 2019)
We believe that the colony of C. aspersum found by us in Lviv and described in this paper should be considered the first record of this species in Western Ukraine
An effective source of C. aspersum penetration into the territory of Ukraine and its western part may be the accidental delivery with cultivated plants (Leonov 2017), which is common for invasive species of land molluscs

Summary

Introduction

Since the end of the 20th century, new alien species of land molluscs have been increasingly recorded in Western Ukraine, with their appearance being caused by human activities (Kirpan & Sverlova 2002, Gural-Sverlova & Savchuk 2019). The successful survival of species introduced from regions of warmer climate, in particular, from the south of Ukraine (Balashov et al 2018, Gural-Sverlova et al 2019, Gural-Sverlova & Gural 2017a, 2020, Sverlova 1998 etc.), is often observed. The main objectives of this paper were: 1) to describe new findings of C. aspersum in Western Ukraine; 2) give a brief overview of the known records of this species in different parts of Ukraine with an assessment of the probability of the formation of established populations of C. aspersum in them; 3) to analyse the probable chronology and sources of penetration of other introduced species of land molluscs into Western Ukraine to assess whether the possible acclimatization of C. aspersum here fits into the general trend

Objectives

Results

Conclusion