Non marine molluscs of Monte Argentario [I molluschi terrestri e d'acqua dolce del Monte Argentario]

Knowledge about land and freshwater molluscs of Monte Argentario is quite limited: only 41 species are known from the literature. New research carried out between 2011 and 2015 and data previously collected by M. Bodon (Genua) and F. Giusti (Siena) increased the number to 64 species (9 freshwater and 55 land molluscs). The malacofauna of Monte Argentario generally has good conservation status and low xenodiversity. Only two sub-endemic snails (Oxychilus majori and Marmorana saxetana) can be considered species of conservation concern, since despite being locally common, their limited distribution represents a risk factor. All the other species show a variably wide distribution and are not globally threatened, though some are uncommon or rare on Monte Argentario. Freshwater species, such as Bythinella sp., Galba truncatula, Planorbis moquini and Ancylus fluviatilis are apparently very rare despite the availability of suitable aquatic environments. Some land species are extremely localized and may be limited to one or a few sites. Some of the latter are typical of mesophilic environments currently rare along the Tuscan coast and on the Tuscan Archipelago (Argna biplicata, Vertigo angustior, Vertigo pygmaea, Merdigera obscura, Clausilia cruciata and Euconulus fulvus) or are confined to particular habitats, such as garrigues on rocky calcareous outcrops (Rupestrella philippii and Marmorana saxetana).