From the Mediterranean to Patagonia: studying Rumina decollata (Linnaeus 1758), a non-native snail in Argentina, through a citizen science project

Abstract

Rumina decollata is native to the Mediterranean region but has a worldwide distribution due toaccidental or voluntary introductions in several countries of Asia, Africa and America. Itsbiological characteristics (facultative self-fertilization, high reproductive potential, omnivory andxeroresistance) favored the establishment and colonization in new environments. In Argentina, itwas reported in 1988 in Buenos Aires city and had expanded its distribution in the central region.It is considered an invasive species and crop pest in several countries and, although the impact onnatural systems is poorly studied, there is evidence that R. decollata could negatively affect nativefauna. Besides, it was established that R. decollata is a potential host of the cat parasites Toxocaracati and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. Therefore, R. decollata could affect biodiversity, agricultureand health. The aim of our study was to update the distribution of R. decollata in Argentina, getinformation about the impact of this species, and obtain live snail samples for genetic studies. Wecarried out a citizen science project, publishing a survey on social media asking the general publicto inform the location and additional data such as habitat, food preferences, weather conditions,and damage caused. As a result, we got over 600 responses which revealed that it inhabits a broadarea of Argentina (16 provinces from Misiones to Patagonia) with 70.61% of the records fromBuenos Aires province. Regarding habitat, 82% reported it in peridomiciliary places mainlyassociated with vegetation (51.2%) and humid conditions (75.2% in rainy days). Concerning foodpreferences, 33.16% mentioned it consumed plants and 20.19%, cat and dog feces. Our datarevealed that Rumina decollata is spreading fast in our country. Biological and genetic studies areneeded to determine its potential as an invasive species.