Snail Diversity across Maharashtra Habitats: Comprehensive Review

Namrata V. Chordiya and Manojkumar Z. Chopda

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2026, vol. 13, issue 1, 422-430

Abstract: Mollusca, the second-largest invertebrate phylum, encompasses Gastropoda (snails/slugs), Bivalvia, and Cephalopoda. Gastropods—soft-bodied organisms with calcified shells—dominate Maharashtra's malacofauna. This comprehensive literature review synthesizes 40+ studies documenting terrestrial and aquatic gastropod diversity across Maharashtra's districts, cataloging 142 species (48 genera, 23 families), new records, seasonal variations, species richness, relative abundance, and population dynamics. Raigad exhibits highest diversity (63 species), followed by Pune (49), Nashik (42), and Amravati (30+). Urbanization, pollution, and invasives (Achatina fulica) threaten native fauna. Traditional morphological identification limits cryptic species detection; DNA barcoding is recommended for comprehensive documentation. Findings establish baseline malacofauna knowledge, identify research hotspots / gaps, and inform conservation strategies. The review underscores ecological roles (bioindicators, nutrient cycling) and highlights urgent need for systematic molecular surveys to preserve Maharashtra's gastropod heritage amid anthropogenic pressures.

Keywords: Mollusca; Gastropods; Snails; Maharashtra; Diversity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ijsrst.com/home/article/view/IJSRST2613169 Abstract page (text/html)
https://ijsrst.com/home/article/download/IJSRST2613169/IJSRST2613169 Full text (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:etm:ijsrst:v13:y2026:i1:id:1413

DOI: 10.32628/IJSRST2613169

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology from Technoscience Academy
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Pankaj Sharma ().