Chilean Orthalicidae (1)
03-01-2009 22:02
Preparing information for a friend who will visit
Chile this month, it strikes me that some years have
past since the last publication on Chilean land
molluscs. Most recently some publications appeared in
the ’80s (Stuardo & Valdovinos, 1985; Stuardo
& Vega, 1985).
The latter publication is a synopsis of the land snails, for which detailed catalogues and group analyses were announced “to be published by parts elsewhere”. A far as I know, only a revision of Plectostylus appeared (Valdovinos & Stuardo, 1988).
As is also the case in other countries, the Orthalicidae are a major element of the Chilean terrestrial malacofauna. 42 taxa are listed, one doubtfully recorded for Chile (belonging to Thaumastus); the others all belong to Bostryx and Plectostylus.
While the latter genus has been largely revised, Bostryx remains quite ‘messy’ with 29 taxa. All species occur in northern Chile and seem to flourish in the desertic coastal area. An overview of the Chilean Orthalicidae can be found here.
I find deserts always interesting, providing ample niche habitats for snails ‘living on the edge’. Whether these circumstances constitute ‘ecological stress’ leading to peculiar shell shapes or not remains an open question for me (as discussed in this post). Certainly it forms a ‘playground’ for genetical research.
References
Stuardo, J. & Valdovinos, C., 1985. A synonimic list of Chilean bulimulids (Mollusca: Pulmonata). - Boletin Sociedad Biologia Concepcion 56: 55-58.
Stuardo, J. & Vega, R., 1985. Synopsis of the land Mollusca of Chile, with remark on distributions. - Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 20: 125-146.
Valdovinos, C. & Stuardo, J., 1988. Morfología, sistematica y distribución del género Plectostylus Beck, 1837 (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae). - Gayana, Zoologia 52: 115-195.
The latter publication is a synopsis of the land snails, for which detailed catalogues and group analyses were announced “to be published by parts elsewhere”. A far as I know, only a revision of Plectostylus appeared (Valdovinos & Stuardo, 1988).
As is also the case in other countries, the Orthalicidae are a major element of the Chilean terrestrial malacofauna. 42 taxa are listed, one doubtfully recorded for Chile (belonging to Thaumastus); the others all belong to Bostryx and Plectostylus.
While the latter genus has been largely revised, Bostryx remains quite ‘messy’ with 29 taxa. All species occur in northern Chile and seem to flourish in the desertic coastal area. An overview of the Chilean Orthalicidae can be found here.
I find deserts always interesting, providing ample niche habitats for snails ‘living on the edge’. Whether these circumstances constitute ‘ecological stress’ leading to peculiar shell shapes or not remains an open question for me (as discussed in this post). Certainly it forms a ‘playground’ for genetical research.
References
Stuardo, J. & Valdovinos, C., 1985. A synonimic list of Chilean bulimulids (Mollusca: Pulmonata). - Boletin Sociedad Biologia Concepcion 56: 55-58.
Stuardo, J. & Vega, R., 1985. Synopsis of the land Mollusca of Chile, with remark on distributions. - Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 20: 125-146.
Valdovinos, C. & Stuardo, J., 1988. Morfología, sistematica y distribución del género Plectostylus Beck, 1837 (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae). - Gayana, Zoologia 52: 115-195.