Trends in Littorina research in Belgium (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

The prosobranch genus Littorina has a worldwide distribution and contains quite a number of species, living in the intertidal zone of estuaries and rocky shores. Five of the eight presently recognized NW-European species were encountered on the artificial substrates (mainly dikes and break- waters) along the Belgian coast. These are L.littorea, L.obtusata, L. saxatilis, L. mariae and L. neglecta . The latter two are new to the Belgian fauna. The Belgian populations of L. saxatilis are characterized by low densities, a considerably reduced shell colour polymorphism and early maturation. An elec... Mehr ...