Semilimax pyrenaicus has been known in Ireland for over 100 years, but not previously found in Britain, despite widespread recording of two other vitrinid species. Through fieldwork and the online recording system iRecord, large S. pyrenaicus populations were found in two river valleys, one in the South Wales Valleys (the Cynon Valley) the other in Snowdonia / Eryri National Park (Ceunant Cynfal). Though climatically similar, the two have very different histories, the Cynon Valley being a broad valley heavily deforested and modified by industry and settlement, and Ceunant Cynfal being a narrow gorge with remnants of ancient Atlantic Oak Woodland. In Britain, S. pyrenaicus appears to be a recent arrival (earliest record 2019) and seems likely to spread, perhaps aided by passive dispersal along rivers.

The mountains of northern Kenya (Ndoto, Nyiro, Kulal and Marsabit) are separated by semi-arid plains uninhabitable for most terrestrial molluscs (snails and slugs). Nevertheless, each "sky island" supports a little-known forest mollusc fauna. The diversity and endemism of these faunas are addressed here based on surveys and the limited records available in the literature. In total 75 forest mollusc species and subspecies were found, including six previously undescribed Streptaxidae and many first records. Most previously recorded taxa were refound. The richness of faunas is broadly comparable to that of other Kenyan forests surveyed using similar methods (Ndoto 41 taxa, Nyiro 40, Kulal 33, Marsabit 34). A large proportion of the forest taxa (24 taxa, 29%) are endemic to Kenya north of the Mathews Range. More than half of these (14 taxa, 17% of the total) are known only from a single mountain range. At Nyiro, where different forest types were compared, fewer endemic species were found in Juniper forest than in other forest types. Moving northwards along the Ndoto-Nyiro-Kulal chain, diversity declines while endemism increases, perhaps reflecting increasing isolation from the southern forests, but the trends are not significant when Marsabit is included. Across the four ranges, neither diversity nor endemism is clearly linked to the isolation, maximum elevation, forest cover or geological origin of each range (Kulal and Marsabit are volcanoes, while Nyiro and Ndoto are uplifted basement rock). Instead, the unique circumstances of each range create a distinctive set of isolated faunas. Les montagnes du nord du Kenya (Ndoto, Nyiro, Kulal et Marsabit) sont s & eacute;par & eacute;es par des plaines semi-arides inhabitables pour la plupart des mollusques terrestres (escargots et limaces). N & eacute;anmoins, chaque << & icirc;le du ciel >> abrite une faune de mollusques forestiers peu connue. La diversit & eacute; et l'end & eacute;misme de ces faunes sont abord & eacute;s ici sur la base des enqu & ecirc;tes et des quelques donn & eacute;es disponibles dans la litt & eacute;rature. Au total, 75 esp & egrave;ces et sous-esp & egrave;ces de mollusques forestiers ont & eacute;t & eacute; d & eacute;couvertes, dont six Streptaxidae non d & eacute;crits auparavant et de multiples premiers enregistrements. La plupart des taxons pr & eacute;c & eacute;demment enregistr & eacute;s ont & eacute;t & eacute; retrouv & eacute;s. La richesse de la faune est largement comparable & agrave; celle d'autres for & ecirc;ts kenyanes & eacute;tudi & eacute;es avec des m & eacute;thodes similaires (Ndoto 41 taxons, Nyiro 40, Kulal 33, Marsabit 34). Une grande partie des taxons forestiers (24 taxons, 29 %) sont end & eacute;miques au nord de la cha & icirc;ne Matthews au Kenya. Plus de la moiti & eacute; d'entre eux (14 taxons, 17% du total) ne sont connus que d'une seule cha & icirc;ne de montagnes. & Agrave; Nyiro, o & ugrave; diff & eacute;rents types de for & ecirc;ts ont & eacute;t & eacute; compar & eacute;s, moins d'esp & egrave;ces end & eacute;miques ont & eacute;t & eacute; observ & eacute;es dans la for & ecirc;t de gen & eacute;vriers que dans les autres types de for & ecirc;ts. En remontant vers le nord le long de la cha & icirc;ne Ndoto-Nyiro-Kulal, la diversit & eacute; diminue tandis que l'end & eacute;misme augmente, ce qui correspond peut-& ecirc;tre & agrave; un isolement croissant par rapport aux for & ecirc;ts du sud, mais les tendances ne sont pas importantes si l'on inclut Marsabit. Dans les quatre cha & icirc;nes, ni la diversit & eacute; ni l'end & eacute;misme ne sont clairement li & eacute;s & agrave; l'isolement, & agrave; l'altitude maximale, & agrave; la couverture foresti & egrave;re ou & agrave; l'origine g & eacute;ologique de chaque cha & icirc;ne (Kulal et Marsabit sont des volcans, tandis que Nyiro et Ndoto sont des socles rocheux soulev & eacute;s). Au contraire, les circonstances uniques de chaque cha & icirc;ne cr & eacute;ent un ensemble distinctif de faunes isol & eacute;es.

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.

A Quaternary sequence of subfossil terrestrial molluscs from tropical Kenya is described and discussed. It preserves a remarkably complete fauna of the Indian Ocean coastal forest from the surroundings of Panga ya Saidi cave, a site featuring repeated human occupation extending back at least 78,000 years. Mollusc diversity, composition, and abundance are very similar to extant faunas of the coastal forest. They vary relatively little over the period studied (chiefly a 50,000-year sequence from MIS 5 to the start of MIS 2) apart from a short-lived decrease in the dominance of "forest-only" species around 45,800 BP. The fauna of the most recently preserved layers (MIS 1) is likewise similar. Most of the 72 snail (and slug) species found are still extant at the coast, including some narrow-range endemics, but 8 species are now more western in their known distribution. The native African status of Kaliella barrakporensis and 2 other snail species with Asian type localities are confirmed, as is the previously disputed occurrence of native Helicoidea at the coast. Two new subfossil species were identified and are described as Maizania meteor sp. n. (Maizamidae) and Juventigulella saidii sp. n. (Streptaxidae). No major habitat or faunistic shifts are observed, confirming previous evidence for long-term ecological continuity at the site. The data are the first of their kind from coastal East Africa and provide a new independent proxy of the environmental context to the archaeological sequence, as well as a reference point for future studies of terrestrial molluscs in the region.

Laetoli, Tanzania is one of the most important palaeontological and palaeoanthropological localities in Africa. We report on a survey of the extant terrestrial gastropod faunas of the Laetoli-Endulen area, examine their ecological associations and re-examine the utility of Pliocene fossil molluscs in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Standardised collecting at 15 sites yielded 7302 individuals representing 58 mollusc species. Significant dissimilarities were found among the faunas of three broad habitat types: forest, woodland/bushland and open (grassland and scattered, xeric shrubland). Overall, more species were recorded in the woodland/bushland sites than in the forest sites. Open sites were less diverse. Environmental factors contributing most strongly to the separation of habitat types were aridity index and elevation. The results are supplemented with new mollusc data from the Mbulu Plateau south of Lake Eyasi, and compared to the list of species cumulatively recorded from the Ngorongoro area. Some regional variation is apparent and historical factors may explain the absence of some fossil taxa from Laetoli today. Differences in seasonality separated upland forest sites on the Mbulu plateau from those at Lemagurut at Laetoli. Indicator species were identified for each habitat. These included several large-bodied species analogous to the Laetoli Pliocene fossil species that were then used for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Based on the estimated aridity index, and adopting the widely used United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) global climate classification, the four stratigraphic subunits of the Upper Laetolil Beds (3.6-3.85 Ma) would be placed in either the UNEP's Dry Sub-humid or Semi-arid climate classes, whereas the Upper Ndolanya Beds (2.66 Ma) and Lower Laetolil Beds (3.85-<4.36 Ma) would be assigned to the Humid and Semi-arid climate classes respectively. Pliocene precipitation at Laetoli is estimated as 847-965 mm per year, refining previous estimates. This is close or slightly higher than the present mean annual precipitation, and is likely to have corresponded to a mosaic of forest, woodland and bushland within a grassland matrix consistent with other reconstructions.

Four new higher taxa are described in the family Streptaxidae: Gerlachina new genus, Embertonina new genus, Gulellinae new subfamily, and Primigulellinae new subfamily. These names were proposed, based on existing taxa, in an unpublished thesis in 2010. The thesis was disclaimed under the Code (ICZN 1999, Article 8.2), but the names have recently been used in other publications, which have in turn carried disclaimers. The present paper aims to resolve this by validly publishing the names and descriptions. The genera Gerlachina (2 species) and Embertonina (10 species) are endemic to the Seychelles and to Madagascar, respectively. The subfamilies Gulellinae and Primigulellinae are both Afrotropical in distribution and are considered species-rich.

The name Bulimus ovoideus Bruguiere, 1789 is in current use for two different species, one from East Africa and one from the Philippines. The name has also been declared as the type species of both Edentulina Pfeiffer, 1856 (Streptaxidae) and Cochlostyla Ferussac, 1821 (Camaenidae). We demonstrate that the use of this name for a Philippine camaenid is based on an early misidentification. To clarify the situation, we invoke Article 70.3 of the Code of Zoological Nomenclature, concerning misidentified type species, to select the taxonomic species actually involved, Bulinus luzonicus Sowerby I, 1833, as the type species of Cochlostyla. Cochlostyla thus becomes a senior objective synonym of Canistrum Morch, 1852. Under Article 40.2 of the Code, Helicostylinae Ihering, 1909 takes precedence of Cochlostylinae Mollendorff, 1890. We further show that the Philippine camaenids Orthostylus Beck, 1837 and Dryocochlias Mollendorff, 1898 are objective synonyms with the former name having priority. Finally, we designate a neotype for Bulimus ovoideus to stabilise its taxonomy. These actions permit the current nomenclature to be maintained with a minimum of disruption. The currently accepted name of the taxon in question is Edentulina ovoidea (Bruguiere, 1789).

We describe a new species of the carnivorous land snail genus Perrottetia from the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra, India, the first to be described in 117 years. Perrottetia rajeshgopali n. sp. differs from the other Indian Perrottetia species in shell characters, having a conical spire, angular last whorl, and seven apertural lamellae. We also describe the genital anatomy characterised by the presence of hooks in the penis, and their absence in the vagina and the atrium. The discovery of P. rajeshgopali n. sp. from an unexplored area of the northern Western Ghats highlights the need for in- depth surveys in this region.

A phylogenetic investigation of genera and species of the semislug family Vitrinidae from Europe, East Africa, Arabia, and Macaronesia is presented. Two mitochondrial markers (COI & 16S) and a set of nuclear markers (H3 & ITS2) were used in maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) analyses. The synopsis of DNA sequence data and anatomical data provide a first insight into the phylogenetic relationships of these groups. The existence of major groups comprising European, Macaronesian, and Arabian-African genera is proven, however, their relationship remains unresolved. The sister-group relationship between the Macaronesian radiation and a newly discovered East African genus Sanettivitrina nov. gen., perhaps a relic of this radiation, is demonstrated. The separation of the remaining East African Vitrinidae into two clades as hypothesized by earlier authors, viz. Arabivitrina Thiele, 1931 and Calidivitrina Pilsbry, 1919 could not be confirmed. The hitherto used generic definitions based on genital morphology are not able to explain the existence of at least five lineages in East Africa. Apparently, Arabivitrina and Calidivitrina morphotypes experienced several parallel losses of genital organ appendices.

Summary A new species of Phasmarhabditis was isolated from the slug, Polytoxon robustum, from Nairobi, Kenya. The nematode was identified using morphological, morphometric, molecular and phylogenetic analyses. Phasmarhabditis kenyaensis n. sp. is characterised by an infective juvenile with the longest body length in the genus, measuring 1232 (1107-1336) μm, by the presence of males with a bursa bearing nine bilateral pairs of genital bursal papillae and one pair of papilliform phasmids flanking the tail, cephalate paired spicules, with an arc length of 71 (57-81) μm, as well as by females with a vulva located at the mid-body region and a conoid tail shape, with two phasmids located at ca 40% of the tail length. The molecular phylogeny of the new species, as inferred from its SSU (small subunit) rRNA gene, places P. kenyaensis n. sp. genetically close to undescribed phasmarhabditids from South Africa, suggesting an African grouping, while the D2-D3 (large ribosomal subunit) and ITS region analyses relate P. kenyaensis n. sp. to P. meridionalis, with weak bootstrap support. This is the third new Phasmarhabditis species described from the African continent, the new species bringing the total known complement of the genus to 14 species. A morphometric compendium to all species cultured in vivo is supplied.

Most of the non-native gastropods in European inland waters have originated from North America. The planorbid snail Gyraulus parvus is one of these species, being firstly reported from Germany in the 1970s. It has since spread across Central and Western Europe mostly in artificial and highly modified habitats. However, considerable conchological and anatomical similarity exists between it and the native European G. laevis, mainly occupying mesotrophic pools and wetlands. Using four other European and one North American Gyraulus species as outgroups, separate phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence showed that G. parvus and G. laevis are in fact part of the same species-level clade, with G. parvus having nomenclatural priority. Moreover, the structure within the mitochondrial tree suggests the North American origin of the invasive populations spreading in Europe even in countries where G. parvus has not yet been recorded, such as the United Kingdom. Although native and non-native races in Europe tend to possess some differences in conchology and ecology, the degree of overlap makes it impossible to accurately distinguish between them without the DNA barcode. Our findings change the conservation view on the rare native European race. While interspecific competition among freshwater mollusc species is rare, the invasion on an intraspecific level may represent a serious threat for native populations. Additionally, the spreading of the non-native race of G. parvus from North America increases the risk of introducing non-native trematodes as this exotic race is a very common intermediate host of many schistosomes.

Biological invasions are common among freshwater molluscs, with the North American planorbid gastropod Gyraulus parvus being reported from Europe (Germany) by the 1970s. It has since spread across Central and Western Europe, mostly living in artificial and highly modified habitats. However, considerable conchological and anatomical similarity exists between it and the native European G. laevis . Using four other European and one North American Gyraulus species as outgroups, separate phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences show that G. parvus and G. laevis are in fact part of the same species-level clade, with the former having nomenclatural priority. However, the structure within the mitochondrial tree suggests a North American origin of the invasive populations. It also makes it possible to track down the distribution of both races. Although native and non-native races in Europe tend to possess some differences in conchology and ecology, the degree of overlap makes it impossible to accurately distinguish between them without the DNA barcode data. Our results change the outlook on the conservation of the rare native race. While interspecific competition among snail species is rare, invasion on an intraspecific level may represent a serious threat for native populations.

The Western European Hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus) is a nocturnal animal that is in decline in much of Europe, but the monitoring of this species is subjective, prone to error, and an inadequate basis for estimating population trends. Here, we report the use of Crenosoma striatum, a parasitic nematode specific to hedgehogs as definitive hosts, to detect hedgehog presence in the natural environment. This is achieved through collecting and sampling the parasites within their intermediate hosts, gastropoda, a group much simpler to locate and sample in both urban and rural habitats. C. striatum and Crenosoma vulpis were collected post-mortem from the lungs of hedgehogs and foxes, respectively. Slugs were collected in two sessions, during spring and autumn, from Skomer Island (n = 21), which is known to be free of hedgehogs (and foxes); and Pennard, Swansea (n = 42), known to have a healthy hedgehog population. The second internal transcribed spacer of parasite ribosomal DNA was used to develop a highly specific, novel, PCR based multiplex assay. Crenosoma striatum was found only at the site known to be inhabited by hedgehogs, at an average prevalence in gastropods of 10% in spring and autumn. The molecular test was highly specific: One mollusc was positive for both C. striatum and C. vulpis, and differentiation between the two nematode species was clear. This study demonstrates proof of principle for using detection of specific parasite DNA in easily sampled intermediate hosts to confirm the presence of an elusive nocturnal definitive host species. The approach has great potential as an adaptable, objective tool to supplement and support existing ecological survey methods.

Semisalsa stagnorum is a "hydrobioid" snail that, until 2005, was only known in Britain from dead shells from two sites in England: a Roman and Saxon aged archaeological complex in Bath, Somerset and from modern sediments taken from a brackish lagoon on Farlington Marshes, Hampshire. In 2005 freshly dead shells were discovered in a slightly brackish lagoon on Thorney Island, West Sussex with live animals confirmed there in 2006. Studies between 2005 and 2019 confirmed the restricted distribution of the snail on the 'island' (now effectively a peninsula) and allowed data to be gathered on the snail's autecology and common associates. Sequencing of COI mtDNA confirms the population belongs to Semisalsa and not to any other British hydrobiid species. Comparisons are made with the ecology of similar S. stagnorum populations living in the Netherlands. The conservation of this Critically Endangered snail is discussed, with successional and salinity changes to its habitat being considered as the greatest threats.

Five new hunter snails (Streptaxidae) are described from isolated forests in the remote mountains of northern Kenya. Aenigmigulella phrix n. sp. (from Ndoto), Gulella erugo n. sp. (from Kulal), and G. runa n. sp. (from Kulal) were collected for the first time in 1997. Gulella langei n. sp. (from Nyiro) was found in 1997 but is also present in early 20th-century collections, where it appears to have been overlooked. Generic placement of A. phrix and G. erugo is supported by their genital anatomy. Tayloria urguessensis kulanensis n. subsp. (Kulal) is described, after slight but statistically significant differences in shell, radula, and genitalia characters were found between populations of T. urgessensis in Kulal, Ndoto and Nyiro. Tayloria marsabitensis (Preston, 1913) is also treated as a subspecies of T. urguessensis (Preston, 1913). All five new taxa are apparently endemic to individual mountain ranges in northern Kenya.

Gulella (Paucidentina) bicarinata Blume, 1965 was described from a damaged, immature shell. New topotypic material from Kilimanjaro, Tanzania includes adults which are here described with the aid of micro-CT scans of the unusual shell. The shell and anatomy of adults show similarities with the little-known central Kenyan taxon Mirellia Thiele, whose sole species Ennea prodigiosa E. A. Smith, 1903 is also scanned and dissected. Most workers have treated Mirellia either as a subgenus of Gulella L. Pfeffer, or as a subgenus of Ptychotrema L. Pfeffer. These alternatives are discussed and both species are assigned to Mirellia, which is here treated as a genus in its own right.

The originally published version of this Article contained an error in Fig. 3, whereby an additional unrelated graph was overlaid on top of the magnetic susceptibility plot. Furthermore, the Article title contained an error in the capitalisation of 'Stone Age'. Both of these errors have now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

The Middle to Later Stone Age transition in Africa has been debated as a significant shift in human technological, cultural, and cognitive evolution. However, the majority of research on this transition is currently focused on southern Africa due to a lack of long-term, stratified sites across much of the African continent. Here, we report a 78,000-year-long archeological record from Panga ya Saidi, a cave in the humid coastal forest of Kenya. Following a shift in toolkits ~67,000 years ago, novel symbolic and technological behaviors assemble in a non-unilinear manner. Against a backdrop of a persistent tropical forest-grassland ecotone, localized innovations better characterize the Late Pleistocene of this part of East Africa than alternative emphases on dramatic revolutions or migrations.