Anatomical, morphological, and ecological notes on captive-bred Lissachatina Immaculata (Lamarck, 1822) (Gastropoda : Achatinidae), deliberately released into a central Mediterranean ecosystem

Abstract

The first occurrence of a ‘giant’ African land snail, Lissachatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822), is hereby reported from a riparian ecosystem in the north-east of the island of Malta (central Mediterranean), through a collection of individuals in different stages of growth made in 2019. Monitoring of this site throughout the span of six years did not result in any subsequent finds; however, environmental management considerations are forwarded within this study to mitigate the establishment of yet another non-indigenous terrestrial pest species within the heavily bioinvaded Maltese Islands. The present species can be differentiated from confamilials and congeners through a combination of conchological and anatomical features, including a tiny protoconch, a patch of reddish colouration on the body whorl, and a loop emerging from the distal termination of the penial sheath.