Land-Based Malacological Diversity of Some Aromatic and Medicinal Plants in The Jbel Zerhoun Region (Morocco)

Abstract

The Jbel Zerhoun region is a geographical entity whose features create a wholly unique natural environment full of aromatic and therapeutic plants. In this work, we represent the study of malacological diversity on five lamiaceae abundant in the region, which are horehound, thyme, sage, lavender and spearmint. The results of the study showed a malacological richness of 13 species on spearmint, 12 species on thyme, 11 species on sage, 10 species on lavender with only 3 species on horehound. The different species belong to four families, which are Parmacellidae, Milacidae, Sphincterochilidae, Helcidae and Subulinidae. The Helicidae family is the most abundant with 10 species ; the Otala genus is the most represented on the different plants with the exception of horehound. The Parmacellidae family represented by the Parmacella deshayesi species is present only on spearmint, the Milicidae represented by Milax gagates is present on four plants, and absent on thyme, the species albea candidissima of the family Sphincterochilidae is present on four lamiaceae, absent on horehound. Rumina decollata is the only species of the Subulinidae family, which is present on all the plants studied with Theba pissana of the Helicidae family. The vertical distribution of the different species is presented at the end of the study.