Abstract
There are few studies on the terrestrial molluscs of the Great Plains of Alberta. Nearly all previously published surveys have focused on the faunas of the Rocky Mountain Foothills, the Cypress Hills, the Parklands of Central Alberta, or the boreal forests. By means of hand-picking and litter samples, we surveyed for the first time the terrestrial snail fauna in the Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, southern Alberta, Canada. From among the hoodoos (weathered rock formations) and along the cliffs on the north side of the Milk River, we found terrestrial snails at four of our five sites within the hot, dry valley of the river. Our study confirms our assumptions that the terrestrial snail fauna in these hostile habitats lacks diversity.
Highlights
From a malacological viewpoint, Alberta, at the western edge of the Great Plains is of interest as an area of possible transition between the terrestrial mollusc fauna of the Canadian Prairies and the western Cordillera
By means of hand-picking and litter samples, we surveyed for the first time the terrestrial snail fauna in the Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, southern Alberta, Canada
From among the hoodoos and along the cliffs on the north side of the Milk River, we found terrestrial snails at four of our five sites within the hot, dry valley of the river
Summary
Alberta, at the western edge of the Great Plains is of interest as an area of possible transition between the terrestrial mollusc fauna of the Canadian Prairies and the western Cordillera. Little has been published on the Alberta terrestrial malacofauna. At least some of this work is beset with doubtful or erroneous identifications and the terrestrial malacofauna of Alberta, and on the plains, remains poorly known. During 2008 and 2009, surveys were made for terrestrial molluscs in southern Alberta that focused on potentially at-risk taxa (i.e., Oreohelix spp.) and included more general faunal surveys. The purpose of this study was to survey the terrestrial Mollusca within Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, along the Milk River, in southern Alberta. There are no previous collections of terrestrial molluscs from this park
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