Scientific publications

The malacofauna of the Kivach Strict Nature Reserve was studied. In total, 25 species of mollusks were found. This number included terrestrial gastropods 9 species, aquatic pulmonate gastropods 9 species, prosobranch gastropods 2 species, bivalves 5 species. For eight species the nature reserve's territory is close to the northern limit of their distribution in European Russia, and for two species it is close to the southern limit. Among the terrestrial gastropods one species (Arion subfuscus) prefers forest habitats; one species (Succinea putris) prefers living on wet land, but is also found in water on the trunks and branches of submerged trees; one species (Deroceras reticulatum) is synanthropic, found only in a residential area; and the rest prefer open sites. All the aquatic gastropods found in the nature reserve live in stagnant or slow-flowing water bodies. All the observed species of bivalves belong to the superfamily Unionacea. Three species live in lakes and river pools with slow stream. Two bivalve species (Unio crassus and Margaritifera margaritifera) inhabit rapids in the Suna River. The latter two species are red-listed. In fact, the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera used to inhabit the Suna River in the past but went extinct as a result of human activities. The present-day population of M. margaritifera includes 400 individuals. These mussels were translocated from the Nemina River within the program for restoration of this species. A list of species of mollusks described from Karelia but not found in Kivach nature reserve is presented. It is quite likely, however, that some of these species do inhabit the territory of the reserve. This is especially so for small bivalves of the family Sphaeriidae. The resultant species list can serve as a starting point for further investigations of the reserve's malacofauna.