DISTRIBUTION OF LAND SNAILS (MOLLUSCA, GASTROPODA, PULMONATA) ON THE ISLAND OF GRAN-CANARIA (CANARY-ISLANDS) IN RELATION TO PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS

The oceanic island of Gran Canaria, part of the Macaronesian Archipela gos, is highly deteriorated, a situation which has had negative reperc ussions for endemic species. A recent law, however, established 32 Pro tected Natural Areas in an attempt to remedy the problem. In the prese nt work we show the distribution of common (non-endemic) land snails o n the island. The snails were largely introduced by man over the past five centuries. A comparison between the distribution of the endemic l and snails and the protected areas shows the latter to be generally ad equate. We also suggest some modifications to the law in two Areas and the addition to the list of two further Areas so as to guarantee prot ection of several endemic species currently under threat (according to the criteria of the IUCN): 2 'critically endangered', Hemicycla saulc yi saulcyi and Napaeus isletae, 2 'vulnerable', Theba arinagae and Obe lus despreauxii, and 1 'lower risk', Hemicycla berkeleyi.