>Andrew,
>I have also seen B similaris in Vanuatu New Caledonia, PNG, and Kandavu,
>Fiji.

It is uncommon (and smallish) in dry Nadi but large specimens are
abundant in Suva gardens, coming out during rains (which it does a
lot there).

Hey... if you have to have a pest, it's nice that it be a mollusc!

>Along the south coast of Viti LEvu a few years ago if you can find a patch
>of forest that is relatively undisturbed there are still the large "Nanina
>pfeifferi" (unsure of exact name) plus a few Helicinids

I did find Helicina at one locality, a bone-dry road-cutting under a
scrubby bush... all were buried.

>and Diplommatinids
>and ?Truncatella sp as well as those you mentioned.

Truncatella and a bunch of ellobiids are common around the high-tide
line, with Pythia scarabaeus above the tides.

>Alas no Placostylus
>anymore.

Supposedly these are still common in parts of Vanua Levu.

>I do not think the main Fiji islands were ever particularly diverse in there
>snail fauna.

Around damp Suva and in a dry tall forest inland of Nadi (Vaturu
Valley) I found 2spp of shellless "slugs" Laevicaulis, and also in
the Suva area that haliotiform helicarionid "slug" (possibly
Paarmella planata H Adams 1867.

Fiji is a lot better for fluvial & brackish species especially
neritids, which occur in many streams and all rivers. Ever seen a
bunch of Clithon  diadema? Spectacular!
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<[log in to unmask]>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
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I want your sinistral gastropods!
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Opinions in this e-mail are my own, not those of my institution
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