List of non-marine molluscs of Cuba

The non-marine molluscs of Cuba are a part of the molluscan wildlife of Cuba. Numerous species of non-marine molluscs are found in the wild in Cuba, which is in fact one of the richest places for the malacological fauna in the world, especially in land snails, hosting a high degree of endemism.[1] Cuba has some highly charismatic species of land snails, such as those of the genus Polymita and Liguus.[1]

Location of Cuba
The topography of Cuba: Cuba has mostly flat terrain to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast.

A total of 42 species of freshwater molluscs occur in Cuba.[1] Introduced species such as Tarebia granifera and Melanoides tuberculata are spread throughout the country and might be a threat for endemics and other native snails.[1]

History

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There are many works regarding taxonomic and systematic studies in marine and land molluscs with a fewer number on ecology and distribution.[1] Freshwater molluscs, however, are scarcer and have received less attention.[1]

Freshwater molluscs overview

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A total of 10 (23.8%) out of 42 described freshwater snails and mussels are endemic in Cuba.[1] The percentage of endemism shown in Cuban freshwater molluscs (23.8%) is characteristic of the fauna of islands.[1] Only one endemic species exhibits a wide distribution range throughout the country while the others have small populations in a few or only one locality.[1] Of the 42 freshwater molluscs of Cuba, 24 species occur within the limits of protected areas.[1] Of these, Tarebia granifera and Physa acuta seem to be the most common snails while the endemics of the genus Hemisinus, Nephronaias, and Viviparus are quite rare in the protected areas, and have scarce populations in Cuba.[1] Of the 253 protected areas in Cuba, only 35 have populations of freshwater molluscs (endemic and non-endemic species).[1] A remarkable point is that 54% of protected areas host introduced species.[1]

Five species of introduced freshwater molluscs occur in Cuba.[1] The main species are the thiarids Tarebia granifera and Melanoides tuberculata (family Thiaridae). Other species are Pomacea diffusa and Marisa cornuarietis (family Ampullariidae), and Corbicula fluminea (family Corbiculidae).[1]

Most of the freshwater mollusc endemic species in Cuba might be endangered or vulnerable.[1] Shrinkage in distribution range of populations, introduction of exotic species, and habitat loss due to human activity are probably the main drivers of population declines.[1] The continuous growth of the Cuban population has forced many populations of endemic molluscs to withdraw from many localities.[1] This has been the result of, first, the construction of buildings near these species populations, which generate an associated pollution of the freshwater environment, and, second, a direct transformation to the ecosystems where the molluscs occur due to water consumption.[1] The Cauto River, the largest river in Cuba, is an example of this transformation with the rerouting of some segments to build dams in order to provide water for the nearby cities.[1] Many recreational infrastructures for tourism have been built in Cuba in the vicinity of areas where endemic freshwater molluscs are found.[1] This is a common problem in places like Viñales, Soroa, Zapata Swamp, and Baracoa, which are among the most important tourist destinations in Cuba.[1]

Freshwater gastropods

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apertural and abapertural view of the shell of endemic Cuban species Pomacea poeyana
 
shell of Marisa cornuarietis

Ampullariidae

Viviparidae

Pachychilidae

 
shells of endemic Cuban species Hemisinus brevis
 
shells of endemic Cuban species Hemisinus cubanianus

Thiaridae

Hydrobiidae

  • Nanivitrea alcaldei (Jaume & Abbot, 1947) – endemic to Cárdenas, Cuba with one population, this small snail of less than 3 mm have not been currently found and have perhaps disappeared[1]
  • Nanivitrea helicoides (Gundlach, 1865) – endemic to Trinidad, Cuba with one population, this small snail of less than 3 mm have not been currently found and have perhaps disappeared[1]
 
shell of Galba cubensis

Lymnaeidae

Physidae

  • Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) – also with Tarebia granifera it is the most common freshwater snail in Cuba[1]

Planorbidae

freshwater snails or freshwater bivalve family ?

Land gastropods

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an unidentified land snail from Cuba
 
an unidentified land snail from Cuba
 
an unidentified land snail from Cuba

There are about 1300[2] or 1387 species[3] of land gastropods in Cuba.

Land snails have a large degree of endemism and represent almost 94% of the species.[1]

There is enormous number of species in the family Urocoptidae in Cuba, over 580 species.

Helicinidae

Proserpinidae

Megalomastomatidae

Neocyclotidae

Pomatiidae

Truncatellidae

Veronicellidae

Succineidae

Pupillidae

Strobilopsidae

Vertiginidae

Orthalicidae

Cerionidae

Urocoptidae

Ferussaciidae

Subulinidae

 
Subulina octona

Oleacinidae

Spiraxidae

Streptaxidae

Haplotrematidae

Helicodiscidae

Sagdidae

Gastrodontidae

Euconulidae

Zonitidae

Agriolimacidae

Vitrinidae

Bradybaenidae

Camaenidae

Cepolidae

Polygyridae

Thysanophoridae

Cepolidae or Helminthoglyptidae or Xanthonychidae[3] or

  • genus Polymita Beck, 1837 is endemic to Cuba

Bivalvia

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Unionidae

Corbiculidae

See also

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Lists of molluscs of surrounding countries:

References

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This article incorporates CC-BY-3.0 text from the reference [1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc Vázquez A. A. & Perera S. (2010). "Endemic Freshwater molluscs of Cuba and their conservation status". Tropical Conservation Science 3(2): 190–199. HTM, PDF.
  2. ^ (18 October 2009). "Cifras Diversidad Biológica Cubana". HTM Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, PDF. Centro Nacional de Biodiversidad Cuba, accessed 31 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd fe ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp fq fr fs ft fu fv fw fx fy fz ga gb gc gd ge gf gg gh gi gj gk gl gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt gu gv gw gx gy gz ha hb hc hd he hf hg hh hi hj hk hl hm hn ho hp hq hr hs ht hu hv hw hx hy hz ia ib ic id ie if ig ih ii ij ik il im in io ip iq ir is it iu iv iw ix iy iz ja jb jc jd je jf jg jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp jq jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb kc kd ke kf kg kh ki kj kk kl km kn ko kp kq kr ks kt ku kv kw kx ky kz la lb lc ld le lf lg lh li lj lk ll lm ln lo lp lq lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml mm mn mo mp mq mr ms mt mu mv mw mx my mz na nb nc nd ne nf ng nh ni nj nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of og oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow ox oy oz pa pb pc pd pe pf pg ph pi pj pk pl pm pn po pp pq pr ps pt pu pv pw px py pz qa qb qc qd qe qf qg qh qi qj qk ql qm qn qo qp qq qr qs qt qu qv qw qx qy qz ra rb rc rd re rf rg rh ri rj rk rl rm rn ro rp rq rr rs rt ru rv rw rx ry rz sa sb sc sd se sf sg sh si sj sk sl sm sn so sp sq sr ss st su sv sw sx sy sz ta tb tc td te tf tg th ti tj tk tl tm tn to tp tq tr ts tt tu tv tw tx ty tz ua ub uc ud ue uf ug uh ui uj uk ul um un uo up uq ur us ut uu uv uw ux uy uz va vb vc vd ve vf vg vh vi vj vk vl vm vn vo vp vq vr vs vt vu vv vw vx vy vz wa wb wc wd we wf wg wh wi wj wk wl wm wn wo wp wq wr ws wt wu wv ww wx wy wz xa xb xc xd xe xf xg xh xi xj xk xl xm xn xo xp xq xr xs xt xu xv xw xx xy xz ya yb yc yd ye yf yg yh yi yj yk yl ym yn yo yp yq yr ys yt yu yv yw yx yy yz za zb zc zd ze zf zg zh zi zj zk zl zm zn zo zp zq zr zs zt zu zv zw zx zy zz aaa aab aac aad aae aaf aag aah aai aaj aak aal aam aan aao aap aaq aar aas aat aau aav aaw aax aay aaz aba abb abc abd abe abf abg abh abi abj abk abl abm abn abo abp abq abr abs abt abu abv abw abx aby abz aca acb acc acd ace acf acg ach aci acj ack acl acm acn aco acp acq acr acs act acu acv acw acx acy acz ada adb adc add ade adf adg adh adi adj adk adl adm adn ado adp adq adr ads adt adu adv adw adx ady adz aea aeb aec aed aee aef aeg aeh aei aej aek ael aem aen aeo aep aeq aer aes aet aeu aev aew aex aey aez afa afb afc afd afe aff afg afh afi afj afk afl afm afn afo afp afq afr afs aft afu afv afw afx afy afz aga agb agc agd age agf agg agh agi agj agk agl agm agn ago agp agq agr ags agt agu agv agw agx agy agz aha ahb ahc ahd ahe ahf ahg ahh ahi ahj ahk ahl ahm ahn aho ahp ahq ahr ahs aht ahu ahv ahw ahx ahy ahz aia aib aic aid aie aif aig aih aii aij aik ail aim ain aio aip aiq air ais ait aiu aiv aiw aix aiy aiz aja ajb ajc ajd aje ajf ajg ajh aji ajj ajk ajl ajm ajn ajo ajp ajq ajr ajs ajt aju ajv ajw ajx ajy ajz aka akb akc akd ake akf akg akh aki akj akk akl akm akn ako akp akq akr aks akt aku akv akw akx aky akz ala alb alc ald ale alf alg alh ali alj alk all alm aln alo alp alq alr als alt alu alv alw alx aly alz ama amb amc amd ame amf amg amh ami amj amk aml amm amn amo amp amq amr ams amt amu amv amw amx amy amz ana anb anc and ane anf ang anh ani anj ank anl anm ann ano anp anq anr ans ant anu anv anw anx any anz aoa aob aoc aod aoe aof aog aoh aoi aoj aok aol aom aon aoo aop aoq aor aos aot aou aov aow aox aoy aoz apa apb apc apd ape apf apg aph api apj apk apl apm apn apo app apq apr aps apt apu apv apw apx apy apz aqa aqb aqc aqd aqe aqf aqg aqh aqi aqj aqk aql aqm aqn aqo aqp aqq aqr aqs aqt aqu aqv aqw aqx aqy aqz ara arb arc ard are arf arg arh ari arj ark arl arm arn aro arp arq arr ars art aru arv arw arx ary arz asa asb asc asd ase asf asg ash asi asj ask asl asm asn aso asp asq asr ass ast asu asv asw asx asy asz ata atb atc atd ate atf atg ath ati atj atk atl atm atn ato atp atq atr ats att atu atv atw atx aty atz aua aub auc aud aue auf aug auh aui auj auk aul aum aun auo aup auq aur aus aut auu auv auw aux auy auz ava avb avc avd ave avf avg avh avi avj avk avl avm avn avo avp avq avr avs avt avu avv avw avx avy avz awa awb awc awd awe awf awg awh awi awj awk awl awm awn awo awp awq awr aws awt awu awv aww awx awy awz axa axb axc axd axe axf axg axh axi axj axk axl axm axn axo axp axq axr axs axt axu axv axw axx axy axz aya ayb ayc ayd aye ayf ayg ayh ayi ayj ayk ayl aym ayn ayo ayp ayq ayr ays ayt ayu ayv ayw ayx ayy ayz aza azb azc azd aze azf azg azh azi azj azk azl azm azn azo azp azq azr azs azt azu azv azw azx azy azz baa bab bac bad bae "Mollusca" Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Diversidad Biológica Cubana, accessed 23 March 2011.
  4. ^ Rios O. M. & Quinta M. H. (2010). "Larval Feeding Habits of the Cuban Endemic Firefly Alecton discoidalis Laporte (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)". Psyche 2010, Article ID 149879, 5 pages, doi:10.1155/2010/149879.
  5. ^ a b c d e Maceira D. F. (2003). "Las especies de la familia Veronicellidae (Mollusca, Soleolifera) en Cuba". Revista de Biología Tropical 51(3): 453–461. PDF Archived 28 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Pérez M. (1994). "Primer registro de Beckianum beckianum (Pulmonata: Subulinidae) para Cuba". Revista de Biología Tropical 41(3): 915–916.
  7. ^ Franke S. & Fernández A. (2008). "Beckianum beckianum (Gastropoda: Subulinidae): new records from Havana, Cuba". Cocuyo 17: 57. PDF.
  8. ^ Fernández A., Franke S. & González P. (2010). "Primer registro de Beckianum beckianum (Gastropoda: Subulinidae) para la Región Centro Oriental de Cuba". Cocuyo 18: 35–37. PDF.

Further reading

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  • Hance J. (28 June 2010). "Long-ignored freshwater molluscs in Cuba under threat". mongabay.com
  • (in Spanish) Espinosa J. & Ortea J. (1999). "Moluscos terrestres del archipiélago cubano". Avicennia 2: 1–137.
  • Espinosa J. & Ortea J. (2009). "Moluscos terrestres de Cuba". Vaasa. Finlandia, 191 pp.
  • Fernández A., Pellicier K., Ríos D. & Salazar R. (2010). "Registros nuevos de moluscos terrestres para el Sector La Melba del Parque Nacional "Alejandro de Humboldt", Cuba". Cocuyo 18: 35–37. PDF.
  • (in Spanish and English) Guillén A. G. (2008). Cuba the landshells paradise. 308 pp.
  • Kabat A. R., Herschler R. & González G. A. (2012). "Resolution of taxonomic problems associated with the complex publication history of the seminal Torre and Bartsch monograph on Cuban Urocoptidae (Gastropoda, Pulmonata)". Zootaxa 3362: 43–53. PDF.
  • (in Spanish) Mesa García R & Jaume García ML. (1979). [Quantitative Synopsis of the Cuban ground mollusc fauna]. Rev. Cubana Med. Trop. 31(1): 73–82. PMID 382287
  • Pointier J. P., Yong M. & Gutiérrez A. (2005). Guide to the Freshwater Molluscs of Cuba. ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany.