Dear Sophie,
Here are my first comments.
-Godan: maybe there is a locality by that name somewhere in the world, but
in the malacological world Godan means Prof. Dora Godan, author of the book
Pest slugs and snails - Biology and Control. 445 pp. published by
Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York in 1983. In fact it is an
extended translation of her German book published under the title
"Schadschnecken" by Ulmer, Stuttgart in 1979.
-Saudi Arabia: the only record of Theba pisana from Saudi Arabia goes back
to: Abu Yaman, I.K., 1966. Insect pests of Saudi Arabia. Zeitschrift fuer
angwandte Entomologie, 58: 266-278. He mentioned it as a pest of date palms
and citrus in the Najd region. However, this record has never been confirmed
and was most probably based on a misidentification of an other Helicid
species. Noteworthy is the fact that it is not mentioned in the extensive
paper by: Neubert, E., 1998. Annotated checklist of the terrestrial and
freshwater molluscs of the Arabian Peninsula with descriptions of new
species. Fauna of Arabia, 17: 333-461.
-An extensive bibliography concerning Theba pisana up to 1992 has been
published by: Bar, Z. & Mienis, H.K., 1993. Theba pisana (Mueller, 1774) A
bibliography of a world wide snail pest in garden and orchard and means of
its control (1774-1988). Levantina, 75: 1-34; and Bar, Z. & Mienis, H.K.,
1993. ibidem (First supplement). Levantina, 76: 7-13. The latter covers
titles not mentioned in the first list and additions up till 1992.
Altogether 446 titles are listed and indexed. I have still several spare
copies left for those who really needs it copy of it.
Best regards,
Henk K. Mienis
National Mollusc Collection
Dept. Evolution, Systematics & Ecology
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
IL-91904 Jerusalem, Israel
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: sophiev <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2001 7:05 PM
Subject: Theba pisana


> Hello,
>
> May I forward a question from Sylvain from France ? He's preparing a
> paper on Theba pisana and would like to have confirmation of the
> following :
>
> Theba pisana has been introduced in California at the beginning of
> last century but it is now officially eradicated : is it right ?
> Is it possible to find it anywhere else in the States ?
>
> Sylvain thinks Theba pisana did exist in New Zealand but cannot find
> any paper which can confirm that. Do you know any ?
>
> He suspects the specie's geographical range includes :
> - Mediterranean costs
> - Atlantic coasts from Morocco to Netherlands.
> - North Atlantic Islands : England, Ireland, The Azore, Madeira,
> Bermuda, Green Cape Islands, The Canaries, Salvages (???)
> - Switzerland
> - Saudi Arabian oasis
> - Australia
> - South Africa
> - Godan ? do you know where is this place ?
>
> Any information will be welcome !
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Sophie