Vol. 15(2): 49–58 CHECKLIST OF THE MOLLUSCS (MOLLUSCA) OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC TOMÁŠ ÈEJKA*, LIBOR DVOØÁK, MICHAL HORSÁK, JOZEF ŠTEFFEK *Correspondence: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-84506 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (e-mail: [email protected]) ABSTRACT: The checklist of 245 mollusc species known so far from the Slovak Republic is presented, plus 11 species limited to greenhouses or thermal waters. Critical comments on species erroneously mentioned in re- cent publications from Slovakia are included. KEY WORDS: Mollusca, checklist, Slovak Republic INTRODUCTION Research of Slovak molluscs started at the begin- cal evaluation of the previously published checklists ning of the 20th century (CSIKI 1918). In the first half (BANK et al. 2001, ŠTEFFEK &GREGO 2002). We deci- of the 20th century J. F. BABOR and later also his col- ded to use the monograph Molluscs of Slovakia (LI- league J. PETRBOK worked on the Slovak malaco- SICKÝ 1991) as the most suitable baseline because it fauna. Unfortunately their publications were not sys- contains the most recent reliable list of Slovak tematic and especially not critical enough, resulting molluscs. Therefore the original literature sources in erroneous records of some mollusc species in Slo- are given for all the species first recorded in the Slo- vakia (LISICKÝ 1991). The situation changed after vak Republic after 1982. World War II. The work of the new generation of The checklist of Slovak molluscs published by ŠTEF- malacologists resulted in a reliable knowledge about FEK &GREGO (2002) has several shortcomings. The the fauna. The entire research was dominated by the authors uncritically adopted many taxa from the work of V. LOZEK, who critically and systematically CLECOM List (BANK et al. 2001), though several of the evaluated Slovak molluscan fauna for the first time species do not occur in Slovakia and/or their occur- (LOZEK 1956). He also stimulated and indirectly man- rence has not been confirmed, revised or their records aged the work of other Czech (J. BRABENEC, S. MÁ- have not been published yet (see next chapter). On CHA, I. FLASAR, V. HUDEC) and upcoming Slovak the other hand, the following Slovak species were miss- malacozoologists (L. KALAŠ, M. J. LISICKÝ, J. ŠTEFFEK, ing from their list: Theodoxus fluviatilis (L.), Deroceras V. LUÈIVJANSKÁ-KROUPOVÁ, T. ÈEJKA). The Slovak ma- panormitanum (Lessona et Pollonera), Sphaerium lacological research, initially focused on faunistics, solidum (Normand) and Corbicula fluminea (Müll.). The now extended to include zoocoenological surveys or authors did not consider the taxonomic revisions of monographs (KROUPOVÁ 1977, ŠTEFFEK 1978). LISIC- the genus Alzoniella (BERAN &HORSÁK 2001) and the KÝ (1991) was the first to compile a synthetic mono- family Succineidae, and thus used junior synonyms graph of the Slovak molluscan fauna. When examin- (FALKNER et al. 2002). Furthermore, they listed green- ing several collections he realised that for the sake of house alien species and those living in the wild without reliability, it would be advisable to limit the study to a clear distinction. Non-native, exclusively greenhouse post-war collections. He verified and processed al- immigrants are usually listed separately, in order to most all published and collection data from prevent misrepresentation, for example when compar- 1945–1982. ing species spectra of the regional checklists. The The aims of this checklist are: (1) updating and authors listed subspecies which is often redundant and supplementing the list of Slovak molluscs and (2) criti- misleading. Finally, they included also problematic 50 Tomáš Èejka, Libor Dvoøák, Michal Horsák, Jozef Šteffek taxa in their list, which is not a commonly accepted Eucobresia diaphana (Draparnaud, 1805) – a single practice, especially when they are not classified at the specimen was found by V. LOZEK (LOZEK &ŠTEF- species level, e.g. Hauffenia sp., Bythiospeum cf. FEK 1989). Despite repeated visits to the locality, oshanovae (L. Pintér, 1968) etc. Some comments on no other individuals have been found; it is likely such species are provided below. that LOZEK’S specimen came from another locality Cochlicopa repentina Hudec, 1960 – based on the re- and was misplaced accidentally. sults of allozyme analysis C. repentina is not a separ- Vallonia declivis Sterki, 1893 – V. LOZEK found only ate species, but a form of C. lubrica (ARMBRUSTER one recent specimen at the bank of the Danube &SCHLEGEL 1994). river; it is possible that the specimen was washed Bythiospeum cf. oshanovae –ŠTEFFEK (1979) found it in down from the upper stretch of the river. Its occur- flood debris of the Danube river as a single empty rence in Slovakia is very unlikely. shell; live individuals have not been found to date. On the basis of a critical revision from 2006, the Hauffenia sp. – the genus is taxonomically problematic; list of Slovak molluscs comprises 245 native and natu- there exists material of recent, preserved individ- ralised species known as living populations from the uals in private collections (V. KOŠEL, J. ŠTEFFEK), territory of Slovakia (excluding non-native species though the species has not been described yet. restricted to greenhouses and species living in ther- Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841) – the species has not mal waters); of these 217 species (88.5%) are gastro- been recorded from Slovakia to date, and its ap- pods (52 freshwater) and 28 (11.5%) are bivalves. pearance in this country in the future is unlikely. The native and naturalised molluscs of Slovakia were Holandriana holandrii (C. Pfeffer, 1828) – one speci- divided into 10 main groups and 33 subgroups on men was found by V. LUÈIVJANSKÁ in 1991 (see the basis of their ecological requirements (LISICKÝ ŠTEFFEK 1996). The species is excluded from the 1991). The majority of terrestrial gastropods are present checklist, considering its accidental intro- woodland species sensu lato (55%), followed by duction. Subsequent malacological surveys in euryoecious and steppe species s. l. (both 10%), the 1994–2006 did not confirm its presence. remaining species represent other ecological groups Lindholmiola corcyrensis (Férussac, 1839) – ŠTEFFEK (see Fig. 1). (1982) found an old empty shell in the flood de- bris of the Danube river between the Kravany n. Dunajom and Moèa. The species is excluded from the present list for the same reasons as Holandriana holandrii (see above). Oxyloma dunkeri (L. Pfeiffer, 1865) – the species has been synonymised with O. elegans (FALKNER et al. 2002). Limax bielzii Seibert, 1874 – the species does not oc- cur in Slovakia. All records of J. BRABENEC and V. HUDEC have been revised by A. WIKTOR (Wroc- ³aw), and all have turned out to be Limax cinereo- niger (Wolf) (WIKTOR, pers. comm.). Moreover, the taxon may not be a valid species. Arion hortensis A. Férussac, 1819 – the species was for- merly believed to occur in all of Europe, then based on genital characters turned out to be a complex of three species of which Arion hortensis sensu stricto is distributed only in Western Europe. In Central Europe (including Slovakia) only Arion distinctus (Mabille) is found (DE WINTER 1984, BACKELJAU 1987). Fig. 1. Ecological groups of land gastropods in Slovakia (ac- Arion intermedius Normand, 1852 – the species does cording to LISICKÝ 1991, slightly modified by the not occur in Slovakia, the nearest records are in authors): EU – euryoecious species, HG – hygrophilous Silesia, Czech Republic (LISICKÝ 1991). species, PE – rock-dwelling species, PT – praticolous Stagnicola fuscus (C. Pfeiffer, 1821) and S. occultus (heliophilous) species, SIe – euryoecious woodland spe- (Jackiewicz, 1959) – both are West-European spe- cies, SIh – hygrophilous woodland species, SIs – cies, and their occurrence in Slovakia is unlikely. stenoecious woodland species, SIp – rock-dwelling Physella heterostropha (Say, 1817) – is a synonym of P. woodland species, SIth – shrub-dwelling species (thamnophilous), ST – steppe species, STp – steppe acuta (DILLON et al. 2002, WETHINGTON et al. rock-dwelling species, RP – polyhygropilous (ripico- 2003). lous) species, XC – xerophile species Checklist of the molluscs of the Slovak Republic 51 Fig. 2. Ecological groups of aquatic molluscs in Slovakia Fig. 3. Zoogeographical groups of molluscs in Slovakia (ac- (LISICKÝ 1991): Et – euryoecious species, FN – fonti- cording to LISICKÝ 1991) colous species, PD – paludicolous species, RV – rivi- colous (rheophilic) species, SG – stagnicolous species The freshwater species of Slovakia were divided into euryoecious (11%) and fonticolous species (8%) (Fig. five main groups: limnophilous (stagnicolous) species 2). From the zoogeographical point of view Palaearctic constitute the greatest proportion (36%), followed by (14%), European (13%), and Holarctic (11%) species rivicolous (rheophilous) (30%), paludicolous (15%), predominate (for details see Fig. 3). CHECKLIST Species living only in greenhouses Zonitoides arboreus (Say, 1816): FLASAR &KROUPOVÁ and thermal waters (1976)– it has been recorded in Hungary (KERNEY Melanoides tuberculatus (O. F. Müller, 1774): FLASAR & et al. 1983) and the Czech Republic (DVOØÁK & KROUPOVÁ (1976), MÁJSKY (2000), a prosperous KUPKA in press) and, like the previous species, may population of this tropical freshwater snail has spread outside greenhouses. been living for dozens of years in thermal waters in Pomacea bridgesii (Reeve, 1856) [= Ampullaria austra- Piešany (VARGA 1976) lis] – its yellow form was found by T. ÈEJKA