Diversity patterns of the terrestrial snail fauna of Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda), a Pleistocene refugium in the heart of Africa

Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda, harbors the highest terrestrial snail species richness recorded in Africa, with 102 species identified across 50 plots. This diversity is significantly linked to its status as a Pleistocene refugium and its location on the Congo–Nile divide, where species from different geographical origins converge. The study reveals high beta diversity due to rapid species turnover between sites, influenced by altitude and microhabitats like bare rocks. Species richness decreases with elevation, and while occurrences are significantly clustered, most species respond individualistically to environmental variables, with nestedness primarily correlated with altitude.

Boxnick, A., Apio, A., Wronski, T., & Hausdorf, B. (2015). Diversity patterns of the terrestrial snail fauna of Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda), a Pleistocene refugium in the heart of Africa. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 114(2), 363–375. https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12418