Aaadonta is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.[2][3][4] Specimens from this genus are endemic to Palau.[5]
| Aaadonta | |
|---|---|
| |
| Aaadonta fuscozonata shell (figure 12) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Endodontidae |
| Genus: | Aaadonta Solem, 1976[1] |
Species
editSpecies in the genus Aaadonta include:[6]
- Aaadonta angaurana Solem, 1976
- Aaadonta constricta Semper, 1874; Type species[7]
- Aaadonta fuscozonata (E.H. Beddome, 1889)
- Aaadonta irregularis Semper, 1874
- Aaadonta kinlochi Solem, 1976
- Aaadonta pelewana Solem, 1976
The genus was given its unusual name by the biologist Alan Solem, who wanted it to appear first in any alphabetical list of endodontid genera.[8][9] For animal genera, the first alphabetically listed name is Aaaaba, which is a genus of beetles from Australia. The current conservation status, according to the IUCN Red List, varies depending on species, though they all fall into the larger category of being threatened.[10] One cause of a low population stated by Solem could be that ant colonies that come into the area can prey on eggs of the various species, thus wiping out a large number of snails, potentially without harming the adult snails.[11] Some species, like the fuscozonata, have not been found recently and leads researchers to believe that they may already be extinct.[12]
Establishing the genus
editWhile single localities had been found before Alan Solem established the genus, such as Aaadonta angaurana in 1936,[10] the six species were first defined in Solem's 1976 paper. Solem defined the genus' and species qualities in 8 rules defining shell shape.[13]
But since the genus was established, many of the species within it have been difficult to keep track of. A report in 2005 only found Aaandonta constricta and Aaandonta kinlochi.[14]
Environment
editThe habitat where Aaadonta were typically found ranged from primary forests to secondary forests, and even to mountain bases. However, they usually resided on the underside of natural resources. Moreover, they were found under rocks or stones, and under leaves. Some species were found living on dead plants and low levels of trees, as well as on the moss of some boulders.[15][16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Solem A. (29 October 1976) Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I. Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, page 467.
- ^ Namebank Record Detail. Ubio.org (12 October 2005). Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ ION: Index to Organism Names. Organismnames.com. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ micro*scope – version 6.0 – March, 2006 Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Starcentral.mbl.edu. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ "Aaadonta Solem, 1976". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Genus Aaadonta – Hierarchy – The Taxonomicon". Universal Taxonomic Services. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ AnimalBase: Genus taxon summary for Aaadonta
- ^ "Aaadonta and Zyzzyxdonta (terrestrial snails) both named by the late Alan Solem with the idea of being the first and the last entries in any list of endodontoid snails." – Shimek, R.L. in The Mollis Clans – A Celebration of Molluscan Diversity
- ^ Zoologische Mededelingen. Dpc.uba.uva.nl. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ a b Rundell, Rebecca. "Aaadonta angaurana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ Solem, Alan (1976). Endodontoid land snails from Pacific islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I. Family Endodontidae. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. p. 473. OL 7049027M.
- ^ Rundell, Rebecca. "Aaadonta fuscozonata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ Solem, Alan (1976). Endodontoid land snails from Pacific islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I. Family Endodontidae. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. p. 473. OL 7049027M.
- ^ Rundell, Rebecca (2005). The Land Snails of Belau: Survey of the 16 States. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago. p. 8.
- ^ "Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca : Pulmonata : Sigmurethra)". 1976.
- ^ Marks, P. L. (1995). "Reading the Landscape: Primary vs. Secondary Forests" (PDF). Arnoldia. 55 (3): 2–10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
Further reading
edit- Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca : Pulmonata : Sigmurethra). Alan Solem ... ; [collab.] Barbara K. Solem. Chicago, Ill. :Field Museum of Natural History, 1976.
- Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca : Pulmonata : Sigmurethra). Alan Solem. Chicago :Field museum of Natural History, 1982.
- Field Museum of Natural History bulletin. Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History,[1930]-c1990.
- Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco, The Academy.
- Endodontoid land snails from Pacific islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra) Part 1. Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 1976: i–xii, 1–508. [Zoological Record Volume 115]