World Congress of Malacology Antwerp ... - Unitas Malacologica

fertilization as the predominant mating system. This result is consistent with the theory that
postcopulatory selection is a strong force in shaping reproductive morphology. However, our results
also suggest associations of spermatheca presence and complexity with several life-history traits
including body size, reproductive strategy (semelparity vs. iteroparity), reproductive mode (oviparity
vs. ovoviviparity), and with habitat type, indicating that these factors potentially also influence the
evolution of female reproductive morphology and should be taken into account in future studies of
reproductive trait divergence.
Testing the glacial refugia hypothesis in spring snails (Bythinella spp.)
Benke, Mandy 1 ; Brändle, Martin 2 ; Albrecht, Christian 1 ; Wilke, Thomas 1
1. Justus Liebig University, Dep. of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ,
D-35392 Giessen, Germany,
Email: mandy.benke@allzool.bio.uni-giessen.de; christian.albrecht@allzool.bio.uni-giessen.de;
tom.wilke@allzool.bio.uni-giessen.de
2. Phillipps University, Dep. of Animal Ecology, Karl-v.-Frisch Str.8, D-35032 Marburg, Germany,
Email: braendle@staff.uni-marburg.de
The Pleistocene period in general and the last glacial maximum in particular heavily affected the
distribution of European biota. The general perception is that with the regression of the ice shield,
central and northern Europe were (re-)colonized from three major Mediterranean refugia: the Iberian
Peninsula, northern Italy, and the Balkans. However, studies in fishes and crustaceans indicated that
several freshwater taxa, the dispersal routes of which are restricted to pathways offered by
hydrographic systems, survived the Pleistocene in refugia in northern and central parts of Europe.
Here, we investigate the European spring snail genus Bythinella (Caenogastropoda) relative to glacial
refugia and postglacial (re-)colonization routes. These microgastropods are restricted to low
temperate springs being classified as very cold stenotherm and exhibiting low dispersal capacities.
Phylogeographical relationships were assessed utilizing the mitochondrial COI gene for circumalpine
Bythinella spp. (250 specimens of 82 populations).
Phylogeographical analyses indicated major differences in the population structure of population
north vs. south of the Alps. Whereas northern population showed extremely low within- and between
population diversities, population from areas south, west and east of the Alps were much more divers.
Network and gene flow analyses indicated three distinct recolonization routes: one from the Pyrenees
(B. compressa, B. dunkeri, B. badensis), one from northern Italy and Croatia (B. bavarica), and one
from areas east of the Alps (B. austriaca).
Inventorying the molluscan fauna of the world - The role and impact of malacological serials
Bieler, Rüdiger
Department of Zoology (Invertebrates), Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, Illinois 60605-2496, USA,
Email: rbieler@fieldmuseum.org
Since the first molluscan journals appeared in the 1770s, the field of malacology has generated an
ever-increasing diversity of serials. These range from scientific journals that publish original research
articles intended as part of the permanent scientific record to newsletters of societal or local interest.
Counting major name changes, our field has spawned more than 500 such serial titles of which about
170 are currently active. It would seem that malacological serials thus publish the majority of
molluscan-related discoveries and species descriptions, but this is not (and never has been) the case.
As in most other fields of biology, today’s malacological publications are impacted by developments
and discussions concerning publication costs, peer review, electronic and open access, and last but
not least, comparative “impact factors” and citation indices.
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