Botswana molluscs are represented by 63 native species (13 bivalves, 24 freshwater snails, 24 land snails and two slugs) and by four introduced species: Cornu aspersum, Lissachatina fulica, Physella acuta and Radix auricularia, which are potentially invasive and of economic concern. The majority of species occur in the regions of the Okavango Delta and the Chobe–Linyanti–Kwando river system along East Caprivi.
The list follows the alphabetical rather than systematic order, and originates from the latest checklist, which summarizes 170 years (1854–2023) of malacological studies in Botswana.
Achatinidae Common name: Tropical land snails, including Giant African land snails. Achatina ampullacea O. Boettger, 1910 Achatina dammarensis L. Pfeiffer, 1870 Achatina passargei E. von Martens, 1900 Achatina schinziana Mousson, 1888 Achatina smithii Craven, 1881 Burtoa nilotica (L. Pfeiffer, 1861) Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822) Lissachatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822) Lubricetta subteres (O. Boettger, 1910) Opeas lineare (Krauss, 1848) Subulina vitrea (Mousson, 1888) Xerocerastus burchelli (J.E. Gray, 1834) Xerocerastus damarensis (H. Adams, 1870) Xerocerastus schultzei (O. Boettger, 1910)
Ampullariidae Common name: Tropical/Apple snails Lanistes ovum Troschel, 1845 Pila occidentalis (Mousson, 1888) Pila wernei (R.A. Philippi, 1851)
Bithyniidae Common name: Mud freshwater snails Gabbiella kisalensis (Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927)
Bulinidae Common name: Ram's horn snails Bulinus africanus (Krauss, 1848) Bulinus depressus F. Haas, 1936 Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866) Bulinus scalaris (Dunker, 1845) Bulinus tropicus (Krauss, 1848)
Burnupiidae Common name: Pond snails Burnupia trapezoidea (O. Boettger, 1910)
Cochliopidae Common name: Small freshwater snails Lobogenes michaelis Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927
Cyrenidae Common name: Porcelain mussels Corbicula fluminalis (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Ferussaciidae Common name: Blind awl snails or pin snails Cecilioides gokweana (O. Böttger, 1870)
Gastrocoptidae Common name: Minute land snails Gastrocopta damarica (Ancey, 1888) Gastrocopta klunzingeri (Jickeli, 1873)
Helicidae Common name: Typical snails or helix garden snails Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Iridinidae Common name: Toothless River mussels Aspatharia subreniformis (G.B. Sowerby II, 1867) Chambardia petersi (E. von Martens, 1860) Chambardia wahlbergi (Krauss, 1848) Mutela zambesiensis Mandahl-Barth, 1988
Lymnaeidae Common name: Pond snails Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758) Radix natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Paludomidae Common name: Trumpet freshwater snails Cleopatra elata Dautzenberg & Germain, 1914 Cleopatra nsendweensis Dupuis & Putzeys, 1901 Melanoides tuberculata (O.F. Müller, 1774) Melanoides victoriae (Dohrn, 1865)
Physidae Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)
Planorbidae Common name: Ram's horn snails Afrogyrorbis natalensis (Krauss, 1848) Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Krauss, 1848) Biomphalaria salinarum (Morelet, 1867) Gyraulus costulatus (Krauss, 1848) Hovorbis coretus (Blainville, 1826) Pettancylus victoriensis (B. Walker, 1912) Segmentorbis angustus (Jickeli, 1874)
Pupillidae Common name: Minute land snails Pupilla tetrodus (O. Böttger, 1870) Pupoides calaharicus (O. Boettger, 1886)
Sphaeriidae Common name: Orb mussels Euglesa viridaria (Kuiper, 1956) Eupera ferruginea (Krauss, 1848) Pisidium reticulatum Kuiper, 1966 Sphaerium capense (Krauss, 1848) Sphaerium incomitatum (Kuiper, 1966)
Streptaxidae Common name: Carnivorous land snails Gulella miniata (Krauss, 1848) Tayloria gwandaensis (Preston, 1912)
Succineidae Common name: Amber snails Oxyloma patentissimum (L. Pfeiffer, 1853) Succinea arboricola Connolly, 1912 Succinea badia Morelet, 1867 Succinea striata Krauss, 1848
Unionidae Common name: Freshwater mussels Coelatura kunenensis (Mousson, 1888) Coelatura mossambicensis (E. von Martens, 1860) Unio caffer Krauss, 1848
Veronicellidae Common name: Leather-back land slugs Laevicaulis alte (A. Férussac, 1822) Laevicaulis natalensis (Krauss, 1848)
Viviparidae Common name: River snails Bellamya capillata (Frauenfeld, 1865)
References