Dr. Fűköh Levente szerk.: Malakológiai Tájékoztató 11. (Eger, 1992.)

H. K. Mienis: Additional notes concerning prédation on landsnails by White-toothed shrews in Israel

A second record of Zootecus insularis (Ehrenberg, 1831) from an archaeological site in Sinai, Egypt H. K. Mienis Zootecus insularis is reported from the excavation of a PPNB-site near Tarfat Qudrein, wadi Feiran, Sinai, Egypt. This is the second find of an almost 9000 year old shell of this palaeotropic species in Sinai. The excavation of a Pre Pottery Neolithic „B" (PPNB) site near Tarfat Qudrein, Wadi Feiran, Sinai, Egypt, in the mid 70's, yielded among others a number of molluscs. They are currently being studied by Mrs. D. Bar-Yosef (Cambridge, U.S.A.). The material contained also a single landsnail, which was submitted for identification to the author. It turned out to be a perfectly preserved specimen of Zootecus insularis (Ehrenberg, 1831) (Fam. Subulinidae) (fig. 1). This palaeotropic species is now known from two archaeological sites in Sinai. Another single shell was reported from Currelly's site near Wadi Riketiyah, +20 km NE of Santa Catharina (Mienis, 1979). That site is of about the same age as that in Wadi Feiran i.e. some 9000 years BP. Altogether three records of Zootecus insularis are now known from the Sinai Peninsula. Pallary (1924a-b) had already recorded a recent find from Gebei Halal (fig. 2). It is not clear whether this landsnail is indeed such a rare species in Sinai. Large parts of the peninsula are still „terra incognita" from the malacological point of view. Also the Fig. 1. Zootecus insularis (Ehrenberg, 1831) Actual size 14.8 mm. Fig. 2. Records of Zootecus insularis from the Sinai Peninsula