Otala punctata (OF Muller, 1774) (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Italy

2011·5 MB·Lingala

by  Willy De Mattia

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SociedadEspañoladeMalacologla Iberas, 29 (1): 39-46, 2011
Otala punctata (O.F. Müller, 1774) (Stylommatophora:
Helicidae) in Italy
Otalapunctata (O.F. Müller, 1774) (Stylommatophora: Helicidae)
en Italia
Willy DE MATTIA* and Francesco MASCIA**1
Recibidoel2-X-2010.Aceptadoel24-III-201
ABSTRACT
A living population of Otala punctata (O.F. Müller, 1774) has been found for the first time
¡n Sardinia, Italy. In the island the species was previously recorded by several authors, but
only finding badly preserved shells, often considered of doubtful origin. An anatomical
and conchological description is given, and a comparison with other populations of the
species and O. lactea (Müller, 1774) from the W-Med¡térranean región is carried out. The
species distribution is limited to a Coastal sector of NW-Sardinia characterized by Mediter-
ranean maquis and rural environments. Conservation status of the population is discussed,
and its presumable origin from the Iberian península through active human transportation
is proposed.
RESUMEN
Una población viva de Otala punctata (O.F. Müller, 1774) se ha encontrado por primera
vez en Cerdeña, Italia. Existen citas anteriores por parte de varios autores, pero sólo
basadas en conchas mal conservadas y a menudo de procedencia dudosa. Se hace una
descripción anatómica y conquiliológica, y se compara con otras poblaciones de la espe-
cie y con O. lactea (Müller, 1774) de la región W-Mediterráneo. La distribución de la
especie se limita a un sector costero del noroeste de Cerdeña, un medio rural caracteri-
zado por matorral mediterráneo. Se examina el estado de conservación de la población
y se sugiere su presumible origen desde de la península Ibérica a través de transporte
antrópico.
INTRODUCTION
In Italy O. punctata was recorded for served shells only and no living speci-
the first time (as Archelix apalopena men was ever found. Paulucci (1886)
(Bourguignat, 1867))by Malatestaand reported O. lactea (Müller, 1774) from
Settepassi (1954) from Alghero (N-W the Tuscan Archipelago (Argentarola
Sardinia). Its presence in the same area island). This record, based on a single,
has been confirmed later by Carrada, badly preserved shell, could be referred
Parisi and Sacchi (1967). Significantly, to O. punctata, but Eobania vermiculata
both papers reported finding badly pre- (O.F. Müller, 1774) cannot be excluded
*ViadiMonteSanGiovanni 8,I34147Muggia,Italy;[email protected]
**ViaOresteSalomone32, I 09030Elmas, Italy;[email protected]
1 Correspondingauthor
39
Iberus, 29 (1), 2011
(Giusti, 1976; Bodon, Favilli, Giusti 2009). The aim of this work is to clarify
andManganelli, 1995). theStatusofOtalapunctatainSardinia.
O. punctata has a Western-Mediter-
ranean distribution. Itis found innorth-
west Algeria, eastern Spain and the MATERIALAND METHODS
Baleares, south-western France and
Malta (Falkner, 1990; Clanzig and The snails were killed in water and
Bertrand, 2001; Falkner, Ripken, and then fixed in 75% ethanol. Bodies were
Falkner, 2002; Barbaraand Schembri, isolatedfromtheshellandthendissected
2008). The species is widely raised in underanopticalmicroscope.Anatomical
heliciculture and thus presen! also in details were drawn using a camera
North and South America, and South lucida. Empty shells were measured
Africa (Herbert and Sirgel, 2001; (n=20 for each population). The material
Cowie, Dillon, Robinson and Smith, iskeptinthecollectionsoftheAuthors.
RESULTS
Otala punctata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
—
Materialexamined [dsp, dissectedspecimen(s)]. Italy:Sardinia,Alghero,SorgenteLuCantar,
40°32' 18"N8o19'30"E,30malt.,07.ii.2008,3dsp.F.Mascialeg.;Sardinia,Alghero,CalaBona,
20malt.,40°32'40"N8°19'20"E,07.ii.2008,2dsp.F.Mascialeg.;Malta:Mosta,80malt.,35°54'
34" N 14°25' 05" E, 17. i. 2010, 2 dsp, N. Barbaraleg. Spain, Málaga, ElTarajal,30malt., 36° 70'
20"N4o50'23"E, 12.xi.2008,2dsp.,J.S.Torresleg.
Shell (Figs 9-10): The protoconch is Sometimes the main bands abruptly
dark violet-brown to dark brown. The fade becoming barely visible and the
teleoconch is thick and robust, globose shell becomes almost uniformly creamy
to subglobose, conical above and convex in colour. The polished external surface
below. There are up to 5 main, dark shows irregular, fine growth lines and
brown to light brown, variably wide very fine, dense spiral lines. The spire is
bands, which are fused with a superim- conical and not much raised with 4-5
posed pattern of whitish reticulation. regularly growing whorls. The last
(Rightpage) Figures 1-3. Otalapunctata (O.F. Müller, 1774). Italy: Sardinia,Alghero, SorgenteLu
Cantar. 1, 3: genitalia (ovotestis excluded); 2: inner walls ofatrium and penis. Abbreviations, A:
atrium; AG: albumen gland; BC: bursa copulatrix; BCD: diverticulum ofthe bursa copulatrix;
BW: body wall; CLS: crest-like structure; DBC: duct ofthe bursa copulatrix; DG: digitiform
glands; DP: distal penis; DS: dartsac; dsp: dissectedspecimen[sj; DV: distalvagina; E: epiphallus;
F: flagellum; FHD: First hermaphrodite duct; FO: free oviduct; G: glans or penial papilla; PP:
proximal penis; PPP: pseudo-penial papilla; PR: penial retractor muscle; PSP: pilaster-shaped
pleat; PV: proximal vagina; PW: penial wall; TLS tongue-like structure; UOS: uterine ovisper-
miduct;VD: vasdeferens.
(Páginaderecha)Figuras 1-3. Otalapunctata (O.F.Müller, 1774). Italia: Cerdeña,Alghero, Sorgente
Lu Cantar. 1, 3: órganosgenitals (ovotestisexeludo);2:paredesinternasdelatrioydelpene. Abreviatu-
ras, A: atrio;AG:glándula delalbumen ; BC: bursa copulatrix; BCD: divertículo de la bursa copula-
trix; BW:pareddelcuerpo; CLS: estructura enforma de cresta; DBC: conduto de la bursa copulatrix;
DG:glándulas digitiformes; DP:penedistal; DS: saco deldardo; DV: vagina distal; E: epifalo; F:
flagelo; FHD:primerconducto hermafrodita; FO: oviducto libre; G:glans opapilapenial; PP:pene
proximal; PPP: papillapseudo-penial; PR: músculo retractorpenial; PSP:pliegueenforma depilas-
tra; PV: vaginaproximal; PW:pareddelpene; TLSestructura linguiforme; UOS: oviespermiducto
uterino; VD: vasdeferens.
40
DeMattiaAND Mascla.: Otalapunctata (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Italy
BW^
A
DV
mm
2
DS
PP.
41
Iberus, 29 (1), 2011
Figures 4-6. Otalapunctata (O.F. Müller, 1774). 4: Spain, Málaga, El Tarajal, genitalia (ovotestis
excluded); 5, 6: Malta, Mosta; 5: genitalia (ovotestisexcluded); 6: innerwallsofatriumandpenis.
Figures 4-6. Otala punctata (O.F.Müller, 1774). 4: España, Málaga, El Tarajal, genitalia (ovotestis
excluido);5, 6:Malta, Mosta;5:genitalia (ovotestisexcluido); 6:paredesinternasdelatrioydelpene.
42
DeMATTIAAND MASCIA: Otalapunctata (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Italy
Figure7. Otalalactea(Müller, 1774). Spain,Menorca,Mahon, genitalia(ovotestisexcluded).
Figura7. Otalalactea(Müller, 1774). España,Menorca,Mahón, órganosgenitales(ovotestisexcluido).
whorlisverylarge (70% ofshellheight), copulatory (5-7 mm) duct divides into a
well rounded and markedly descending diverticulum ofbursa copulatrix and a
where approaching the aperture. The duct ofbursa copulatrix. Diverticulum
sutures are moderately deep and the and duct have almost the same length.
umbilicus is closed. The aperture is The bursa copulatrix is usually oval or
markedly oblique and oval. The peris- round. The vagina enters the atrium
toma is interrupted, thick and reflected side by side with the penis. A moder-
and is whitish in colour. A columellar ately short (8-10 mm) penial flagellum
tooth, more or less evident, is often arises where the vas deferens enters the
present. The columellarpartofaperture, penial complex. A rather short epiphal-
palatum and parietum are always dark lus (6-8-mm) enters the penis (8-10 mm)
brownincolour. where the penial retractor meets the
Diagnostic characters ofgenitalia (Figs penial wall. The penis has a proximal
1-6): Proximal part of the vagina with widened portion (almost twice as long
two digitiform glands. Each gland con- as the distal) and enveloped in a thin
sists of a short base which bifurcates penialsheath. Theshortpenial papillais
into three or four main branches. Each surrounded by a solid and longpseudo-
main branch gives rise to numerous penialpapillawithagroovedsurface.
long digitiform appendices. A single, Dimensions of Sardinian specimens:
mm
verylarge dart-sacenters aboutmidway Shell diameter: 29 ± 1.7 (range: TI -
along the vagina. The dart-sac contains 32 mm) Shell height: 18 ± 1.1 mm
a single, straight long dart with four (range: 16-20 mm) (average valué ±
lateral wings and a spear-like head; it standarddeviation).
opensinto thevagina with a tongue-like Anatomical and conchologicalinves-
structure.Alongtheinnerwallofvagina tigation allowed to easily distinguish
there is a huge pilaster-shaped pleat Otala punctata from O. lactea (Müller,
which reaches the large crest-like struc- 1774) and Eobania vermiculata. Otala
ture in the atrium. A moderately short lactea has asmaller shell (average diam-
43
Iberus, 29 (1), 2011
Figure8. DistributionofOtalapunctata(Müller, 1774) inSardinia, Italy.
Figura8. Distribuciónde Otalapunctata (Müller, 1774) enCerdeña, Italia.
eter of 20 mm) and the inner part of the Southern rocky shore area of the town
aperture (peristome, parietum and (Fig. 8), from sea level to 40 meters in
palatum) is uniformly dark brown in altitude. Population cover an area of
colour (Fig. 11). E.vermiculata has a spire approximately0.4km2. Inthe same area,
somewhatmore elongated and the inner the population density of Eobania ver-
partofthe aperture is uniformly creamy miculata (O.F. Müller, 1774) and Cornu
white in colour (Bodon et al., 1995). aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774) is markedly
Eobania vermiculata and O. ladea can be higherthanthatofO. punctata. This area
easily distinguished from O. punctata by belongs to the Mediterranean upper
the anatomy of the genitalia. Eobania thermomediterranean thermotype (Bac-
vermiculata has a much longer flagellum CHETTA, BAGELLA, BlONDI, FARRIS AND
and vagina, while the free oviduct is Filigheddu, 2009). Geologically the area
markedly shorter. The diverticulum of is characterized by marine and conti-
the bursa copulatrix is 6-10 times longer nental Quaternary deposits (Barca,
than the duct of bursa copulatrix. On Carmignani, Oggiano, Pertusat, Sal-
the distal penis, a slender false penial VADORI, CONTI, ELTRUDIS, FUNEDDAAND
papillais present, which originates from Pasci, 1996) and is mainly covered by
the penial wall and does not surround Mediterranean Coastal maquis, belong-
the penial papilla. Otala ladea can be ing to the western-Sardinian, calcicole,
distinguished mainly in virtue of the thermomediterranean Chamaerops
much longer epiphallus and penial fla- humilis-Juniperetum turbinatae (Bac-
gellum (Fig. 7). CHETTA ETAL., 2009; BlONDI, FlLIGHEDDU
The present investigation allows us and Farris, 2001; Blasi, Angius and
to confirm the presence of O. pundata in Bacchetta, 2009). Mediterranean
Italy. The species occurs exclusively in Coastal maquis alternates with rural
the Southern surroundings of the town landscape principally represented by
ofAlghero (Sassari, Sardinia), along the grazingfieldsandcultivated lands.
44
DeMattiaAND MASCIA: Otalapunctata (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Italy
Figures. 9-11. Shells ofOtalaspp. 9-10, Otalapunctata (O.F. Müller, 1774). 9: Sardinia,Alghero,
Sorgente Lu Cantar; 10: Spain, Málaga, El Tarajal; 11: Otala lactea (Müller, 1774), Spain,
Menorca, Mahon.
Figures. 9-11. Shells ofOtala spp. 9-10, Otala punctata (O.F. Müller, 1774). 9: Cerdeña, Alghero,
Sorgente Lu Cantar; 10: España, Málaga, El Tarajal; 11: Otala lactea (Müller, 1774), España,
Menorca,Mahón.
DISCUSSION Most probably O. punctata is not
autochthonous to Sardinia. The intro-
Carrada etal. (1967) stressed the duction of O. punctata could be referred
presence of fossil shells of O. punctata in to the Aragonese occupation during the
travertinesfromAlgherobutthishasnot 14th. The traditional local denomination
beenconfirmed.Preliminaryfieldresearch of this species, which is "Caragol
revealed that in the surroundings of español" (Spanish snail), could support
Alghero,quaternarydepositsdonotshow thehypothesis. Nowadays snail farming
the presence of O. punctata. Baldino, is a common practice in Sardinia, but
Carenti,Grassi,Orgolesu,Secchiand not in the surroundings ofAlghero. In
Wilkens (2008) and Wilkens (2004) did the island O. punctata and O. lactea were
notcitethespeciesfromthearchaeologi- commonly used for heliciculture in the
cal sites of north-western Sardinia. Also past,butlessfrequentlyatpresent.
Paulucci (1882) did no mentions for O. The population of O. punctata shows
punctatainSardinia. a very low density of specimens which
45
Iberus, 29 (1), 2011
couldbereferredtoitsalienorigin.Prob- investigations are actually inprogress in
ablyafeedingcompetitionoccurswiththe ordertoclarifytheoriginoftheSardinian
nativesyntopicHelicidaespecies,suchas populationofO. punctata.
Cantareusapertus(Born,1778),Cornuasper-
sión (O.F. Müller, 1774) and Eobania ver-
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
miculata (O.F. Müller, 1774). Moreover,
becauseofitsculinaryinterest,thespecies
isfrequentlycollectedbypeople.Thevery The Authors are grateful to N.
limiteddistributionofO.punctataisaclear Barbara, P. Schembri (Zabbar, Malta)
riskfactor. Destruction ofhabitatby city and J.S. Torres (Málaga, Spain) for pro-
expansión,mostlyrelatedtotourismfacil- viding alcohol-preserved material and
ity developmentand collectingas afood E. Zallot (Monster, Holland) for advice
item represent the main threats. Further and critical comments.
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