Non-native species have been introduced at escalating rates during the last decades, mainly due to the dispersion generated by the increasing trade and transport worldwide. Mollusks, the second largest metazoan phylum in terms of species richness, are no exception to this pattern, but, to date, a comprehensive synthesis of non-native mollusk species (NNMS) in South America was not available. For this purpose, an e-discussion group was formed with malacologists and taxonomists from South America, where we exchanged and analyzed bibliography, databases and information about NNMS, providing expert opinion to this assessment. The first list of non-native mollusk species for South America, considering terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, includes 86 NNMS distributed in 152 ecoregions (terrestrial, freshwater and marine) of the 189 recognized for the South American continent. Information on their native region, vectors, first record for South America and distribution, are also provided. In the analysis of the distribution of the NNMS and the entry points of each species (e.g., ports, cargo and passenger airports, cities) and status of conservation of the ecoregions, four hot spots were recognized: Subtropical-Atlantic,

Telmatobius halli was the first endemic Telmatobius species described in Chile, reported by Noble in 1938 near the locality of Ollagüe, in the high Andean zone of the Antofagasta region. To this date, there are no specimens assignable to this species other than the type series; although many expeditions have tried to search for T. halli, they have been unsuccessful, but they have found and described new species around this area. In order to clarify the origin of the enigmatic T. halli, we reviewed the itinerary of the expedition carried out by F. G. Hall in the Chilean Altiplano, to place a putative type locality. We contrast the morphology of the holotype, with that of recently collected specimens from the new putative type locality, to confirm the population’s identity; and finally, we perform phylogenetic analyses in order to clarify the systematic position of this taxon. The historical review of the expedition that collected these frogs shows that it is likely that Telmatobius halli had been collected near Collahuasi, about 50 km northwest of Ollagüe, site that we have assigned as a putative type locality for T. halli. The morphological analyses support this hypothesis, while phylogenetic results show that the specimens assigned to this species form a monophyletic group, and is a sister clade of T. chusmisensis. Thus, we propose that the type locality of T. halli be changed from “around Ollagüe” to the area of the Copaquire ravine, so its distribution would be restricted to this system and Choja-Chijlla ravine, both in the high Andean zone of the Región de Tarapacá, Chile.

Aim The distribution and genetic composition of marine populations is the result of climatic and oceanographic factors as well as life history strategies. Studying species with wide distributions and high dispersal potential in sites that were differentially affected during the Pleistocene glaciations provides an opportunity to evaluate the genetic and distributional effect of glaciations on marine populations, such as the limpet Siphonaria lesonii. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the differential effects of glaciations on areas covered and not covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene glaciations. Location Intertidal zone of the south‐eastern Pacific covering approximately 5,000 km of coastline of Peru and Chile. Methods We performed molecular analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear data jointly, as well as environmental niche modelling (ENM) of populations of the limpet Siphonaria lessonii. Using ENM, we modelled the potential distributional range of the species in the present and its distribution during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Results Two lineages were found that were separated by a break at 41° S, corresponding to the biogeographical discontinuity previously reported for this region. Both of these lineages experienced genetic and demographical fluctuations that match the Pleistocene glaciations; however, the variability was more intense in the southern lineage. Phylogeography and ENM yielded complementary results for the southern lineage, which experienced loss of genetic diversity and habitat during the LGM, whereas the northern lineage evidenced loss of genetic diversity without distributional changes. Main conclusions The phylogeographical and ENM approaches suggest a historical scenario involving demographic and distributional contractions of S. lessonii surviving in glacial refugia in the southern portion of the south‐eastern Pacific. This study is the first to include both phylogeographical and ENM analyses of marine species from the Southern Hemisphere.

The species that inhabit systems highly affected by anthropic activities usually exhibit this external influence in their gene pool. In this study, we investigated the genetic patterns of populations of Heleobia atacamensis, a freshwater microgastropod endemic to the Atacama Saltpan, a system historically exposed to environmental changes, and currently subjected to conditions associated with metallic and non-metallic mining and other anthropic activities. Molecular analyses based on nuclear and mitochondrial sequences indicate that the saltpan populations are highly fragmented and that the genetic structure is mainly explained by historical geographic isolation, with little influence of contemporary factors. The microsatellite results suggest a moderate genetic diversity and sharp differentiation mediated by isolation by distance. Additionally, despite the high environmental heterogeneity detected and the marked historical dynamism of the region, our data reveal no signs of demographic instability. The patterns of contemporary gene flow suggest a change in the current genetic structure, based on the geographic proximity and specific environmental conditions for each population. Our results, highlight the role of fragmentation as a modulator of genetic diversity, but also suggest that the historical persistence of isolated populations in naturally dynamic environments could explain the apparent demographic stability detected.