Terrestrial Mollusks of Attu, Aleutian Islands, Alaska

ABSTRACT. Seven species of land mollusk (2 slugs, 5 snails) were collected on Attu in July 1979. Three are circumboreal species, two the fauna was assembled overwater since deglaciation, perhaps within the last 10 OOO years. Mollusk faunas from Kamchatka to are amphi-arctic (Palearctic and Nearctic...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Barry Roth, David R. Lindberg
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
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Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.543.2685
http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic34-1-43.pdf
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Summary:ABSTRACT. Seven species of land mollusk (2 slugs, 5 snails) were collected on Attu in July 1979. Three are circumboreal species, two the fauna was assembled overwater since deglaciation, perhaps within the last 10 OOO years. Mollusk faunas from Kamchatka to are amphi-arctic (Palearctic and Nearctic but not circumboreal), and two are Nearctic. Barring chance survival of mollusks in local refugia, southeastern Alaska all have a Holarctic component. A Palearctic component present on Kamchatka and the Commander Islands is absent from the Aleutians, which have a Nearctic component that diminishes westward. This pattern is similar to that of other soil-dwelling invertebrate groups. RESUM & Sept espbces de mollusques terrestres (2 limaces et 5 escargots) furent prklevkes sur I’ile d ’ Attu en juillet 1979. Trois sont des espbces circomborkales, deux amphi-arctiques (Palkarctiques et Nkarctiques mais non circomborkales), et deux Nkarctiques. Si I’on excepte la survivance de mollusques due au hasard dans des refuges locaux, cette faune s’est retrouvke de part et d’autre des eaux depuis la dkglaciation, peut-&re depuis les derniers 10 OOO ans. Les faunes de mollusques de la pkninsule de Kamchatkajusqu’au sud-est de 1’Alaska on toutes une composante Holarctique. Une composante Palkarctique prksente sur le Kamchatka et les iles Commandeur ne se retrouve pas aux Alkoutiennes, oil la composante Nkarctique diminue vers I’ouest. Ce patron est similaire il celui de d’autres groupes d’invertkbrks terrestres. Traduit par Jean-Guy Brossard, Laboratoire d’ArchCologie de I’Universitk du Qukbec il Montrkal.