Tag Archives: Tunisia

Mercuria globulina (Letourneux & Bourguignat)

Globule Mercuria Snail (Mercuria globulina)

The Globule Mercuria Snail was described in 1887, it is or was restricted to the central- and eastern parts of the Tell Atlas of Algeria and Tunisia. 

The shells reach sizes of about 0,25 to 0,3 cm in length. [1]

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I personally do not know now if it is indeed extinct, however, the species apparently has not been seen since the 19th century, was not found during recent surveys, and its name appears in lists of extinct molluscs.

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References:

[1] Peter Glöer; Slimane Bouzid; Hans D. Boeters: Revision of the genera Pseudamnicola Paulucci 1878 and Mercuria Boeters 1971 from Algeria with particular emphasis on museum collections. Archiv für Molluskenkunde 139(1): 1-22. 2010

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edited: 05.05.2019

Pseudamnicola oudrefica (Letourneux & Bourguignat)

Oudhref Pseudamnicola Snail (Pseudamnicola oudrefica)

The Oudhref Pseudamnicola Snail was described in 1887, it was apparently restricted to a place somewhere near the village of Oudhref in the Gabès Governorate, Tunisia.

This species has not been found since the 19th century and is now extinct.

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I could not find any other information about this species so far, it appears that no one really cares for molluscs, let alone small to tiny ones.

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edited: 05.05.2019

Pseudamnicola latasteana Letourneux & Bourguignat

Oasis Pseudamnicola Snail (Pseudamnicola latasteana)

This species was described in 1887 based on specimens that had been collected in a oasis in Tunisia (?), it was not found since and is considered extinct. 

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Unfortunately I could not find out any more information up to now.

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edited: 05.05.2019

Bythinella limnopsis Letourneux & Bourguignat

Kairouan Spring Snail (Bythinella limnopsis)  

This species, whose taxonomical classification cannot be completely resolved, was found only at two places in Tunisia, in several springs near the town of Qairawan, as well as in the basin of an ancient Roman Spring Sanctuary near the town of Zaghouan.  

The species was last seen in 1887, and has not been found since, despite several surveys, and is now considered extinct.  

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edited: 04.11.2017

Bythinella mauritanica Letourneux & Bourguignat

Temple Spring Snail (Bythinella mauritanica 

The Temple Spring Snail species was found only once in the year 1887, in the basin of an ancient Roman Spring Sanctuary near the town of Zaghouan in Tunisia.  

Because it was never found again, the species is now considered extinct.  

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edited: 04.11.2017

Pseudamnicola doumeti Letourneux & Bourguignat

Doumets Pseudamnicola Snail (Pseudamnicola doumeti)

Doumets Pseudamnicola Snail was described in 1887, it was restricted to a single locality in Tunisia.

The species has not been found since the 19th century and is apparently extinct.

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Unfortunately I could not trace any further information about this species up to now.

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edited: 05.05.2019

Bythinella microcochlia Letourneux & Bourguignat

Dwarf Spring Snail (Bythinella microcochlia)  

This species was found only once at the end of the 19th century near the town of Oudref in the Gabès Governorate in Tunisia.  

Searches in the 70s of the 20th century failed to find any specimens, and the species is considered extinct since then.  

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edited: 04.11.2017

Pseudamnicola singularis Letourneux & Bourguignat

Singular Pseudamnicola Snail (Pseudamnicola singularis)

The Singular Pseudamnicola Snail was described in 1887, it was apparently restricted to two localities; one somewhere near the village of Oudhref and the second one near Gabès, the capital city of the Gabès Governorate, both in Tunisia.

The species was never found again since its description and appears to be extinct. 

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edited: 05.05.2019

Bythinella punica (Letourneux & Bourguignat)

Scarlet Spring Snail (Bythinella punica 

The Scarlet Spring Snail inhabited springs near the city of Enfidaville in the Sousse Governorate, Tunisia, a habitat that no longer exists.  

The last living members of this species were found at the end of the 19th century.  

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It is possible, however, that this species is identical with the likewise extinct Kairouan Spring Snail (Bythinella limnopsis Letourneux & Bourguignat).  

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Another tiny spring-snail species whose name appears in several lists of extinct molluscs (Mercuria punica (Letourneux & Bourguignat)) very likely is identical with this species, but if it indeed turns out to be valid however, it must be placed in a different family (Hydrobiidae). [1]

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References:

[1] Peter Glöer; Hans D. Boeters; Frank Walther: Species of the genus Mercuria Boeters, 1971 (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloides: Hydrobiidae) from the European Mediterranean region, Morocco and Madeira, with descriptions of new species. Folia Malacologica 23(4): 279-291. 2015

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edited: 05.05.2019