Nine specimens of Macrogastra plicatula were collected in the small old-growth oak-hornbeam forest surrounded by the swamps near Myrcha village in Kyiv region. This locality is more than in 300 km to south and south-east from the closest known locations of M. plicatula in north-western Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Collected shells are described and illustrated. The historical biogeography, habitat preferences and conservation of this species are discussed.

Eduard von Martens (1831–1904) was a prominent German malacologist of the nineteenth century contributed heavily to taxonomy and zoogeography of different groups of Mollusca and created a plethora of taxonomic names of the genus and species rank. The type materials of the species described by him are kept now in the Berlin Natural History Museum (Museum für Naturkunde). This article deals with von Martens’ role as a student of continental snails and bivalves of the former Russian Empire. Though von Martens did not travelled to Russia himself, he was able to study numerous samples of mollusks provided to him by both Russian and German explorers. It made him a great student of Russian malacofauna of that time. Most of von Martens works in this field were devoted to investigation of continental mollusks of the underexplored regions of the Russian Empire (Siberia, Russian Turkestan, Caucasus). At least 15 species described by von Martens are accepted as valid by the Russian malacologists. The article contains detailed accounts of the 15 species with illustrations of their type materials (lectotypes, syntypes), notes on distribution, taxonomy and nomenclature of these taxa.

Arion distinctus is reported from the urban biotope of Uzhorod. It is possible that the specimen from Uzhorod environs, early identified as Arion hortensis, belonged to A. distinctus. For the first time Arion circumscriptus is reported from the Eastern Ukraine (Donetsk Region). The external (coloration) and internal (genital structure) distinctions of these species are described.

Oxyloma sarsii tulomica subsp. nov. is described from the Kola Peninsula. The subspecies differs from the nominative subspecies Oxyloma sarsii sarsii, described from the Northern Norway in having predominately transverse folds in the inner penis wall, different shape of the crystals inside the penis. Data on variability and biology of the subspecies are presented, some problems of taxonomy of O. sarsii are discussed.

The species composition and quantitative distribution of freshwater gastropods in 26 water bodies of the Vishtynets upland (Kaliningrad region, Russia) are described. Samplings were made in 2013–2014. There were found 24 species of gastropods – 6 Prosobranchia and 18 Pulmonata. Most of obtained species are members of the permanent water body communites: Planorbarius corneus, Bithynia tentaculata, Lymnaea stagnalis, Viviparus contectus, Stagnicola corvus, Radix auricularia, Radix balthica, Planorbis planorbis, Physa fontinalis and Anisus vortex. Radix ampla, Ancylus fluviatilis and Aplexa hypnorum were found in the studied area for the first time. 14 species known from the literature inhabit the Vishtynets lake were absent in studied samples. The thanatocoenoses in the trout rivers with high speed current include freshwater gastropod shells that are typical for the stagnant water bodies. In studied samples some invasive species that were previously recorded for the adjacent areas of the Poland and the Kaliningrad region were absent. Five of recorded species are included in the Red Data Book of the Kaliningrad region.

Two species of South-East Asian genus Parmarion Fischer, 1856 (P. martensi Simroth, 1894 and P. pupillaris Humbert, 1864) (Ariophantidae) have been found in Central Vietnam (Dak Lak province). Illustrated descriptions of external appearance and reproductive tracts of both species are presented. Along with these species one juvenile specimen of Meghimatium bilineatum (Benson, 1842) (Philomycidae) has been found in south-east part of Vietnam (Dalat City).

The description of the new genus Antarctophiline gen. nov. with the type species Philine gibba is given based on penial and gizzard morphology. The new genus includes also A. alata and A. amoena. The anatomy of Antarctophiline gibba shows many similarities with “Philine” alba and “Philine“ alboides. The new genus definitely doesn’t belong to Philinidae s.str. It differs from Laonidae in lacking of gizzard plates and has some similarities with the family Philinorbidae. The new genus is tentatively placed into the family Philinorbidae. Features of morphology of Antarctophiline gibba described from different localities are discussed.

The polyplacophoran genus Hanleya contains two similar species in the Northeast Atlantic, H. hanleyi (Bean in Thorpe, 1844) and H. nagelfar (Lovén, 1846), which were primarily differentiated by dramatic difference in size but also in part by distribution and minor morphological and ecological features. The question of whether these two names represent two species or whether H. nagelfar is merely a name for H. hanleyi that have grown to extraordinary size, has been raised repeatedly since 1865. The problem was protracted by inaccessibility of the type specimen for the senior species name, and a lack of material collected near the type locality of H. hanleyi, both issues which we resolved in the course of this study. We examined the details of valves, girdle armature, and radula in specimens of Hanleya hanleyi from the Mediterranean Sea and Scotland. The similarity of relevant features among small specimens of H. hanleyi and H. nagelfar from Scotland, the Mediterranean Sea, Norway and Newfoundland Bank and the type specimen of Hanleya hanleyi suggests the two species are synonymous. Hanleya nagelfar is a junior synonym of H. hanleyi. Finally we note the eggs of H. hanleyi contain an unusual large drop of lipid that may increase their floatation. We propose that the eggs and larvae of H. hanleyi have an extended pelagic distribution and this extended dispersal period may connect populations from bathyal habitats in the slope of Newfoundland Bank via surface currents of the Gulf Stream System to northward and eastward in the Atlantic ocean.

The validity of Astarte inaequilatera (Filatova in Scarlato, 1981) (Bivalvia: Astartidae) is substantiated. It is a Pacific, widely-distributed boreal species, earlier synonymized with the subtropical, Japanese-Korean Astarte hakodatensis Yokoyama, 1920. A. hakodatensis differs from A. inaequilatera by the crenulated inner ventral margin of the shell, lack of undulating commarginal ribs (only growth marks are present), radial threads, and strongly produced anterior margin. The shell is thicker and darker, with a dark brown periostracum. A. inaequilatera usually has a yellow-brownish to olivaceous periostracum. A. hakodatensis differs from Astarte montagui (Dillwyn, 1817) by the crenulation of the inner margin and a smaller size. Detailed synonymies of both species are compiled for the first time. Taxonomic and faunal comments on the Astartidae of the Russian Far Eastern seas are provided.

The genus Retimohnia McLean, 1995 is revised based on conchology, radular morphology, foregut and stomach anatomy. Ten previously described species are recognized as valid: R. frielei (Dall, 1891), R. bella (Ozaki, 1958), R. vernalis (Dall, 1913), R. clarki (Dall, 1907), R.hondoensis (Dall, 1913), R.micra (Dall, 1907), R. sordida (Dall, 1907) comb. nov., R. robusta (Dall, 1913), R. caelata (Verrill et Smith, 1880), R. acadiana García, 2008. two species are described as new: R. lussae sp. nov, and R. mcleani sp. nov. R.japonica (Dall, 1913) is reduced to a junior synonym of R. micra, R. clementina (Dall, 1919) considered as a junior synonym of R clarki. Five species are excluded from the genus. Lectotypes designated for Mohnia frielei, Mohnia vernalis, Mohnia sordida, Mohnia clarki.

Five new species of Olivoidea are described based on molecular and morphological evidence: four shallow subtidal Ancilla from Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, and one deep water (500-600 m) Calyptoliva from the Tuamotus. The sympatric – but not syntopic - Ancilla morrisoni and A. kaviengensis, from New Ireland province, are morphologically cryptic, differing mostly in shell colour, but are molecularly distinct. The sympatric – and possibly syntopic - Ancilla atimovatae and A. lhaumeti, belong to a species flock from southernmost Madagascar;  A. atimovatae is conchologically nearly indistinguishable from A. ventricosa, but differs markedly in radular morphology. Calyptoliva was previously known only from the Coral Sea; C. bbugeae is the first representative of the genus to yield molecular data. The new Ancilla are described based on sequenced holotypes; the type material of the new Calyptoliva includes a sequenced paratype.

A new chiton species of the genus Leptochiton is described from the intertidal zone of False Bay, South Africa. The new species is distinguishable from other congeneric species by ribbed ventral scales, a wide tail valve and the number of micraesthetes per each megalaesthete.

Adventive fauna is a heterogenic and regarding to the entry time, heterochronic group of species in a regional fauna formed as a result of migrations through a direct or an indirect human influence. 96 species of terrestrial snails are found in the Moscow and Tver Regions. 25(26%) of them are alien. The adventive species belong to 15 genera of 9 families. The alien species are classified herein by geographical, chronological and ecological parameters. According to their naturalization degree, the alien species can be classified into 3 groups. Domestizoids are the species inhabiting buildings (as houses, cellars, vegetable stores, greenhouses, etc). Colonozoids are species inhabiting secondary biotopes for a long time but not dispersing further. Epecozoids are species that have occupied anthropogenic biotopes and are continuously dispersing. Negative influence of the alien species on the aboriginal malacological fauna is recorded but that does not diminish the terrestrial species diversity in this area yet.

The nomen “Pisidium zoctanum Poli, 1876” was ambiguously used for some bivalve mollusk of the family Sphaeriidae inhabiting Karani-Koba Cave (Crimean Mountains, Karabi Massif). Literature and analysis of available museum material has shown that the nomen is not valid. This is due in part to the fact that this species has never been described and thus appears to be a ghost-taxon. To date, Euglesa crimeana Stadnichenko, 1980 is the only correctly established name for the sphaeriids from Karani-Koba Cave.

The paper reveals high intra- and interspecific variability of conchological characters, features of the reproductive system, as well as ISSR- DNA markers in steppe snails Helicopsis spp. (Gastropoda, Pulmonata), that imposes certain restrictions on the use of these indicators for species identification. Therefore, these characters were supplemented by the sequences of the conservative fragments of nuclear and mitochondrial genes (18S rDNA, 16S rDNA and COI) with good taxonomic signal, which increased the accuracy of our phylogenetic reconstructions. It is demonstrated that along with Western European species Helicopsis striata, a previously unknown Helicopsis sp. inhabits territory of the Southern Mid-Russian Upland. This species is phylogenetically close to the Crimean group of species of this genus. It has been shown that the rate of mitochondrial genes evolution in different species of Helicopsis differ, with the highest value found in taxa with broad distribution range.

The data on the fauna and distribution of Bivalvia in the Malyi Yugan River basin (Western Siberia, Tyumen Region) are provided. The aquatic malacofauna of this territory has not been studied previously. In 2013-2014, the Malyi Yugan River as well as seven its tributaries, two connected waterbodies, seven floodplain lakes and a singe moraine lake have been sampled. As a results, the data on average density and biomass of bivalves in the waterbodies, a list of 49 species belonging to 4 families, and a brief zoogeographical characteristic of the fauna are provided. The malacofauna of rivers whose drainage basins are situated in swampy areas proved to be rather specific due to unusual life conditions for molluscs. Some peculiarities of behavior of molluscs in different habitats are discussed. The species composition of bivalves in sampled by us rivers drastically differs between waterbodies.

Aestivation is the state of dormancy that occurs in snails when the weather condition is harsh, either dry season or warm season. During this period, the giant African land snails form epiphragm, sealing the aperture of the shell which serves as water preservative strategies, preventing mechanical damage of the inner soft tissues. A study on the formation and mineral composition of the epiphragm in three species of giant African land snails namely: Achatina achatina, Achatina fulica and Archachatina marginata was carried out. Twenty matured snails were used for this experiment. They were induced into aestivation by withdrawing food and water. The snail weight, shell length, aperture length, and epiphragm weight were measured during aestivation as well as duration of epiphragm formation. The ionic concentration (calcium, iron and phosphorus) of the epiphragm was also analyzed. The morphometric analysis showed that A. marginata formed the heaviest epiphragm while the least was formed by A. fulica during aestivation. Analysis of the ions revealed that calcium was the most abundant ion in the epiphragm of the snails. Comparison of mean values reveals that A. achatina has the highest ionic composition in the epiphragm when compared to other species. Regression analysis (r2) revealed that a positive relationship existed between the aperture length and days for epiphragm formation (+0.62) on one hand and between weight of epiphragm formed and the days of its formation on the other hand (+0.77).

This paper reports the systematics of the Clausiliidae species occurring in Son La Province, Vietnam. Specimens of 15 species and subspecies of Clausiliidae from Son La were investigated based on their shell characteristics. The subspecies Garnieria mouhoti nhuongi subsp. nov. was collected in Phu Yen, Muong Do, approximately 200 km NE of the type locality of the nominotypical subspecies Garnieria mouhoti mouhoti. This is the first species of genus Garnieria Bourguignat, 1877 from Vietnam.

The results of investigation demonstrate that the eye of Succinea putris is adapted for vision in daytime under pretty high level of illumination.

The study of reproductive tract of the south-east Asian species Helix pernobilis Férussac, 1821 has shown that the species belongs to the genus Koratia Godwin-Austen 1919. The problem of taxonomic rank of the genus Koratia and its comparison with related taxa (Ariophanta and Hemiplecta) are briefly discussed.