The ?Trucatella I mentioned was from a road cutting near Sigatoka on a limestone outcrop and a long way from the coast. Much more strongly sculptured than most Truncatella. Geoff >From: Andrew Grebneff <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Asian tramp snail invade Sydney-FIJI >Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 08:46:38 +1300 > >>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 >________________________________ >I want your sinistral gastropods! >________________________________ >Opinions in this e-mail are my own, not those of my institution >_______________________________________________ >A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation. >Q: Why is top posting frowned upon? _________________________________________________________________ You could be a genius! Find out by taking the IQ Test 2003. $5.50 (incl GST). Click here http://sites.ninemsn.com.au/minisite/testaustralia/