Amphibulima patula
Encyclopedia
Amphibulima patula is a species
of air-breathing land snail
, a terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae
.
Comparison of orange-yellowish and dark brown Amphibulima patula dominicensis:
. The type locality is Guadeloupe.
Amphibulima patula dominicensis is endemic to Dominica.
Another variety has been reported from Saint Kitts
and Saba.
Adult snail is about 2.5 cm. It is called a slug-like snail because the shell
is relatively small in proportion to the body and with one large, ear-like whorl
and two small whorls. Color is yellowish brown.
This species could be confused with the common amber snails (Succinea
), especially the juveniles. The Amphibulima has much coarser sculpture than the amber snails.
The jaw and radula
of Amphibulima patula dominicensis was described by Bland & Binney in 1874.
plants, where it may feed on the leaves. They also eat leaves of Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
and Cakile lanceolata. They eat lettuce in captivity.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of air-breathing land snail
Land snail
A land snail is any of the many species of snail that live on land, as opposed to those that live in salt water and fresh water. Land snails are terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells, It is not always an easy matter to say which species are terrestrial, because some are more or less...
, a terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae
Orthalicidae
Orthalicidae are a family of tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks are classified in the informal group Sigmurethra of the clade Stylommatophora...
.
Subspecies
Subspecies of Amphibulima patula include:- Amphibulima patula patula (Bruguière, 1792)
- Amphibulima patula dominicensis Pilsbry, 1899 - Pilsbry (1899) separated the Dominican specimens on the basis of the darker colour and by having a heavier sculpturedSculpture (mollusc)The sculpture of a mollusc shell is the three-dimensional ornamentation on the outer surface, as distinct from the basic shape of the shell itself or colouration. Sculpture may be concave as well as convex. Sometimes it has microscopic detail. Sculpture refers to the calcareous outer layer, not the...
shell. Robinson et al. (2009) have found living specimens that were either light beige-coloured with a somewhat orange-yellowish line along the foot (see photo on the left), or entirely dark brown coloured (see photo on the right).
Comparison of orange-yellowish and dark brown Amphibulima patula dominicensis:
Distribution
The nominate taxon Amphibulima patula patula has been reported from Guadeloupe (probably now extinct) and Marie-GalanteMarie-Galante
Marie-Galante is an island of the Caribbean Sea located at the south of Guadeloupe and at north of Dominica. Marie-Galante is a dependence of Guadeloupe which is a french overseas department....
. The type locality is Guadeloupe.
Amphibulima patula dominicensis is endemic to Dominica.
Another variety has been reported from Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French) is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...
and Saba.
Description
Amphibulima patula has large foot, that is not completely retracted into the shell in living specimen. But when the live animal is immersed into the preserving fluid, then it rectract completelly within the shell.Adult snail is about 2.5 cm. It is called a slug-like snail because the shell
Gastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
is relatively small in proportion to the body and with one large, ear-like whorl
Whorl (mollusc)
A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the...
and two small whorls. Color is yellowish brown.
This species could be confused with the common amber snails (Succinea
Succinea
Succinea, common name amber snails, is a genus of small, air-breathing, land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Succineidae.They usually live in damp habitats such as marshes.-Species:...
), especially the juveniles. The Amphibulima has much coarser sculpture than the amber snails.
The jaw and radula
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
of Amphibulima patula dominicensis was described by Bland & Binney in 1874.
Ecology
Amphibulima patula dominicensis is frequently found on banana and CitrusCitrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
plants, where it may feed on the leaves. They also eat leaves of Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Lepidium virginicum
Lepidium virginicum, also known as Virginia pepperweed or peppergrass, is an annual or biennial plant in the Brassicaceae or mustard family. It is native to much of North America, including most of the United States and Mexico and southern regions of Canada, as well as most of Central America...
and Cakile lanceolata. They eat lettuce in captivity.