First Record and Southern Range Expansion of Rumina decollata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda: Subulinidae) in Iraq
Abstract
We provide the first confirmed record of the decollate snail, Rumina decollata, from Basrah City, southern Iraq. The specimens were obtained from a semi-urban garden habitat and identified using key morphological characteristics: the decollate (truncated) spire and the elongate, cylindrical shell. Morphometric analysis of 30 adult specimens revealed a mean shell length of 29.36 mm, a mean width of 10.77 mm, and a total mean weight of 1.87 g. This record extends the known distribution of R. decollata to the southernmost extent of Iraq and complements previous records from Diyala and the Middle Euphrates region. Rumina decollata has been introduced from the Mediterranean as a predatory species and a potentially invasive species, and may threaten the native land snail community structure. These data serve as a reminder to further monitor on a broader scale, conduct genetic analysis, and evaluate ecological risk assessment on pathways of introduction, establishment and potential impact across terrestrial ecosystems of Iraq.
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References
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