NEW RECORDS OF NON-INDIGENOUS MOLLUSCS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN: TWO ENIGMATIC ALIEN GASTROPODS FROM THE TUSCAN ARCHIPELAGO (ITALY)

Two alien gastropod species, an assimineid and a succineid, were found in a plant nursery on Elba Island during field research aimed at gathering information on non-native terrestrial molluscs in the Tuscan Archipelago (central Italy). Neither species has been recorded in the Euro-Mediterranean area but their identification is not easy because of taxonomic uncertainty and the absence of a modern revision of these gastropod groups. Details of their anatomy are given for the first time and identification is attempted. The assimineid belongs to the Asian genus Solenomphala Martens 1883, but its specific identification could not be ascertained. The succineid is presumably an invasive species recorded from nurseries in North America, Hawaii and Australia, tentatively identified as Succinea tenella Morelet 1865. Both species were probably introduced with plants imported from tropical Asia. Since alien species are a potential threat to native biodiversity, their settlement in the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and other parts of Italy and Europe should be prevented.