Morphology of radula and shell in land snail Caucasotachea lencoranea and slug Drusia ibera in the east of Tehran province

Caucasotachea lencoranea and Drusia ibera are important agricultural and garden pests in Iran, and in some years their high population causes serious damage in gardens and agricultural fields. In order to better control these pests and improve their management strategies, morphological knowledge of these animals is important. The target species were collected from the walnut orchards of Targhian village and Roudehen city during the years ۲۰۲۱ and ۲۰۲۲. The samples were preserved in ۷۰% alcohol after being killed in cold water. In the laboratory, the radulae of the samples were extracted and stained using Mallery II dye, and the dental formula, the teeth, and shell morphology were examined. The length of the central tooth was different in these two species. Species D. ibera had one central tooth, forty lateral teeth, and ۱۵ marginal teeth in ۱۴,۸۴۲ tooth rows. The species C. lencoranea had one central tooth, eighteen side teeth and ۲۳ marginal teeth in ۱۱۵۲ tooth rows. In terms of the difference in the shells of these two species, we can mention their size, which in the adult species C. lencoranea has a large shell with an average length of ۲۱.۵ ۱۷۵ mm and ۰.۴۵ + ۳۰.۷۵ mm in the adult species. D. ibera, the length of the shell is ۵ ± ۰.۱۵ and the width is ۱۰ + ۰.۴۵ mm. Also, a significant correlation was observed between the environmental factors of temperature and humidity with changes in the population of the studied species.

کلیدواژه ها:

Caucasotachea lencoranea ، Drusia ibera ، Radula ، Shell ، Population fluctuations