Range extension of the poorly known and Critically Endangered freshwater snail, Heleobia transitoria (Biese, 1947) (Gastropoda, Cochliopidae), in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile

Abstract

The range distribution of Heleobia transitoria (Biese, 1947) is confined only to its type locality, Quebrada Cachina, a ravine located on the Atacama Desert coast in the Antofagasta Region, northern Chile. The species is classified as “En Peligro Crítico” according to Ministry of the Environment of Chile, a category equivalent to Critically Endangered (CR) of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, in part for its restricted distribution. This paper reports the occurrence of H. transitoria in the Atacama Region, Chile, after the study of morphological characters using light and scanning electron microscopy. This new record highlights considering the limited distribution and current conservation status of the species.