Malacologica Bohemoslovaca

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The first record of the Turkish snail Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758 (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Denmark: accidental introduction without confirmed establishment

Franciszek Mika, Pola Emma Brettschneider & Artur Szpalek

Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758, a large land snail native to Turkey and the southeastern Balkans, has expanded across Europe and the rest of the world in recent decades due to trade and climate warming. We report the first documented record of H. lucorum in Denmark, based on an empty weathered shell found in Aarhus in September 2025. We reviewed the currently available Danish records, including observations from citizen-science databases. A targeted survey of approximately 15 ha in the Aarhus conducted after the discovery failed to detect any further specimens, although nine other terrestrial gastropod species were recorded. The results suggests an accidental introduction without confirmed establishment. This highlights the importance of citizen-science observations and targeted surveys for the early detection of newly introduced terrestrial gastropods.

Keywords: terrestrial gastropods, Aarhus, citizen science, Jutland

Mika F., Brettschneider P. E. & Szpalek A., 2026: The first record of the Turkish snail Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758 (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) in Denmark: accidental introduction without confirmed establishment. – Malacologica Bohemoslovaca, 25: 40–45. https://doi.org/10.5817/MaB2026-25-40

Publication date: 7. 9. 2026. PDF (17.7 MB)