Limax (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Stylommatophora) in Corsica (part II): A case of double radiation

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Because of their unique, highly complex, and sensitif strategy of copulation and because of spontaneous cases of dwarfing ("Bonsais"), the genus Limax is extremely well suited to serve as an example of ad hoc, possibly even sympatric speciation. The well known geohistory of the Mediterranean Island Corsica enables the possibility to place the inferred phylogeny of a largely unknown species complex and radiation of about 12-15 species (up to now defined by morphological and reproduction biology) within a geohistoric context. The proposed investigations want to apply particularly molecular-systematic methodology of mitochondrial and nuclear genes with various mutation rates. In addition, breeding experiments enable the correlation of the molecular results with respect to the biological species concept. Objectives are: (1) How many (endemic) Limax-species do exist in Corsica? (2) Is the genus Limax in Corsica monophyletic? (3) What is (are) the probable sister-species at the nearby continent (Toscana)? (4) How to explain the inferred pattern of species relationships by mechanisms of speciations and invasion events? To clear up these question not only has high significance for current questions of evolutionary biology, but also has direct impact with respect to survival of the respective species. Corsican Limax-species are notoriously very endangered to become extinct because of their very limited distribution and because of sustainable destruction of their habitat (particularly by burnings of the woods).