Information is presented regarding the species of the Family Veronicellidae in Mexico. Data were gathered from specimens deposited in the Colección Nacional de Moluscos (Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), from field trips, and from the literature. These slugs are distributed mainly in the central and southern regions of Mexico, although there are a few records from the northern part of the country. Five species in three genera have been recorded, namely: Leidyula floridana, L. moreleti, Phyllocaulis gayi, Sarasinula dubia and S. plebeia. The occurrence of Leidyula floridana and Phyllocaulis gayi in Mexico needs confirmation. The Los Tuxtlas region, southern Veracruz, is a hotspot where veronicellid slugs have become a pest and farmers have stopped growing beans, switching to other crops as a measure to contain the pest.

Se sintetiza la información conocida de los Veronicellidae de México. Los datos provienen de ejemplares depositados en la Colección Nacional de Moluscos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, de salidas complementarias de trabajo al campo y recopilación de la literatura. Estas babosas se distribuyen principalmente en el centro y sur de México, aunque existen algunos registros en el norte del país. Se han registrado 3 géneros y 5 especies: Leidyula floridana, L. moreleti, Phyllocaulis gayi, Sarasinula dubia, y S. plebeia. Los registros en México de L. floridana y P. gayi deben confirmarse. En la región de Los Tuxtlas, al sur del estado de Veracruz, se localizó un foco donde las babosas Veronicellidae son plaga, los agricultores dejaron de sembrar frijol y cambiaron a otros cultivos para evitar la plaga.

The partial list of the land snails Punctoidea from the "Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata" (São Francisco de Paula, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) (CPCN-PM) is presented herein. This list includes seven species, two of them new. The CPCN-PM is located between 600 and 950 m of altitude; it has a temperate super humid to humid climate, with 2,250 mm of annual rainfall and means annual temperature of 14.5ºC; three main phytoecological regions are present -mixed ombrophile forest, dense ombrophile forest and savanna. The taxa found are: Rotadiscus amancaezensis (Hidalgo, 1869), Lilloiconcha tucumana (Hylton Scott, 1963), Radiodiscus cuprinus Fonseca & Thomé, 2000, Radiodiscus tenellus Hylton Scott, 1957, Radiodiscus promatensis sp. nov., Zilchogyra gordurasensis (Thiele, 1927) and Zilchogyra zulmae sp. nov. The shell of R. promatensis sp. nov. is very small, almost flat, with very wide umbilicus, reniform aperture, teleoconch with spiral striae and 58-62 axial ribs on the body whorl. The shell of Z. zulmae sp. nov. is trochiform elevated, with five whorls with strong and widely spaced axial ribs (25-38), wide and perspective umbilicus and sub circular angled aperture. The charopid gastropod fauna from the CPCN-PM has three species known only from there (R. cuprinus, R. promatensis sp. nov. and Z. zulmae sp. nov.), another one with previous known distribution only in Paraguay (R. tenellus) and three common species (L. tucumana, R. amancaezensis and Z. gordurasensis) with distribution in other South American areas -mainly Yungas forests.

Se presenta una lista parcial de gasterópodos terrestres Punctoideos del "Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata" (São Francisco de Paula, Estado de Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) (CPCN-PM). Esta lista incluye siete especies, dos de ellas son nuevas. El CPCN-PM se localiza entre los 600 y 950 m de altitud; presenta clima templado superhúmedo a húmedo, lluvias de 2.250 mm anuales y temperatura promedio anual de 14,5ºC; están presentes tres regiones fitoecológicas principales, floresta ombrófila mixta, floresta ombrófila densa y sabana. Los taxones hallados son: Rotadiscus amancaezensis (Hidalgo, 1869), Lilloiconcha tucumana (Hylton Scott, 1963), Radiodiscus cuprinus Fonseca & Thomé, 2000, Radiodiscus tenellus Hylton Scott, 1957, Radiodiscus promatensis sp. nov., Zilchogyra gordurasensis (Thiele, 1927) y Zilchogyra zulmae sp. nov. La conchilla de R. promatensis sp. nov. es muy pequeña, casi plana, con ombligo muy desarrollado, abertura reniforme, con estrías espirales en la teleoconcha y 58-62 costillas axiales en el último anfracto. La conchilla de Z. zulmae sp. nov. es troquiforme alta, con cinco anfractos con fuertes y espaciadas costillas axiales (25-38), ombligo amplio y perspectivo y abertura subcircular angulosa. La fauna de gasterópodos carópidos del CPCN-PM tiene tres especies conocidas sólo del área (R. cuprinus, R. promatensis sp. nov. y Z. zulmae sp. nov.), una, que se distribuye también en Paraguay (R. tenellus) y tres (L. tucumana, R. amancaezensis y Z. gordurasensis), comunes a otras áreas de América del Sur, principalmente la región de las Yungas.

Foi avaliada a proporção sexual e determinado o tamanho da concha, quando da primeira maturação sexual de uma população de Donax hanleyanus Philippi, 1847, amostrada durante 15 meses, entre outubro de 2001 e dezembro de 2002, na praia de Arroio Teixeira, sul do Brasil. Aproximadamente, 3000 espécimes foram coletados na zona de varrido, com comprimento de concha igual ou superior a 2,0 mm. A análise histológica foi realizada em 347 espécimes, entre 7,0 e 28,33 mm de comprimento de concha. A proporção sexual é de 1:1. Os diferentes métodos utilizados, para determinação do tamanho da primeira maturação sexual, resultaram em comprimentos aproximados, podendo-se concluir que Donax hanleyanus atinge a maturidade em um comprimento médio de concha entre 12,28 e 12,60 mm. Sugere-se que o comprimento mínimo de captura seja estabelecido em 15,0 mm.

Sex ratio and size at first maturity of the wedge clam Donax hanleyanus Philippi, 1847 were studied during 15 months, between October 2001 and December 2002, in Arroio Teixeira beach, southern Brazil. Circa of 3000 specimens were collected in swash zone and the length shell varied between 2.0 and 28.33 mm. 347 specimens, between 7.0 and 28.3 mm, were analyzed histologically. The sex ratio was 1:1. Different methods were employed in order to give a better idea of the mean size at first maturity. Donax hanleyanus attain maturity at mean lengths between 12.28 mm and 12.60 mm. A minimum size of 15,0 mm (ca. eight months) for extraction is suggested.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis é um nematódeo parasita de roedores. O homem pode se infectar pela ingestão da larva de terceiro estágio produzida nos hospedeiros intermediários, geralmente lesmas da família Veronicellidae. Em estudo epidemiológico em curso numa localidade no sul do Brasil (oeste do Estado de Santa Catarina) onde aquelas lesmas constituem praga agrícola e importantes vetores do A. costaricensis, documentou-se pela primeira vez a infecção natural de Deroceras laeve com larvas de metastrongilídeos. Este pequeno limacídeo é freqüentemente encontrado entre as dobras de folhas de verduras e pode ser ingerido inadvertidamente. É possível que tenha um papel importante na transmissão de A. costaricensis para o homem.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a nematode parasitic of rodents. Man may become infected by ingestion of the third stage larvae produced within the intermediate hosts, usually slugs from the family Veronicellidae. An epidemiological study carried out in a locality in southern Brazil (western Santa Catarina State) where these slugs are a crop pest and an important vector for A. costaricensis has documented for the first time the natural infection of Deroceras laeve with metastrongylid larvae. This small limacid slug is frequently found amid the folds of vegetable leaves and may be inadvertently ingested. Therefore D. laeve may have an important role in transmission of A. costaricensis to man.

The predominant occurrence of the species Sarasinula marginata (Semper, 1885) in 31 lots, all proceeding from the stomach contents of the snakes Dipsas Laurenri, 1768 was determined. A species still not determined of Novovaginula Thiele, 1931 was represented in 10 lots and in a living collected lot (with only one specimen, not mature). One-third species, Potamojanuarius fuscus (Heynemann, 1885) is represented only in a lot of slugs collected alive (seven specimens) and was confirmed in a lot of four specimens, this of the Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo. All the other lots were sent by F.Q. Alves, Department of Zoology, State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo.

Lesmas veronicelídeas são os principais hospedeiros intermediários de Angiostrongylus costaricencis. Em uma localidade rural de Nova Itaberaba (SC, no sul do Brasil) Sarasinula linguaeformis apresenta-se como peste agrícola. O exame parasitológico das lesmas demonstrou infecção pelo A. costaricencis em 43 de 50 animais. A prevalência de 86% e as cargas parasitárias são as mais altas registradas até o momento no Brasil e S. linguaeformis é a primeira espécie do gênero Sarasinula a ser identificado como hospedeiro intermediário do A. costaricencis no sul do país.

Veronicellid slugs are the main intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricencis. In a rural locality in Nova Itaberaba (SC, southern Brazil) Sarasinula linguaeformis was identified as a crop pest. The parasitological examination revealed A. costaricencis infection in 43 out ot 50 slugs. The prevalence of 86% and the individual parasitic burdens are the highest sofar reported in Brazil and S. linguaeformis is the first species from the genus Sarasinula to be identified as intermediate host for A. costaricencis in southern Brazil.

Two specimens of Phyllocaulis boraceiensis were found in concomitant cross copulation on 19.VII.1997. Each was in the "U"-shape position. Both specimens were the same age. One was 100 mm. long and weighed 14.53 g.; the other was 129 mm long and weighed 16.08 g. Thirty-one days later the largest one laid 11 eggs; all hatched 64 days later. The other died in October, 1997 without laying.

It is described the anatomy and microanatomy of the phallus complex of Rectartemon depressus (Heynemann, 1868). The complex is composed by a phallus, a diverticle of the phallus and an epiphallus, where the deferens duct is thrown in: the retractor muscle is splitted in two parts, inserted into the region of the epiphallus through a smaller branch, and at the extremity of the diverticle, through a longer and thiner branch. The lumen of the phallus, epiphallus and diverticle have corrugations and thorns. On the phallus the thorns are arranged in a protuberance and disposed alternately in rows, ali with an aculeus form and with a chestnut collor point and a yellow basis.

Conchomorphological and anatomic characteristics of species from Punctum (Toltecia) are presented and discussed. The brief recharacterization about the conchomorphology and internal anatomy of Toltecia with related species from this subgenus is presented. The data from this species are compared with other related species from Punctidae, Helicodiscidae and Charopidae. Punctum (Toltecia) pilsbryi, n.comb. is redescribed and its shells features was analyzed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and commented, as well as the shells dimensions; the anatomy of the excretory and reproductive systems are described too. The anatomic characteristics, mainly from excretory system, characterize Punctum (Toltecia) pilsbryi, n.comb. like Punctidae.

Semperula tailandensis, sp.n. from Salaya, Nakhon Patom Province, Tailand, is described upon a sample of 35 specimens, deposited on the collection of the Museu de Ciências Naturais da Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, Nr. 33125, holotype and Nr. 33126, paratypes. Detailed morphological and anatomical characters as well quantative data are given.

Radiodiscus vazi. sp.n. is described. Synonymizations of Zichogyra cleliae Weyrauch, 1965 under Radiodiscus pilsbryi Scott, 1957 and Radiodiscus patagonicus (Suter, 1900), comb.n. - non Radiodiscus patagonicus Pilsbry, 1911 - and Radiodiscus iheringi (Ancey, 1S99), comb.n. - non Radiodiscus jheringi (Thiele, 1927) - are proposed with Radiodiscus bolachaensis. nom.n.

The digestive gland of Phyllocaulis soleiformis is a compound tubular gland. The secretory tubules are made up of two main cell types: the digestive cells and calcic cells. The digestive cells are the most numerous, usually columnar, and exhibit three different functional stages: absorptive, secretory and excretory. These cells contain two cytoplasmic granules types and, in the excretory stage, most of the cell is occupied by a large vacuole. The calcic cells occursingly or frequently in groups of two or three, are triangular shaped and have distinct apical granules, and yet calcic histochemical detected granules. In addition, there is a third cell type, without characteristic cytoplasmic granules and which correspond to the undifferentiated cells. The excretory duets system are represented by anterior and posterior vestibules, which branche to form the duets, that communicate with the secretory tubules. These excretory duets are lined with a simple epithelium of ciliated columnar cells, followed by a layer of connective tissue with circular and longitudinal muscular fibers. Subepithelial mucous cells are present only in the vestibules.

Leidyula goodfriendi, sp.n. is described.