Tracking Down the Endemic Land Snails of Trinidad & Tobago = A la búsqueda de los caracoles terrestres endémicos de Trinidad & Tobago

Rutherford, M. G. (2014) Tracking Down the Endemic Land Snails of Trinidad & Tobago = A la búsqueda de los caracoles terrestres endémicos de Trinidad & Tobago. VIII Caribbean Biodiversity Congress (CBDC), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 29 Jan - 02 Feb 2014.

Abstract

The terrestrial molluscs of Trinidad and Tobago were documented from the 1860s to the 1890s by researchers including T. Bland, R.J.L. Guppy and E.A. Smith. During the 20th century, however, there was very little work published and it was not until the invasive giant African land snail became a regional issue in the early 2000s that new surveys were conducted and published by D.G. Robinson, A. Fields and F.J. Zimmerman. They collected or found records of 66 species. This poster presents my main research aims - a complete species list for the islands and confirmation of which species are endemic to Trinidad and/or Tobago. Specimens were examined in museum collections in the U.K., U.S.A. and the Netherlands and on-line databases of other museums were checked for specimens. Sampling was conducted in various parts of the country and specimens identified using both DNA analysis and by comparison with voucher specimens. A total of 81 species from 29 families were identified as potentially being part of the fauna. Of these there were 15 possible endemics from 9 families. To confirm these species as endemics research will focus on collecting fresh specimens from Trinidad & Tobago for DNA analysis and comparing these with specimens from neighbouring Venezuela to see if they are distinct.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Rutherford, Mr Mike
• Authors: Rutherford, M. G.
• College/School: University Services > Library and Collection Services > Museum and Art Gallery

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