List of molluscs of Botswana explained
Botswana molluscs[1] are represented by 63 native species (13 bivalves, 24 freshwater snails, 24 land snails and two slugs) and by four introduced species: Cornu aspersum, Lissachatina fulica, Physella acuta and Radix auricularia, which are potentially invasive and of economic concern. The majority of species occur in the regions of the Okavango Delta and the Chobe–Linyanti–Kwando river system along East Caprivi.
The list follows the alphabetical rather than systematic order, and originates from the latest checklist, which summarizes 170 years (1854–2023) of malacological studies in Botswana.[1]
Achatinidae
Common name: Tropical land snails, including Giant African land snails.
- Achatina ampullacea O. Boettger, 1910
- Achatina dammarensis L. Pfeiffer, 1870
- Achatina passargei E. von Martens, 1900
- Achatina schinziana Mousson, 1888
- Achatina smithii Craven, 1881
- Burtoa nilotica (L. Pfeiffer, 1861)
- Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822)
- Lissachatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822)
- Lubricetta subteres (O. Boettger, 1910)
- Opeas lineare (Krauss, 1848)
- Subulina vitrea (Mousson, 1888)
- Xerocerastus burchelli (J.E. Gray, 1834)
- Xerocerastus damarensis (H. Adams, 1870)
- Xerocerastus schultzei (O. Boettger, 1910)
Ampullariidae
Common name: Tropical/Apple snails
Bithyniidae
Common name: Mud freshwater snails
- Gabbiella kisalensis (Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927)
Bulinidae
Common name: Ram's horn snails
Burnupiidae
Common name: Pond snails
- Burnupia trapezoidea (O. Boettger, 1910)
Cochliopidae
Common name: Small freshwater snails
- Lobogenes michaelis Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927
Cyrenidae
Common name: Porcelain mussels
Ferussaciidae
Common name: Blind awl snails or pin snails
- Cecilioides gokweana (O. Böttger, 1870)
Gastrocoptidae
Common name: Minute land snails
Helicidae
Common name: Typical snails or helix garden snails
Iridinidae
Common name: Toothless River mussels
Lymnaeidae
Common name: Pond snails
Paludomidae
Common name: Trumpet freshwater snails
Physidae
Planorbidae
Common name: Ram's horn snails
Pupillidae
Common name: Minute land snails
- Pupilla tetrodus (O. Böttger, 1870)
- Pupoides calaharicus (O. Boettger, 1886)
Sphaeriidae
Common name: Orb mussels
- Euglesa viridaria (Kuiper, 1956)
- Eupera ferruginea (Krauss, 1848)
- Pisidium reticulatum Kuiper, 1966
- Sphaerium capense (Krauss, 1848)
- Sphaerium incomitatum (Kuiper, 1966)
Streptaxidae
Common name: Carnivorous land snails
- Gulella miniata (Krauss, 1848)
- Tayloria gwandaensis (Preston, 1912)
Succineidae
Common name: Amber snails
- Oxyloma patentissimum (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
- Succinea arboricola Connolly, 1912
- Succinea badia Morelet, 1867
- Succinea striata Krauss, 1848
Unionidae
Common name: Freshwater mussels
- Coelatura kunenensis (Mousson, 1888)
- Coelatura mossambicensis (E. von Martens, 1860)
- Unio caffer Krauss, 1848
Veronicellidae
Common name: Leather-back land slugs
Viviparidae
Common name: River snails
- Bellamya capillata (Frauenfeld, 1865)
Notes and References
- Rapalai, B.L.. An annotated checklist of molluscs recorded from Botswana. Indago. 2024. 41. 15–44. 10.5281/zenodo.13132605.
