Acta Univ Latv (2007) 723: 7–20

Rare and endangered terrestrial gastropods of Lower Silesia (SW. Poland) – current status and perspectives

Abstract

The terrestrial malacofauna of Poland includes 177 species, 18 of which are introduced. The distribution borders of quite many of them cross Poland, and the highest concentration of such borders (41 species) is found in Lower Silesia (Silesian Lowland plus Sudetes). The area is under heavy human impact, hence there is a need to protect, and particularly to study the land mollusc species that are locally or globally important from a conservation viewpoint: Discus perspectivus (Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1818), Eucobresia diaphana (Draparnaud, 1805), E. nivalis (Dumont et Mortillet, 1852), Semilimax kotulai (Westerlund, 1883), S. semilimax (Férussac, 1802), Aegopinella epipedostoma (Fagot, 1879), Tandonia rustica (Millet, 1843), Lehmannia macroflagellata Grossu et Lupu, 1962, Bielzia coerulans (M. Bielz, 1851), Deroceras praecox Wiktor, 1966, Cochlodina costata (C. Pfeiffer, 1828), Charpentieria ornata (Rossmässler, 1836), Macrogastra badia (C. Pfeiffer, 1828), Clausilia parvula (Férussac, 1807), Balea perversa (Linnaeus, 1758), Helicodonta obvoluta (O.F. Müller, 1774), Helicigona lapicida (Linnaeus, 1758) and Causa holosericum (Studer, 1820). For each of these species we present current data on local and European distribution, habitat preferences, conservation status and the state of knowledge of life histories. We also delineate the directions of future studies and necessary conservation actions.