List of molluscs of Botswana
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
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]Common name: Tropical/Apple snails
- Lanistes ovum Troschel, 1845
- Pila occidentalis (Mousson, 1888)
- Pila wernei (R.A. Philippi, 1851)
Bithyniidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Mud freshwater snails
- Gabbiella kisalensis (Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927)
Bulinidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Ram's horn snails
- Bulinus africanus (Krauss, 1848)
- Bulinus depressus F. Haas, 1936
- Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866)
- Bulinus scalaris (Dunker, 1845)
- Bulinus tropicus (Krauss, 1848)
Burnupiidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Pond snails
- Burnupia trapezoidea (O. Boettger, 1910)
Cochliopidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Small freshwater snails
- Lobogenes michaelis Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927
Cyrenidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Porcelain mussels
- Corbicula fluminalis (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Ferussaciidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Blind awl snails or pin snails
- Cecilioides gokweana (O. Böttger, 1870)
Gastrocoptidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Minute land snails
- Gastrocopta damarica (Ancey, 1888)
- Gastrocopta klunzingeri (Jickeli, 1873)
Helicidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Typical snails or helix garden snails
- Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Iridinidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Toothless River mussels
- Aspatharia subreniformis (G.B. Sowerby II, 1867)
- Chambardia petersi (E. von Martens, 1860)
- Chambardia wahlbergi (Krauss, 1848)
- Mutela zambesiensis Mandahl-Barth, 1988
Lymnaeidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Pond snails
- Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Radix natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Paludomidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Trumpet freshwater snails
- Cleopatra elata Dautzenberg & Germain, 1914
- Cleopatra nsendweensis Dupuis & Putzeys, 1901
- Melanoides tuberculata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
- Melanoides victoriae (Dohrn, 1865)
Physidae
[edit | edit source]- Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)
Planorbidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Ram's horn snails
- Afrogyrorbis natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
- Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Krauss, 1848)
- Biomphalaria salinarum (Morelet, 1867)
- Gyraulus costulatus (Krauss, 1848)
- Hovorbis coretus (Blainville, 1826)
- Pettancylus victoriensis (B. Walker, 1912)
- Segmentorbis angustus (Jickeli, 1874)
Pupillidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Minute land snails
- Pupilla tetrodus (O. Böttger, 1870)
- Pupoides calaharicus (O. Boettger, 1886)
Sphaeriidae
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]Common name: Carnivorous land snails
- Gulella miniata (Krauss, 1848)
- Tayloria gwandaensis (Preston, 1912)
Succineidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Amber snails
- Oxyloma patentissimum (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
- Succinea arboricola Connolly, 1912
- Succinea badia Morelet, 1867
- Succinea striata Krauss, 1848
Unionidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Freshwater mussels
- Coelatura kunenensis (Mousson, 1888)
- Coelatura mossambicensis (E. von Martens, 1860)
- Unio caffer Krauss, 1848
Veronicellidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: Leather-back land slugs
- Laevicaulis alte (A. Férussac, 1822)
- Laevicaulis natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Viviparidae
[edit | edit source]Common name: River snails
- Bellamya capillata (Frauenfeld, 1865)