Land Snail Fauna of Me Aure Cave (WMD007), Moindou, New Caledonia: Human Introductions and Faunal Change

摘要

The land snail fauna excavated from a cave at Me Aure on the centralsouthwestern coast of New Caledonia represents a period of over 3000 yr, frombefore human arrival in the island to the present. The material excavated represents20 terrestrial species in nine families. The fauna reflects the overall landsnail fauna of New Caledonia in being dominated by small snails in the familiesCharopidae and Rhytididae, with large Placostylus species (Bulimulidae) presentand minor representation of other families. Two alien species are present: Allopeasgracile, probably introduced before European arrival, and Achatina fulica,introduced in 1972. There are suggestions of change in the composition of thefauna, perhaps associated with the arrival of Europeans and the replacementof native by alien vegetation, with Andrefrancia vetula and possibly A. saissetideclining and Rhytida aulacospira increasing.