Radiation of carnivorous Rhytididae in New Caledonia

New Caledonia is a group of islands in the southern Pacific belonging to France. Due to the geographical isolation of the island group, the fauna and flora of New Caledonia has a very high proportion of endemisms. In collaboration with Philippe Bouchet of the Paris Museum we investigate a hitherto barely known radiation of carnivorous snails belonging to Rhytididae from New Caledonia. Of the more than 50 species we have been able to delimit, not even half was known. We are also working on a revised delineation of the genera of New Caledonian Rhytididae. Based on the new findings on the systematics and distribution of the rhytidids and data on other snail groups, the factors that determine the distribution and the endemism of land snails on New Caledonia are analysed.

Doctoral thesis Anna Hessmann.

Hausdorf, B. 2013. Revision of the endemic genera Diplomphalus and Pseudomphalus from New Caledonia (Gastropoda: Rhytididae). – Zoosystema, 35 (1): 69–88.

Ouagapia and Ptychorhytida species from New Caledonia.

Radula with dagger-like teeth of a carnivorous Ptychorhytida species.

Of the more than 50 species we have been able to delimit, not even half was known. We are also working on a revised delineation of the genera of New Caledonian Rhytididae. Based on the new findings on the systematics and distribution of the rhytidids and data on other snail groups, the factors that determine the distribution and the endemism of land snails on New Caledonia are analysed.