Cernuella is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of small 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...

s, pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Hygromiidae

Hygromiidae

Hygromiidae is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea.-Anatomy:...

, the hairy snails and their allies. The native range of the genus is primarily Mediterranean.

Some species such as Cernuella virgata

Cernuella virgata

Cernuella virgata, also known as Helicella virgata, common name, the "vineyard snail", is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies....

have become significant invasive species, agricultural pests, in parts of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

.

This same species of the genus has been recovered in archaeological excavations from the Roman Empire

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

 occupation of Volubilis

Volubilis

Volubilis is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat along the N13 road. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of northern Africa...

, an ancient habitation site in present day Morocco

Morocco

Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...

.

Cernuella snails create and use love dart

Love dart

A love dart is a hard, long, sharp, calcareous or chitinous dart which some hermaphroditic land snails and slugs create. Love darts are made in sexually mature animals only, and are used as part of the sequence of events during courtship, before actual mating takes place...

s as part of their courtship

Courtship

Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...

 and mating behavior.

Species

Species within the genus Cernuella include:

• Cernuella aginnica
  Cernuella aginnica
  Cernuella aginnica is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae.-Distribution:This species is known to occur in a number of countries and islands including:* Great Britain...
  
  
• Cernuella caruanae
• Cernuella cisalpina
  Cernuella cisalpina
  Cernuella cisalpina, sometimes known as the "maritime gardensnail", is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae.This is a small snail with a white and brown striped shell....
  
  
• Cernuella dobrogica
• Cernuella hydruntina
  Cernuella hydruntina
  Cernuella hydruntina is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae.This species creates and uses love darts in its mating behavior....
  
  
• Cernuella jonica
• Cernuella neglecta
  Cernuella neglecta
  Cernuella neglecta, the dune snail, is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae.This is a small snail with a white and brown striped shell...
  
  
• Cernuella virgata
  Cernuella virgata
  Cernuella virgata, also known as Helicella virgata, common name, the "vineyard snail", is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies....
  
  
• ...