Gastropoda are an exceptionally successful group with a rich and diverse fossil record. They have conquered land and freshwater habitats multiple times independently and have dispersed across the entire globe. Since they are important constituents of fossil assemblages, they are often used for palaeoecological reconstruction, biostratigraphic correlations, and as model groups to study morphological and taxonomic evolution. While marine faunas and their evolution have been a common subject of study, the freshwater component of the fossil record has attracted much less attention, and a global overview is lacking. Here, I review the fossil record of freshwater gastropods on a global scale, ranging from their origins in the late Palaeozoic to the Pleistocene. As compiled here, the global fossil record of freshwater Gastropoda includes 5182 species in 490 genera, 44 families, and 12 superfamilies over a total of ~340 million years. Following a slow and poorly known start in the late Palaeozoic, diversity slowly increased during the Mesozoic. Diversity culminated in an all-time high in the Neogene, relating to diversification in numerous long-lived (ancient) lakes in Europe. I summarise well-documented and hypothesised freshwater colonisation events and compare the patterns found in freshwater gastropods to those in land snails. Furthermore, I discuss potential preservation and sampling biases, as well as the main drivers underlying species diversification in fresh water on a larger scale. In that context, I particularly highlight the importance of long-lived lakes as islands and archives of evolution and expand a well-known concept in ecology and evolution to a broader spectrum: scale-independent ecological opportunity.

Transcriptome studies for conservation of endangered mollusks is a proactive approach towards managing threats and uncertainties facing these species in natural environments. The population of these species is declining due to habitat destruction, illicit wildlife trade, and global climate change. These activities risk the free movement of species across the wild landscape, loss of breeding grounds, and restrictions in displaying the physiological attributes so crucial for faunal welfare. Gastropods face the most negative ecological effects and have been enlisted under Korea\'s protective species consortium based on their population dynamics in the last few years. Moreover, with the genetic resources restricted for such species, conservation by informed planning is not possible. This review provides insights into the activities under the threatened species initiative of Korea with special reference to the transcriptome assemblies of endangered mollusks. The gastropods such as Ellobium chinense, Aegista chejuensis, Aegista quelpartensis, Incilaria fruhstorferi, Koreanohadra kurodana, Satsuma myomphala, and Clithon retropictus have been represented. Moreover, the transcriptome summary of bivalve Cristaria plicata and Caenogastropoda Charonia lampas sauliae is also discussed. Sequencing, de novo assembly, and annotation identified transcripts or homologs for the species and, based on an understanding of the biochemical and molecular pathways, were ascribed to predictive gene function. Mining for simple sequence repeats from the transcriptome have successfully assisted genetic polymorphism studies. A comparison of the transcriptome scheme of Korean endangered mollusks with the genomic resources of other endangered mollusks have been discussed with homologies and analogies for dictating future research.

The genera Amauta Houlbert, 1918 and Divana J.Y. Miller, 1982 are revised, with discussion of diagnostic features of males and females of all taxa. Details on their nomenclatural history, biogeography, and biology are included to solve several nomenclatural issues. Lectotypes are designated for Castnia (Amauta) papilionaris affinis Rothschild, 1919 and Castnia tricolor C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874. The status of the following taxa is revised: Amauta procera (Boisduval, [1875]) stat. rest., Amauta angusta (H. Druce, 1907) stat. rest., Castnia ambatensis Houlbert, 1917 syn. nov. of Castnia papilionaris papilionaris Walker, [1865], Castnia velutina Houlbert, 1917 syn. nov. of Castnia papilionaris papilionaris Walker, [1865], and Castnia diva chiriquiensis Strand, 1913 syn. nov. of Castnia diva diva Butler, 1870. Other taxa are revised, and their taxonomic status clarified. A new genus Vadina gen. nov. is proposed for Castnia hodeei Oberthür, 1881, which is removed (comb. nov.) from Telchin Hübner, [1825], whilst Amauta stat. rest. and Divana stat. rest., subsumed into Telchin in the most recent revision of the family, are herein reinstated as valid genera.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of resistance training under hypoxic conditions (RTH) on muscle hypertrophy and strength development. Searches of PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, Sport Discus and the Cochrane Library were conducted comparing the effect of RTH versus normoxia (RTN) on muscle hypertrophy (cross sectional area (CSA), lean mass and muscle thickness) and strength development [1-repetition maximum (1RM)]. An overall meta-analysis and subanalyses of training load (low, moderate or high), inter-set rest interval (short, moderate or long) and severity of hypoxia (moderate or high) were conducted to explore the effects on RTH outcomes. Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. The overall analyses showed similar improvements in CSA (SMD [CIs] = 0.17 [- 0.07; 0.42]) and 1RM (SMD = 0.13 [0.0; 0.27]) between RTH and RTN. Subanalyses indicated a medium effect on CSA for longer inter-set rest intervals and a small effect for moderate hypoxia and moderate loads favoring RTH. Moreover, a moderate effect for longer inter-set rest intervals and a trivial effect for severe hypoxia and moderate loads favoring RTH was found on 1RM. Evidence suggests that RTH employed with moderate loads (60-80% 1RM) and longer inter-set rest intervals (≥ 120 s) enhances muscle hypertrophy and strength compared to normoxia. The use of moderate hypoxia (14.3-16% FiO2) seems to be somewhat beneficial to hypertrophy but not strength. Further research is required with greater standardization of protocols to draw stronger conclusions on the topic.

The spider genus Iberina has been reviewed and an updated description of the genus is presented. A key to the genera of the subfamily Hahniinae and to the species of Iberina is given. The genus Iberina now includes five species. The following new synonymy is proposed: Iberina caeca Georgescu Sarbu, 1992 = Iberina microphthalma (Snazell Duffey, 1980) new synonymy. Iberina ljovuschkini Pichka, 1965 is only known from females. It is considered to be a species inquirenda and its name declared a nomen dubium.

The paper contains the description of two new species of the genus Morabia Hausmann Tujuba, 2020: M. cryptica sp. n. and M. smithi sp. n. The descriptions are based on both morphological data and DNA barcoding. Based on integrative taxonomic analyses, five new combinations are proposed: Morabia nigripunctata (Warren, 1897), comb. n. described from Nigeria, Morabia hero (Viette, 1971), comb. n., Morabia pluto (Viette, 1971), comb. n. described from Madagascar, Morabia herbuloti (Orhant, 2003), comb. n. described from Runion and Morabia distinctaria (Joannis, 1915), comb. n. described from Mauritius are transferred from the genus Ectropis Hbner, 1825 to Morabia. The female genitalia of M. nigripunctata, M. brunnea Hausmann Tujuba, 2020, M. hero and M. herbuloti are described and illustrated for the first time. Detailed diagnoses and re-descriptions of all taxa newly transferred to Morabia are given, interspecific pairwise distances of DNA barcodes are calculated and a maximum likelihood tree is compiled. The paper is illustrated with 38 colour and 38 black and white diagnostic images and a distribution map.

Fifty-eight species in 19 genera are recorded from Azerbaijan. A new synonymy is proposed for Mutilla sinuata Olivier, 1811 (=M. binotata Radoszkowski, 1879, syn. nov.; M. araratica Radoszkowski, 1890, syn. nov.) and Smicromyrme atrithorax (Andr, 1902) (=S. kurdus Skorikov, 1935, syn. nov.). The lectotypes of seven species: Agama caucasica Radoszkowski, 1885, ; Ephutomma radoszkovskii Skorikov, 1935, ; Mutilla armeniaca Kolenati, 1846, ; M. elongata Radoszkowski, 1885, ; M. binotata Radoszkowski 1879, ; M. araratica Radoszkowski 1890, ; and M. villosa Klug 1829, are designated. Fourteen species are recorded for the first time from Azerbaijan: Dasylabris (Inbaltilla) regalis (Fabricius, 1793); D. (I.) popovi Skorikov, 1935; D. (I.) shelkovnikovi Lelej, 1985; Dentilla erronea (Andr, 1900); Myrmilla (M.) calva (Villers, 1789); M. (Pseudomutilla) glabrata (Fabricius, 1775); M. (P.) vutshetitshi Skorikov, 1927; Physetopoda daghestanica (Radoszkowski, 1885); Pseudophotopsis armeniaca (Skorikov, 1935); Smicromyrme (Astomyrme) ausonius Invrea 1950; S. (Eremotilla) novaki Invrea, 1954; S. (Smicromyrme) ruficollis ruficollis (Fabricius, 1793); S. (S.) rufipes (Fabricius, 1787); and S. (S.) tristis Lelej, 1984. Four species are excluded from the list of Azerbaijan fauna. An updated key to three Palaearctic species of Macromyrme Lelej, 1984 is given and new combination and resurrected status are proposed for Macromyrme villosa (Klug, 1829). A cluster analysis of faunal similarities among Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and three regions of Russia (Crimea, North Caucasus, south of European part) for Mutillidae produce two major clusters (index similarity 0.4): Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Georgia (bootstrap probability 45 %), and three regions of Russia (bootstrap probability 87 %). This demonstrates the important boundary between two large biogeographical subregions of Palaearctic: Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian. The Azerbaijan fauna, especially Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, is most closely related with the Armenian fauna.

Interfaces between nacreous tablets are crucial to the outstanding mechanical properties of nacre in natural shells. Excellent research has been conducted to probe the effect of interfaces on strength and toughness of nacre, providing critical guidelines for the design of human-made laminated composites. This article reviews recent studies on interfacial mechanical behavior of nacre in red abalone and other shells, including experimental methods, analytical and numerical modeling. The discussions focus on the mechanical properties of dry and hydrated nacreous microstructures. The review concludes with discussions on representative studies of nacre-like composites with interfaces tuned using multiple approaches, and provides an outlook on improving the performance of composites with better interfacial controls.

The genus Orodoris Bergh, 1875 is a small genus that together with Miamira Bergh, 1875, was considered as a junior synonym of Ceratosoma A. Adams Reeve, 1850. This decision was based on a morphological phylogenetic study conducted in 1999 that recovered the monophyly of the Ceratosoma. However, in 2012, molecular evidences led to the resurrection of Miamira, while Orodoris was retained as a junior synonym of Miamira with no further details. Here we revise the status of the genus Orodoris in light of the rediscovery of M. striata (syn. Orodoris striata Eliot, 1904). Our phylogenetic analysis revealed a close sister relationship between Miamira striata and Miamira miamirana Bergh, 1875 which nested within the Miamira clade. Therefore, to retain the monophyly of Miamira, the genus Orodoris should be maintained as a junior synonym of the former. This study proposes a neotype for M. striata and underscores the importance of reviewing historical taxonomic changes and investigating ancient descriptions prior to describing new taxa. Our study also confirms that Miamira magnifica Eliot, 1910 from the Indian Ocean and Miamira flavicostata Baba, 1940 from the Pacific Ocean represent two distinct, sister species.

The Onchidium genus (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Systellommatophora, Onchidiidae family) is used as the important economical shellfish, due to the high nutritional value and medicinal value. Research over the previous decades indicated that Onchidium sp. mainly contains polypropionates, depsipeptides, terpenoids and other chemical components. Many biological activities of Onchidium (e. g., cytotoxic activities against tumor cells, anti-viral and anti-bacterial activities) have been reported. This review reports a total of 60 compounds, synthetic work and biological studies on Onchidium genus, covering the literature from 1978 to date, with a view to providing a reference and helping for the in-depth research of this genus.