Liardetia samoensis (Mousson, 1865) (Stylommatophora: Microcystidae): another hothouse mollusc new to Britain and the first record of this species outside Asia

Abstract

Living populations of Liardetia samoensis have been observed over nine years in a hothouse in the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley, England. The identification has been confirmed by COI mtDNA sequencing. This species was first discovered in the Pacific island of Samoa in 1861/62 and has subsequently only been reported from other Pacific islands, from Singapore, and from the Laccadive and Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean. This is the first report of this species living outside Asia.