Balashov I. Terrestrial molluscs of the East European Plain and Crimean Mountains: systematics, evolution, faunogenesis

Українська версія

Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc)

State registration number

0525U000345

Applicant for

Specialization

  • 03.00.08 - Зоологія

03-10-2025

Specialized Academic Board

Д 26.153.01

Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Essay

The dissertation presents the results of a comprehensive study on the taxonomic diversity, distribution, and evolution of terrestrial mollusks of the East European Plain and the Crimean Mountains. Based on these findings, the main sources and directions of the formation of the terrestrial malacofauna in this region have been reconstructed, leading to the development of a concept of its origin. It has been established that the terrestrial malacofauna of the East European Plain lacks endemism and was formed through interglacial and postglacial migrations along five routes from the west and south. Moreover, the emergence of anthropogenic factors facilitated the further dispersal of terrestrial mollusks along the same routes, continuing natural trends.

Research papers

1. Balashov I., Neiber M., Hausdorf B. 2021 (2020). Phylogeny, species delimitation and population structure of the steppe inhabiting land snail genus Helicopsis (Gastropoda: Geomitridae) in Eastern Europe. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 193 (3): 1108–1125.

2. Korábek O., Balashov I., Neiber M., Walther F., Hausdorf B. 2023. The Caucasus is neither a cradle nor a museum of diversity of the land snail genus Helix (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Helicidae), while Crimea is home to an ancient lineage. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 99 (2): 535–543.

3. Korábek O., Juřičková L., Balashov I., Petrusek A. 2018. The contribution of ancient and modern anthropogenic introductions to the colonization of Europe by the land snail Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758 (Helicidae). Contributions to Zoology. 87 (2): 61–74.

4. Balashov I. 2021 (2020). An inventory of molluscs recorded from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, with the description of a land snail, Euthema annae sp. nov. (Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea, Diplommatinidae). Cretaceous Research. 118 (104676): 1–7.

5. Balashov I. 2021. The first records of mollusks from mid-Cretaceous Hkamti amber (Myanmar), with the description of a land snail, Euthema myanmarica n. sp. (Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea, Diplommatinidae). Journal of Paleontology. 95 (5): 994–1003.

6. Balashov I., Neiber M., Bogon K., Hausdorf B. 2019. On the identity of “Pupilla bigranata” populations from Germany and Ukraine (Gastropoda: Pupillidae). Archiv für Molluskenkunde. 148 (1): 1–7.

7. Balashov I., Kramarenko S., Shyriaieva D., Vasyliuk O. 2018. Invasion of a Crimean land snail Brephulopsis cylindrica into protected relict steppic hilltops (tovtrs) in Western Ukraine: a threat to native biodiversity? Journal of Conchology. 43 (1): 59–69.

8. Balashov I. 2014. Taurinellushka babugana gen. nov., sp. nov. (Stylommatophora: Pristilomatinae) from the Crimean Mountains (Ukraine) and revision of Crimean Mediterranea (Oxychilinae). Journal of Conchology. 41 (5): 575–584.

9. Balashov I., Gural-Sverlova N. 2012. An annotated checklist of the terrestrial molluscs of Ukraine. Journal of Conchology. 41 (1): 91–109.

10. Balashov I. 2012. Selenochlamys ysbryda in the Crimean Mountains, Ukraine: first record from its native range? Journal of Conchology. 41 (2): 141-144.

11. Balashov I., Griffiths O. 2015. Two new species of minute land snails from Madagascar: Boucardicus monchenkoi sp. nov. and B. ambindaensis sp. nov. (Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoridae). Zootaxa. 4052 (2): 237–240.

12. Balashov I., Markova A. 2023. Expansion of the invasive Balkan slug Tandonia kusceri (Stylommatophora: Milacidae): A new frontier in Northern Ukraine and other new records. Folia Malacologica. 31 (1): 24–31.

13. Balashov I., Markova A. 2023. A further northward expansion of the invasive land snails Monacha cartusiana and M. fruticola (Stylommatophora: Hygromiidae) in Eastern Europe. Folia Malacologica. 31 (1): 32–42.

14. Balashov I., Levenets T., Markova A., Kramarenko A., Kramarenko S. 2023. Land snail Sphyradium doliolum (Stylommatophora, Orculidae) in Ukraine and Moldova: distribution, habitats, variability and origin. Zoodiversity. 57 (1): 29–40.

15. Balashov I., Khomenko A., Kovalov V., Harbar O. 2018. Fast recent expansion of the Spanish slug (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Arionidae) across Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii. 52 (6): 451–456.

16. Balashov I., Vasyliuk O., Shyriaieva D., Shvydka Z., Oskyrko O., Marushchak O., Stetsun H., Bezsmertna O., Babytskij A., Kostiushyn V. 2018. Terrestrial molluscs in the dry grasslands of the Dnipro Upland (Central Ukraine): new records, rare species and conservation potential. Vestnik Zoologii. 52 (1): 3–13.

17. Balashov I., Yarotskaya M., Filatova J., Starichenko I., Kovalov V. 2017. Terrestrial molluscs of the Tsyr-Pripyat area in Volyn (Northern Ukraine): the first findings of the threatened snail Vertigo moulinsiana in mainland Ukraine // Vestnik Zoologii. 51 (3): 251–258.

18. Balashov I. 2012. Terrestrial mollusks (Gastropoda) of the Slovechansko-Ovrutsky Ridge (Zhytomyr region, Northern Ukraine). Vestnik Zoologii. 46 (6): 491–497.

19. Kovtun O.A., Vargovitsh R.S., Son M.O., Balashov I.A. 2017. Invasive land snail Oxychilus translucidus (Stylommatophora, Zonitidae) in the Catacombs of Odesa (Ukraine). Vestnik Zoologii. 51 (4): 353–354.

20. Domokos T., Deli T., Varga A., Flaviu-Crisan H., Balashov I., Gheoca V., Biatov A., Szappanos B., Páll-Gergely B. 2018. Distribution of Drobacia banatica (Rossmassler, 1838) over time and space (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora: Helicidae). Brukenthal Acta Musei. 13 (3): 459–484.

21. Балашов І. 2016. Фауна України. Том 29. Молюски. Вип. 5. Стебельчастоокі (Stylommatophora). Київ: Наукова думка. 592 с.

22. Балашов І. 2016. Охорона наземних молюсків України. Київ: Інститут зоології НАН України. 272 с.

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