Taxonomic Key as A Simple Tool for Identifying and Determining the Abundant Terrestrial Snails in Egyptian Fields (Gastropoda, Pulmonata: Succineidae, Geomitridae, Helicidae, Hygromiidae)

Ali, Reham Fathey; Ramdane, Ramdini

doi:10.21608/eajbsz.2020.131063

Taxonomic Key as A Simple Tool for Identifying and Determining the Abundant Terrestrial Snails in Egyptian Fields (Gastropoda, Pulmonata: Succineidae, Geomitridae, Helicidae, Hygromiidae)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Reham Fathey Ali ¹
Ramdini Ramdane ²

¹ -Department of Zoology and Agricultural Nematology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, El – Gammaa St., 12613; Giza, Egypt.

² Dépar‌tement de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques et des Sciences Agronomiques, Université Mouloud Mammeri de Tizi-Ouzou, 15000, Algeria.

10.21608/eajbsz.2020.131063

Abstract

Terrestrial snail collection that had been recorded in Egyptian fields, gardens and nurseries are reviewed and described with a clear description, pictures, and taxonomic data in addition to shell morphological characters that provided for every species.
This study includes six terrestrial snails, Succinea (Amphibina) cleopatra (Pallary, 1909) (Succineidae), Cochlicella acuta (O. F. Müller, 1774), Xeropicta krynickii (Krynicki, 1833) (Geomitridae), Massylaea vermiculata (O.F. Müller 1774), Theba pisana (O. F. Müller, 1774) (Helicidae) and Monacha obstructa (L. Pfeiffer, 1842)(Hygromiidae) that are common to be observed in the Egyptian Agricultural fields. This report of land snail’s identification is based on the specimen’s shell morphology and their distribution through their activity season in multiple surveys whether through our research studies or previous research. This report is an attempt to deliver a comprehensive shell description and survey data of land snails as agricultural pests providing a well-defined taxonomic key to the species level. The taxonomical key can provide the growers with the essential data of identifying the land snail species that could be noticed in the crop fields, gardens, or ornamental plant nurseries.

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