First record of the pest and parasitic intermediate host snail Cochlicella barbara (Linnaeus, 1758) in the south-eastern Anatolia

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to inform the last distribution of the invasive and harmful species Cochlicella barbara (Linnaeus, 1758) in Turkey, as well as to draw attention to the possible danger of this distribution on regional vegetation, agriculture, and parasitism. C. barbara was found for the first time in southeastern of Anatolia in April 2019 in the campus area of the Dicle University in Diyarbakır, Turkey. C. barbara is admitted as a harmful organism and classified as an agricultural pest in most of the countries. Species in this genus have been intercepted in postal packages, soil, and cargo as well as can be easily transported with plants, building materials, household goods, etc. Above all, it is an intermediate host of nematode and fluke parasites of livestock. Knowing the distribution of this species will not only contribute to the registration of a new species in the list of gastropods of the region but also facilitate the control of the species across Turkey.