Helix pronuba explained

Helix pronuba is a species of large, air-breathing land snail in the subfamily Helicinae of the family Helicidae.^[1]

Distribution

It is native to Tunisia, Libya and Egypt and introduced to Crete and Greece.

Description

It is characterized by a shell relatively small for the genus with dark brown margins of the shell aperture.^[2] In the local language of Crete these snails are sometimes called "barbarésos" or "bárbaros", which might suggest their origin in Barbaria (North Africa).^[3]

References

• Westerlund, C. A. &. Blanc, H. (1879). Aperçu sur la faune malacologique de la Grèce inclus l'Epire et la Thessalie. Coquilles extramarines. 161 pp. + errata (1 pp.), pl. 1-4
• Bank, R. A.; Neubert, E. (2017). Checklist of the land and freshwater Gastropoda of Europe. Last update: July 16, 2017
• Neubert, E. (2014). Revision of Helix Linnaeus, 1758 in its eastern Mediterranean distribution area, and reassignment of Helix godetiana Kobelt, 1878 to Maltzanella Hesse, 1917 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Helicidae). Contributions to Natural History, 26: 1–200. Bern

Notes and References

1. MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Helix pronuba Westerlund, 1879. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1050287 on 2023-05-18
2. Neubert . Eike . 2014 . Revision of Helix Linnaeus, 1758 in its eastern Mediterranean distribution area, and reassignment of Helix godetiana Kobelt, 1878 to Maltzanella Hesse, 1917 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Helicidae) . Contributions to Natural History . 26 . 1–200.
3. http://www.animalbase.uni-goettingen.de/zooweb/servlet/AnimalBase/home/species?id=1614 AnimalBase :: Helix nucula