Atlantica calathoides
| Atlantica calathoides | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Gastrodontidae |
| Genus: | Atlantica |
| Species: | A. calathoides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Atlantica calathoides (R. T. Lowe, 1863)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Atlantica calathoides is a species of land snail belonging to the family Gastrodontidae.
Distribution[edit]
This species is endemic to Madeira, Portugal.
Description[edit]
(Original description) This species is very closely allied to the Madeiran Atlantica gueriniana (R. T. Lowe, 1852), but is assuredly a genuine species, and not a merely large fossil form of that shell. It is distinguished by its larger size, less discoidal shape, greater convexity beneath, more elevated spire, obsolete keel, deeply impressed suture, and much coarser, more abrupt, and prominent ribs above, resembling, in the latter respect and in the abrupt ending of the ribs at the obsolete keel or angle of the last whorl, Janulus calathus (R. T. Lowe, 1852) (taxon inquirendum) or Janulus bifrons (R. T. Lowe, 1852).[2]
Historical account[edit]
The species was first described by Richard Thomas Lowe in 1863 as Helix calathoides.[3]
In 2008, reserve warden Isamberto Silva and biologist Dinarte Teixeira rediscovered living populations of Atlantica calathoides on the island Deserta Grande.[4][5] Specimens have since been found on two sites on Deserta Grande Island and Quaternary fossils have been found on the island Bugio.[4]
Ecology[edit]
Habitat[edit]
Atlantica calathoides are found in deep ravines on Deserta Grande Island.[4] They can typically be seen at the base of common bracken or found underneath rocks.[4]
Threats[edit]
The main cause of population decline is predation by mice and ground beetles.[4] Habitat degradation from goat grazing, droughts and landslides has also threatened the species.[4]
Conservation[edit]
Atlantica calathoides were one of the target species of the LIFE Recover Natura Project which ran from October 2013 to March 2019.[6] It carried out a population study, monitoring scheme and species ecology study.[4] During the project, new populations of Atlantica calathoides were identified and the species' conservation status was evaluated.[7] Artificial shelters to assist in conservation were considered but it was concluded that this would not assist in conservation due to Atlantica calathoides spending extended periods of time underground.[8]
In recent decades, there has been a continued control programme for goat populations which should assist with habitat restoration.[4] Authorities in the area introduced the programme in the 1990s and have also eradicated other introduced species such as rabbits.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Teixeira, D. 2017. Atlantica calathoides. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T107353425A107353451. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T107353425A107353451.en
- ^ Lowe, R. T. (1863). Description of two new Madeiran land-shells lately discovered by the Barao De Paiva and Sr J.M. Moniz. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. (3) 12 (71): 338-340
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Cameron, Robert A. D.; Holyoak, G. A.; Holyoak, David; Yanes, Yurena; Alonso, M. R.; Ibanez, Miguel (May 2013). "Shell characters and genital anatomy of Atlantica calathoides and transfer of the genus Atlantica from Discidae to Gastrodontidae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata)". Journal of Conchology. 41 (3): 287.
- ^ a b c d e f g h IUCN (2016-11-29). Atlantica calathoides: Teixeira, D.: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T107353425A107353451 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-3.rlts.t107353425a107353451.en.
- ^ Cameron, Robert A D; Dinarte, Teixeira (March 2013). "One up, one down, all change: The status and identity of two Critically Endangered Madeiran land snails". Tentacle. 21: 20–21.
- ^ Layman’s Report of the Project ‘Recovery of land species and habitats of the sites of the Natura 2000 Network of Ponta de São Lourenço and Ilhas Desertas'
- ^ Resultados do Projecto LIFE Recover Natura (in Portuguese). Portugal. 2020. pp. 32–33.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Resultados do Projecto LIFE Recover Natura (in Portuguese). Portugal. 2020. p. 50.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Cameron, Robert A. D.; Cook, Laurence M.; Goodfriend, Glenn A. (1999). "Land snail faunas of the Deserta Islands, Madeiran archipelago, past and present". Journal of Conchology. 36 (6): 3.
