Брюхоногие моллюски сем. Buccinidae («трубачи») – широко распространены во всех Дальневосточных морях на глубинах от 20 до 500 м и более. Эта группа животных в настоящее время имеют определенное промысловое значение, но, несмотря на это, входящие в ее состав виды следует отнести к слабоизученным. В имеющихся на сегодняшний день сводках дано общее представление о видовом составе, морфологии, зоогеографической и филогенетической принадлежности. Так, П.В. Ушаков в монографии по фауне Охотского моря (1953) приводит список из 45 видов Buccinidae и указывает места их находок и некоторые условия их обитания . Наиболее полными сводками по систематике и биологии являются монографии А.Н. Голикова по моллюскам рода Neptunea (1963) и подсемейства Buccininae (1980). Что же касается распределения отдельных видов, структуры их скоплений, условий их формирования и ряда других экологических аспектов, то сведения о них оставляют желать лучшего. Так, существуют работы А.И. Пискунова (Пискунов, 1979) А.К. Клитина (Клитин, 2006; Клитин и др., 2008), посвященные изучению видового состава и распределения трубачей у восточного Сахалина, Татарского пролива и северных Курильских островов. Работа, посвященная встречаемости трубачей в траловых и ловушечных уловах северной части Охотского моря вышла в 2009 г (Овсянников, 2009), однако, она посвящена лишь сравнению структуры уловов трубачей в тралах и ловушках. Работ же, посвященных распределению и биологии трубачей у побережья юго-западной Камчатки нам обнаружить не удалось. А ведь эксплуатация водных ресурсов, с нашей точки зрения, в первую очередь предполагает использование именно этих сведений, так как именно они и служат для обоснования объемов изъятия и рекомендаций к рациональному ведению промысла. Так, интенсивный промысел трубачей в настоящее время ведется в северной, северо-западной и центральной частях Охотского моря, тогда как в Северо-восточной его части, на материковом склоне юго-западной Камчатки в частности, на данный момент промысла этих объектов нет, хотя его вели в 90-х – начале 2000-х гг., вплоть до 2002 года, когда популяция была признана неблагополучной и было принято решение снизить величину квот на вылов. После этого практически не предпринималось попыток оценить состояние популяций трубачей в данном районе, а оценка запаса имела экспертный характер.

In 'Muratov, I.V. 2010. Terrestrial molluscs of Cabo Delgado and adjacent inland areas of north-eastern Mozambique. African Invertebrates 51 (2): 255-288, it was discovered that one of the family names (Pomatiidae) in Table 2 on page 258 was misspelt as Pomatiasidae. The corrected version of the relevant page is published on p. 230 of this article. The author and editors apologize for this error.

This paper focuses on five species of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) collected from Lavanono, southern Madagascar. Ischnochiton sirenkoi is described as a new species and is compared with the two Ischnochiton species known from Madagascar, I. yerburyi (E.A. Smith, 1891) and I. sansibarensis Thiele, 1909, and with all known Indian Ocean Ischnochiton species. Findings for the other species here discussed provide a significant extension of previously known geographical range. Chaetopleura chelazziana Ferreira, 1983 is reported for the first time in the chiton fauna of Madagascar. The taxonomic status of Callistochiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963), previously considered a synonym of C. crosslandi Sykes, 1907, is discussed. This taxon, which was described from a unique intermediate valve from South Africa, is re-evaluated and recognized as a valid species, differing from C. crosslandi in several significant characters. We also present an unusual feature detected in almost all the specimens of Cryptoplax dupuisi Ashby, 1931, which are characterized by the absence of dorsal girdle spicules on the first four valves, a feature never reported in other chiton species. Type material of Callistochiton madagassicus Thiele, 1909, Chiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963) is figured.

Gulella inobstructa van Bruggen, 1965, was described from two adult shells from Magoebaskloof. Additional material shows that the range of variation in shell dimensions is quite considerable and that the type specimens indeed are far from typical, also as regards apertural dentition. This taxon is a narrow-range endemic in a limited area in Mpumalanga/Limpopo provinces, South Africa. The partly sympatric G. perspicua (Melvill & Ponsonby, 1893) has a shell that in many respects is similar to that of the above taxon. However, apart from various minor differences, the suture of G. perspicua is always excavated, so that shells of both taxa normally can be differentiated without undue trouble.

Natalina sensu lato includes some of the largest carnivorous snails in the world and represents an important African radiation of the Gondwanan land snail family Rhytididae. It comprises the taxa Natalina, Afrorhytida and Capitina, all three of which we treat as full genera. We provide a comprehensive revision of each genus, and update the species-level taxonomy extensively in the light of new molecular and morphological data. Detailed comparative morphological observations are provided for the distal reproductive tract (including spermatophores for the first time in this family), pulmonary cavity, mantle edge, radula and suprapedal gland. In addition, we present a summary of biological and ecological data including information on habitat preferences, feeding, prey and mating behaviour. Although the genera are well circumscribed in terms of both morphological and molecular data, morphology is usually highly conserved within genera. Yet surprising cryptic diversity is evident within the described species and restricted-range endemism is more frequent than was previously thought, with significant implications for conservation. The widespread common cannibal snail, Natalina cafra (Ferussac, 1821), is shown to comprise four cryptic, allopatric lineages. For the most part, we recognise this cryptic diversity at the level of subspecies. In some cases where populations from disjunct, lime-rich habitats exhibit a significantly different shell morphology, it is difficult to evaluate whether and to what extent this is genetically or environmentally determined. Spermatophores exhibit considerable phylogenetically consistent morphological variation and may eventually prove to be an important source of new taxonomic characters. The geographic distributions of the respective lineages are interpreted in the light of phylogenetic data, current regional vegetation patterns, and historical environmental phenomena, so as to identify biogeographic trends. Some lineages are clearly forest-associated specialists and have fragmented, narrowly-endemic distributions resulting from cyclical changes in forest cover during the Plio-Pleistocene, but there is also strong evidence for regional endemism associated with other vegetation types, notably Albany Thicket. Observations on the conservation status of all taxa are provided. New subgenus: Natalina (Tongalina). New species: Afrorhytida burseyae, Capitina calcicola. New subspecies: Afrorhytida kraussi oraria, Natalina cafra amathole, Natalina cafra natalensis, Natalina quekettiana dracomontana, Natalina quekettiana lucaris, Natalina quekettiana montistempli. New synonyms: Natalina compacta Connolly, 1939 = Natalina cafra cafra (Ferussac, 1821); Natalina coerneyensis Melvill & Ponsonby, 1894 and Natalina insignis Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907 = Afrorhytida knysnaensis (Pfeiffer, 1846); Natalina liliacea Preston, 1912 = Afrorhytida kraussi kraussi (Pfeiffer, 1846); Natalina arguta Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907 = Afrorhytida trimeni Melvill & Ponsonby, 1892. Revised status: Helix (Aerope) eumacta Melvill & Ponsonby, 1892 is considered a subspecies of Natalina cafra (Ferussac, 1821). Lectotypes designated for Aerope beyrichi Martens, 1890 [= Natalina] and Helix schärfiae Pfeiffer, 1861 [= Capitina schaerfiae].

Nineteen stations were surveyed and 46 species of terrestrial molluscs were recorded from an 18×55 km area in the north-eastern corner of Mozambique. Three stations on Cabo Delgado (a peninsula at the northern extremity of the Quirimbas Archipelago) yielded 19 species that were not found on the inlandsampled area and 18 species that occur inland were not found on Cabo Delgado, with nine species inhabiting both areas. The main ecological difference between Cabo Delgado and the inland area is the abundance of limestone in the former and the total lack of it in the latter. The reference to the original publication, type locality, size of the type specimen(s) and summary geographical distribution as well as colour photographs are provided for each recorded species. One new species of Gulella (Pulmonata: Streptaxidae) is described from Cabo Delgado.