From the Mediterranean to Yungas and Patagonia: Dispersal of the non-native gastropod Rumina decollata in Argentina

Abstract

Rumina decollata is a land snail native to the Mediterranean region that expanded its distribution to several regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas due to accidental or purposely introductions. In Argentina, it was reported in 1988 in the outskirts of Buenos Aires City, and expanded its distribution thenceforth. This facultative self-fertilizer is omnivorous and presents high resistance to extreme climatic conditions facilitating the establishment and colonization of new environments. It is considered an invasive species, crop pest and predator of native invertebrates in several countries; it is also a host of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Toxocara cati, two cat parasites able to affect humans. As R. decollata inhabits mostly private gardens, it is difficult to do extensive sampling. So, we performed a citizen science project through social media to update its distribution in Argentina. As a result, we got 696 records from 179 cities and towns in 16 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, throughout the country from Patagonia to Northern Argentina. We here present the first record of R. decollata for eight new provinces and 166 new localities, so that the extreme localities currently confirmed in the country are > 2100 km apart, over different ecoregions, from sea level to 1900 m above sea. This snail inhabits urban and peri-urban areas and it is likely that it colonizes natural environments in a near future due to its high dispersal capacity. Our data confirm that Rumina decollata has spread rapidly in Argentina during the last three decades.