The taxonomic identity of Iberus alonensis has traditionally been surrounded by great controversy because under this name a large number of similarly-shaped populations distributed over a vast geographical area and probably belonging to different species have been subsumed. The publication of the first phylogenetic study on the genus Iberus began to unravel the alonensis complex, defining other likely new lineages. One of them is I. alonensis-like 02, a provisional name assigned to the traditional populations of I. alonensis from Andalusia (southern Spain) but lacks sufficient biogeographic support to be formally defined as a new species. In this study, the potential distribution area of I. alonensis-like 02 is thoroughly explored through systematic sampling. The resulting geographical mapping together with a morphometric study and new molecular evidence allow us to confirm the historical name I. alonensis rhodopeplus as a valid taxonomic denomination which we divide into two cryptic subspecies named I. rhodopeplus rhodopeplus and I. rhodopeplus bastetanus ssp. nov. Besides, the subspecies I. alonensis labiatus has to be renamed. Our findings contribute to revealing the species complex involved under the classic name I. alonensis and to improving our knowledge on the cryptic nature of numerous taxa within the genus Iberus.

Several rostroconch specimens of the family Bransoniidae are discovered in the Pennsylvanian of the Russian Platform for the first time. All of them are assigned to the species Hoarepora parrishi (Worthen, 1890), which is the type species of Hoarepora Mapes in Mazaev, 2022. Until now, the distribution of this species has been restricted to the Morrowan – Missourian interval in the North American Midcontinent Basin. All studied specimens come from Moscovian and Gzhelian stages of two localities on the Russian Platform. Both shell morphology and taphonomy of this species are examined in detail. H. parrishi is redescribed, since the previous description lacks many specific characters. It is shown that Conocardium missouriensis Roundy in Girty, 1915 is a junior synonym of C. parrishi Worthen, 1890. The new occurrences significantly expands the geographical range of this species and supports the existence of biogeographical connections between the paleobasins of North America and the Russian Platform in the Pennsylvanian, and also increases the known geochronological range of H. parrishi by approximately two million years.

Buccinum osagawai is a valuable commercially exploited gastropod species inhabiting the northern Pacific. An accurate and reliable method for estimation the mollusk’s individual age is needed to understand the population dynamics and size-age structure of B. osagawai stock. The most commonly used method of estimation of the individual age of mollusks of the genus Buccinum is counting the increments on the operculum. However, this method has disadvantages, for example, since the operculum is an external recording structure, its readability is relatively low. To develop a more accurate method for determining individual age, the microstructure of statoliths of the gastropod B. osagawai and its features were studied and the possibility of using B. osagawai statoliths to determine the individual age of an animal by counting increments on thin sections of statoliths was tested. The relationship between the number of statolith increments and the number of marks on the operculum surface was studied. A comparative analysis of these two methods of age determination is provided.

This paper described the second species of the genus Calybium Morlet, 1892, Calybium plicatus sp. nov. was collected in Son Doong Cave, Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam. Calybium plicatus sp. nov. has a similar shell shape to Calybium massiei Morlet, 1892 but differs in having a smaller shell size, the parietal wall with six evenly spaced parietal lamellae. This discovery represents the first report of the genus Calybium in Vietnam.

A new shallow-water species Lepidochitona cubensis sp. nov. collected in the Caribbean Sea off Cuba in sea grass Thalassia testudinum is described. This chiton is closest to the species L. bullocki with which it forms a separate group within the genus, differing from other species of the genus by the presence of small square grooves on tegmentum of valves.

Based on specimens collected during the field trips in 2019–2020, 2023 in the Tho Chu Islands and Spratly Islands (Truong Sa Islands), Vietnam, we have identified five species of the genus Viriola. Two of them, namely Viriola thochuensis n. sp., Viriola namyitensis n. sp. are new to science. Other three species, namely, V. abbotti, V. bayani, V. intergranosa are the first records for Vietnam. The diagnostic characters and distribution of Viriola species in Vietnam are presented.

This study reports the first record of the operculate micro land snail from the Alycaeinae, Chamalycaeus aduncus Jirapatrasilp sp. nov., also the first new species of the genus in Cambodia, based on a recent survey in Battambang. This new species is similar to Chamalycaeus excisus (Möllendorff, 1887) and C. excisus sublimus Páll-Gergely et Auffenberg, 2019 from the Philippines, in shell size and shape, and the strongly downwards coiling of R3, but differs in having a shorter R2 without any blunt keel, a round aperture without any incision, and a beak- or hook-like basal edge of the outer peristome.

In this study, we report the discovery of two invasive freshwater mollusc species belonging to the genus Galba (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) on the territory of Azerbaijan. This is the first record of the species Galba cubensis  and G. schirazensis in this country, based on the analysis of morphological traits and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI marker). Also, the phylogeographic analyses of both species were performed based on a median-joining network approach of the COI sequences. The find of G. cubensis is the first record of this invasive snail of New World origin in the ex-USSR territory. The taxonomic position of G. schirazensis sensu Kruglov et Starobogatov is discussed.

The gastropod feeding apparatus originally comprises the radula and jaws. While the radula has been extensively studied, data on jaws remain limited. Nevertheless, investigating jaw morphology is essential for understanding feeding mechanisms and morphofunctional adaptations. This study addresses this gap by presenting novel data on jaw morphology across a range of gastropod species from various clades, including Vetigastropoda, Littorinimorpha, and Neogastropoda. Based on our data and previously published research, we propose the existence of two distinct types of jaws: simple and complex. Simple jaws (found in the majority of Patellogastropoda and some Neogastropoda) consist of solid plates, whereas complex jaws (found in Vetigastropoda, Caenogastropoda, and Heterobranchia) are composed of both a solid homogeneous layer and a layer of solitary structures, such as rods or hooks, referred to as rodlets (as in some heterobranchs). Electron microscopy data enabled us to homologize the complex jaws of Vetigastropoda and Caenogastropoda. The jaws of representatives from both subclasses exhibit a similar synthesis mechanism, in which a single gnathoblast synthesizes an individual rodlet. The jaws of Neogastropoda and Tonnoidea display considerable diversity, both in their localization within the buccal complex and in their morphology, ranging from paired smooth or complex structures to highly modified structures acting as a stylet. Furthermore, the varied localization of jaws in neogastropods suggests a high potential of the buccal epithelium for the formation of diverse jaw structures.

The main goal of the present paper is to revise the diversity of the nudibranch genus Ziminella and update the geographic ranges of its species, based on historical museum material and newly collected specimens of Ziminella japonica (Volodchenko, 1941) from the Sea of Japan. We provide morphological examinations, a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on four markers, and species delimitation analyses of Ziminella. Our results indicate that Z. salmonacea (Couthouy, 1838) and Z. circapolaris Korshunova et al., 2017 represent a single species but display some intraspecific variation in the COI marker (up to 2.54% between individuals). The species delimitation analyses cannot explicitly support the distinct status of Z. japonica and Z. vrijenhoeki Valdés et al., 2018, but in this case the minimal interspecific p-distance in COI comprised 7.95%. Moreover, several differences in the coloration and external morphology are found in specimens from the type localities of these two species. We also show that Z. japonica displays high morphological diversity across its putative geographical range. Since this variation could be either intraspecific or interspecific, we suggest that specimens collected outside the type localities and lack molecular data, cannot be precisely identified. The molecular phylogenetic analysis does not support close relationships of the shelf species Z. japonica and the abyssal species Z. abyssa Korshunova et al., 2017, thus a hypothesis of a shelf origin of the latter species cannot be confirmed by the presented data. Finally, we provide novel evidence on the hidden diversity of flabellinids in the deep-sea waters of the Sea of Japan.

The new species, Buccinum kosyanae sp. nov. is described from the Middle Kurile Islands. Previously the species was included in multigene molecular phylogeny of the genus [Kantor et al., 2022b] as B. cf. kobyakovae. The new name, B. fedosovi nom. nov. is proposed for Buccinum solidum Golikov et Sirenko, 1988, non Buccinum solidum Philippi, 1887.

The paper deals with two species of chitons of the genus Leptoplax, L. unica and L duongae sp. nov. collected in the South China Sea off the Spratly Islands. The new species differs from morphologically similar species of the genus by the sculpture of the jugum, absence of notch on the anterior margin of apophyses of the tail valve, rounded shape of pustules of tegmentum and distinctly ribbed dorsal girdle spicules.

Regenerative capabilities vary among different groups of invertebrates and despite being a highly abundant and diverse group of invertebrates with significant commercial and scientific value, gastropods remain relatively understudied in this respect. This work presents the first investigation of post–traumatic regeneration in the nudibranch mollusc Doridina, specifically focusing on Onchidoris muricata. Dorids have unique subepidermal calcite spicules that form a complex network inside the body. However, their capacity for complete or partial recovery, as well as the impact on regeneration of organs containing these spicules, has never been studied. We examined the regeneration of chemosensory organs (rhinophores) and dorsal body outgrowths (tubercle), both containing spicules and having different innervation. Our investigation explores three models of rhinophore regeneration: 1) after the removal of the apex and three lamellae of the rhinophore, 2) when the entire metameric lammelae part is removed, and 3) when the rhinophore is entirely excised. Additionally, two series of experiments were conducted to examine tubercle regeneration in the peribranchial region and in the rhinophore region. The study reveals varying regenerative abilities of these organs, likely linked to their different innervation patterns. Notably, we observed that the presence of the apex and spicules de novo synthesis influence the formation of the first rhinophore lamellae. The search for new patterns and mechanisms underlying the restoration of elements in the nervous system, muscular system, and solid skeleton can significantly contribute to our understanding of regenerative biology. This research expands our knowledge of nudibranch molluscs regeneration and the unique restoration of the subepidermal spicule complex. Furthermore, the regeneration of spicule-containing organs can be a model for studying the formation and structure of biomineralized structures, including their organic component.

Information on distribution of protected freshwater bivalve Amuranodonta kijaensis (Bivalvia, Unionidae, Anodontinae) is being clarified. For the Amur Region, three new locations of the species are indicated: Yatsenkovo and Peresheechnoye lakes on the territory of the Khingan Nature Reserve and Zeya Reservoir at the Beregovoy settlement. First record of A. kijaensis near Chnyrrakh village (Nikolaevsky District, Khabarovsk Territory) confirms the presence of the species in the Lower Amur basin. Data on morphometric analysis of collected shells of adult mollusks is presented. Using scanning electron microscopy, morphology of glochidial shells with special focus on microsculpture of the outer valves structure is investigated.

We provide a morphological examination and a barcoding study to investigate the species identity and variation limits within the Cadlina laevis species complex. Our molecular analysis based on the COI marker revealed seven new clades in the North-West Pacific Cadlina diversity. The distances between these clades are low in some cases (2.08-7.51% overall), and the species delimitation tests gave controversial results (1, 2, 13, 14 groups, depending on the analysis method). This does not allow to conclusively classify this diversity as interspecific or intraspecific. Morphological analysis showed a significant similarity of all examined groups, with minor differences found in the morphology of the central tooth of the radula and the reproductive system. However, these variations fit into the morphological variability of the North Atlantic species Cadlina laevis s.str. and cannot serve as evidence of the isolation of these identified groups. The discovered diversity may represent both a complex of at least 11 very close and cryptic species with not well-established species boundaries, or be a part of a single amphiboreal species Cadlina laevis s.l. This indicates an extremely complex evolutionary history of Cadlina laevis species complex, making this group is an interesting model object for studying speciation in boreal and Arctic communities.

In this paper we investigate a collection of nudibranch molluscs from Sakhalin Is. by means of integrative taxonomy, including morphological analyses, and molecular data from the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 16S rRNA, Histone H3 and 28S rRNA markers. Material used in this study was collected during two independent research programs: the expedition of the R/V “Akademic Oparin” (Russia) to the Sea of Okhotsk, July 2019 at depths of 38–282 m, and the survey of Cape Crillon biodiversity in August 2023, at depths of 0.5–20 m. Our integrative results revealed clear cases of the unknown diversity within some groups of the nudibranch molluscs. Among the dorid nudibranchs, the new species Adalaria boussoleana sp. nov. is described and differs in morphological and molecular characters from other species of the genus. Also, among specimens of the genus Cadlina we have detected two genetically distinct groups, one is close to C. umiushi and another group likely represents a new species for science. Their morphology is similar to the diagnosis of C. umiushi and may represent a case of true cryptic diversity. Among the cladobranch molluscs our results revealed a new species of the genus Cuthonella described herein under the name Cuthonella anastasia sp. nov. Four species are recorded for Sakhalin Is. waters for the first time: Cadlina umiushi, Onchimira cavifera, Eubranchus rupium and E. alexeii. After this paper, the total nudibranch fauna of Sakhalin Is. includes 21 species. Although we have limited numbers of nudibranch species in Sakhalin waters due to low sampling effort, a comparison of the biogeographic affinities of species from different regions is consistent with the presence of a biogeographic boundary between northeastern and southwestern Sakhalin.

Juvenile and subadult individuals of the Painter’s mussel Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1788) were recorded in dredge samples from the Om’ River in the Omsk City (southwestern part of Western Siberia). Information on the size-weight characteristics of U. pictorum from the site, its abundance and biomass are given. Possible consequences of the introduction of this neobiotic species into aquatic ecosystems of the Irtysh River basin are discussed.

This study investigates the shell variability of Phenacovolva rosea, a symbiotic gastropod inhabiting octocorals, in relation to geographical location and host coral species. We analyzed shells from 53 adult specimens collected at three locations in the north of Vietnam and one in the vicinities of Nha Trang City (southern Vietnam).

To describe the shells' outlines, elliptical Fourier descriptors were applied. Based on the shell outline data, principal component analysis was performed. Additionally, height and width of P. rosea shells were measured. Only the first two principal components were effective, with the first principal component accounting for 92.8% of the variation. It closely correlated with width-to-height ratio of shells. According to dispersion analysis (ANOVA), shells in Nha Trang were significantly slimmer with longer terminal processes compared to those from the three northern locations. The coral host species also impacted shell shape when considering the entire dataset. However, this difference may have stemmed from shell variations between locations, as coral composition is not independent of location. When regional samples were analyzed separately, no significant impact of the host was detected.

The factors that differed between northern locations and Nha Trang were then discussed, along with the mechanisms underlying their influence. We suggest that predation risk, influenced by water turbidity, is greater in the clearer waters of Nha Trang. This increased predator pressure may explain the presence of long terminals on P. rosea shells found in Nha Trang, potentially providing protection against some fish predators. Furthermore, the shorter and wider shells found in northern locations may be advantageous in waters with higher current speeds, whereas the long-teminal shells with narrow apertures observed in Nha Trang may be better suited for slower currents. The climate disparity, encompassing temperature and salinity mediated through precipitation, could also potentially influence shell morphology. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear due to the complex nature of these interactions and the scarcity of literature data.

Isolating host-specific shell shape traits from other factors proved challenging, given the close association between host species composition and location. Laboratory experiments modeling each factor independently may provide a solution to this issue.

The present study reports the first observation of Euglesa globularis peaclams attached to dragonfly nymph Aeshna juncea, and E. parvula attached to the leg of the water boatmen nymph Callicorixa sp. from the Kolyma River basin in eastern Siberia (Asiatic Russia). It has been shown that the aquatic insects may play a potential role in the dispersal of bivalves both locally within one and between different water bodies.

For the first time carnivorous bivalve mollusc Cuspidaria trosaetes Dall, 1925 was recorded in the north-western Sea of Japan. There was only one species of Cuspidaria, C. ascoldica, previously known in this region. Alive specimens of C. trosaetes were collected in the Tatarsky Strait on the continental slope on muddy sediment at the depths of 531–589 m. Stomach contents of C. trosaetes consist of foraminifers, copepods and rissoid gastropods. Cuspidaria trosaetes was selected as a type species of a monotypic subgenus C. (Nordoneaera) Okutani, 1985, which is now considered a separate genus, based on the presence of a thick shell without sculpture and with thick periostracum, as well as a short rostrum. The first obtained data on anatomy of C. trosaetes suggest its close affinity with the type species of the genus Cuspidaria, C. cuspidata. Cuspidaria trosaetes and C. cuspidata share such features as the presence of 5 pairs of septal pores, thin elongated posterior labial palps and the presence of two rows of papillae on the rim of the common siphonal sheath. Taking into account new data we propose to synonymize the monotypic genus Nordoneaera with the genus Cuspidaria.