World Congress of Malacology Antwerp ... - Unitas Malacologica

and I. rositai. Besides, their phylogenetic relationships with the larger forms of the genus (I.
alonensis, I. campesinus, I. carthaginiensis, I gualtieranus, and related species) were also evaluated.
Both gene fragments showed phylogenetic concordance. COI showed faster evolving sequences than
16S and was fully protein-coding with no insertions or deletions. 16S rRNA was more informative
than COI in the resolution of the basal nodes. Both individual and combined analyses of the two
genes showed five Molecularly defined Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs). They were
genetically unique lineages with allopatric distribution and considered to have fully-species status.
Further subdivisions were also considered. Shell morphology was suitable for delimiting species, but
several incongruences between morphology and mtDNA phylogeny were observed. Spatial patterns
of sequence divergence, life habits and shell morphology provided important information to conclude
that keeled-flat shells have originated several times independently within Iberus and they represent a
case of similar shell adaptation to karstic arid environment.
This work has been financed by the Basque Country University (Project GIU06/09), by the Regional
Ministry of the Environment, Junta of Andalusia (“Program for conservation and sustainable snail
exploitation in Andalusia) and by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Project REN2001-0049 /
GLO).
Inherited flesh colour in edible snails
Elmslie, Leslie J.
Via Orti Gianicolensi 5, 00152 Rome, Italy,
Email: lelmslie@pelagus.it
Consumers of edible snails often have preferences for or against a particular fllesh colour. In Europe,
the white fleshed Burgundy Snail, Helix pomatia is highly esteemed, while other closely related
species and strains with a grey or brown flesh colour are less appreciated by the market.
Bulgaria exports Helix snails, collected from the wild in spring. The H.pomatia are typically rather
grey in flesh colour, whereas the Helix lucorum are typically unappealing shades of dark brown.
A small supply of adult snails was received from north-west Bulgaria with shells typical of
H.lucorum but white to pale grey flesh colour. It was suggested that a strain developed from these
would be very suitable for snail farming, with the “farmability” of H.lucorum but the preferred flesh
colour of H.pomatia. The adults of the initial supply were allowed to mate freely in field pens and
produced offspring (F1) with flesh colours ranging from white to mid brown. In 2006 a selection of
sub-adult white-fleshed F1 was transferred to a new pen and a selection of brown-fleshed ones to a
different pen. Examining the resulting F2 juveniles in spring 2007, it was easy to distinguish brown-
from white-fleshed individuals. White-fleshed F1 parents had produced a great majority of whitefleshed
F2 juveniles, but with a minority of brown-fleshed ones. Vice-versa, brown-fleshed F1
parents produced a majority of brown-fleshed juveniles, with a minority of white-fleshed ones.
Separately, a small number of snails with a much whiter shell colour were noted among the F2
juveniles. Most of these were white-fleshed from white-fleshed F1, but with smaller numbers of all
other combinations.
Impacts of three seasonal soil management regimes on slug abundance and slug damage to
oilseed rape
El Titi, Adel
The Agricultural Technology Centre Augustenberg, The Stuttgart Branch, Reinsburgstrasse 107,
70197 Stuttgart, Germany
Email: adel.eltiti@ltz.bwl.de
Soil conservation management is increasingly enjoying a worldwide appreciation in arablefarming.
Erosion control, cost reductions for farm machinery & labour, improvement of soil physical
properties, conservation of water and enhancement of soil beneficial organisms are some of the wide-
57