Botswana molluscs[1] are represented by 63 native species (13 bivalves, 24 freshwater snails, 24 land snails and two slugs) and by four introduced species: Cornu aspersum, Lissachatina fulica, Physella acuta and Radix auricularia, which are potentially invasive and of economic concern. The majority of species occur in the regions of the Okavango Delta and the Chobe–Linyanti–Kwando river system along East Caprivi.
The list follows the alphabetical rather than systematic order, and originates from the latest checklist, which summarizes 170 years (1854–2023) of malacological studies in Botswana.[1]
Achatinidae
editCommon name: Tropical land snails, including Giant African land snails.
- Achatina ampullacea O. Boettger, 1910
- Achatina dammarensis L. Pfeiffer, 1870
- Achatina passargei E. von Martens, 1900
- Achatina schinziana Mousson, 1888
- Achatina smithii Craven, 1881
- Burtoa nilotica (L. Pfeiffer, 1861)
- Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822)
- Lissachatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822)
- Lubricetta subteres (O. Boettger, 1910)
- Opeas lineare (Krauss, 1848)
- Subulina vitrea (Mousson, 1888)
- Xerocerastus burchelli (J.E. Gray, 1834)
- Xerocerastus damarensis (H. Adams, 1870)
- Xerocerastus schultzei (O. Boettger, 1910)
Ampullariidae
editCommon name: Tropical/Apple snails
- Lanistes ovum Troschel, 1845
- Pila occidentalis (Mousson, 1888)
- Pila wernei (R.A. Philippi, 1851)
Bithyniidae
editCommon name: Mud freshwater snails
- Gabbiella kisalensis (Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927)
Bulinidae
editCommon name: Ram's horn snails
- Bulinus africanus (Krauss, 1848)
- Bulinus depressus F. Haas, 1936
- Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866)
- Bulinus scalaris (Dunker, 1845)
- Bulinus tropicus (Krauss, 1848)
Burnupiidae
editCommon name: Pond snails
- Burnupia trapezoidea (O. Boettger, 1910)
Cochliopidae
editCommon name: Small freshwater snails
- Lobogenes michaelis Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927
Cyrenidae
editCommon name: Porcelain mussels
- Corbicula fluminalis (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Ferussaciidae
editCommon name: Blind awl snails or pin snails
- Cecilioides gokweana (O. Böttger, 1870)
Gastrocoptidae
editCommon name: Minute land snails
- Gastrocopta damarica (Ancey, 1888)
- Gastrocopta klunzingeri (Jickeli, 1873)
Helicidae
editCommon name: Typical snails or helix garden snails
- Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Iridinidae
editCommon name: Toothless River mussels
- Aspatharia subreniformis (G.B. Sowerby II, 1867)
- Chambardia petersi (E. von Martens, 1860)
- Chambardia wahlbergi (Krauss, 1848)
- Mutela zambesiensis Mandahl-Barth, 1988
Lymnaeidae
editCommon name: Pond snails
- Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Radix natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Paludomidae
editCommon name: Trumpet freshwater snails
- Cleopatra elata Dautzenberg & Germain, 1914
- Cleopatra nsendweensis Dupuis & Putzeys, 1901
- Melanoides tuberculata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
- Melanoides victoriae (Dohrn, 1865)
Physidae
edit- Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)
Planorbidae
editCommon name: Ram's horn snails
- Afrogyrorbis natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
- Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Krauss, 1848)
- Biomphalaria salinarum (Morelet, 1867)
- Gyraulus costulatus (Krauss, 1848)
- Hovorbis coretus (Blainville, 1826)
- Pettancylus victoriensis (B. Walker, 1912)
- Segmentorbis angustus (Jickeli, 1874)
Pupillidae
editCommon name: Minute land snails
- Pupilla tetrodus (O. Böttger, 1870)
- Pupoides calaharicus (O. Boettger, 1886)
Sphaeriidae
editCommon name: Orb mussels
- Euglesa viridaria (Kuiper, 1956)
- Eupera ferruginea (Krauss, 1848)
- Pisidium reticulatum Kuiper, 1966
- Sphaerium capense (Krauss, 1848)
- Sphaerium incomitatum (Kuiper, 1966)
Streptaxidae
editCommon name: Carnivorous land snails
- Gulella miniata (Krauss, 1848)
- Tayloria gwandaensis (Preston, 1912)
Succineidae
editCommon name: Amber snails
- Oxyloma patentissimum (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
- Succinea arboricola Connolly, 1912
- Succinea badia Morelet, 1867
- Succinea striata Krauss, 1848
Unionidae
editCommon name: Freshwater mussels
- Coelatura kunenensis (Mousson, 1888)
- Coelatura mossambicensis (E. von Martens, 1860)
- Unio caffer Krauss, 1848
Veronicellidae
editCommon name: Leather-back land slugs
- Laevicaulis alte (A. Férussac, 1822)
- Laevicaulis natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Viviparidae
editCommon name: River snails
- Bellamya capillata (Frauenfeld, 1865)
References
edit- ^ a b Rapalai, B.L. (2024). "An annotated checklist of molluscs recorded from Botswana". Indago. 41: 15–44. doi:10.5281/zenodo.13132605.