Search

The north-west alpine distributed hairy snail Trochulus clandestinus (Hartmann, 1821) was recorded for the first time from Austria. Two living specimens were found in Vorarlberg 11 July 2016. The animals were subjected to genetic barcoding and their genital organs were dissected. The taxonomic situation within north-west alpine species of the genus Trochulus is not unambiguously resolved, but the assignment of the Austrian specimens as T. clandestinus is the most reliable at the current state of knowledge. The habitat of the Austrian location concurs with those of autochthonous populations in Switzerland. Nevertheless, for now it cannot be clearly stated whether the species settled in Vorarlberg directly after the end of the last glaciation or whether the current finding is a result of recent anthropogenic introduction.