Helix salomonica Nägele, 1899 (Gastropoda: Helicidae): annual activity cycles in its natural habitat in southeastern Turkey

ABSTRACT

This research focused on the annual activities, including aestivation, hibernation and reproductive behaviours, of the endemic species Helix salomonica Nägele, 1899 in its natural habitat in Şırnak, Turkey. Within an area of 900 m², a population of at least 600 snails was monitored for a year. Eighty snail specimens were sampled and measured, with twenty of them observed in a laboratory environment (within a cage) for comparison of circannual snail rhythms. The annual activity patterns of H. salomonica revealed distinctive behaviours. The total hibernation period lasted around 85 days on average, with continuous hibernation lasting approximately 57 days and intermittent hibernation lasting about 28 days. In March and November, copulation occurs. Durıng the sprıng,the average number of eggs was 63, with an average diameter of 2.85 mm and a weight of 0.28 g. On average, eggs hatched after 34 days, during the second and third weeks of May. Aestivation persisted continuously from late May to early November, averaging 165 days. Arousal and the observation of juvenile snails coincided in the second week of November. Consequently, the annual activity cycles of H. salomonica are intricately regulated by a complex interplay of internal (endogenous) rhythms and external factors, with dormancy phases predominantly governed by circannual rhythms.

KEYWORDS:

• Aestivation
• circannual rhythms
• hibernation
• reproduction

Acknowledgements

I want to convey my sincere thanks to Dr Eike Neubert for his indispensable support in sample identification. His profound expertise and guidance have played a pivotal role in guaranteeing the precision and dependability of my research. Furthermore, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr Rıdvan Şeşen for his steadfast encouragement throughout the course of my study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The author confirms that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.