Samoana abbreviata
| Samoana abbreviata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Infraorder: | Pupilloidei |
| Superfamily: | Pupilloidea |
| Family: | Partulidae |
| Genus: | Samoana |
| Species: | S. abbreviata |
| Binomial name | |
| Samoana abbreviata (Mousson, 1869) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Samoana abbreviata, the short Samoan tree snail, is a species of tropical, air-breathing, land snail, a terrestrial, pulmonate, gastropod mollusk in the family Partulidae.
Description
The shell of Samoana abbreviata reaches up to 22.6 mm in length, with a height of up to 21 mm and a width of 14 mm.[3] It is dextral and generally yellowish-green in coloration.[4][5]
Taxonomy
Samoana abbreviata was originally described as Partula abbreviata by Albert Mousson in 1869. It was subsequently transferred to the genus Samoana, and Partula abbreviata is now treated as its original combination.[3]
Distribution
Samoana abbreviata is endemic to the island of Tutuila in American Samoa, where it occurs at elevations between 150 and 430 m. Living populations have been recorded from Alava–Maugaloa Ridge, Faiga Ridge, the Vatia Powerline Trail, Toa Ridge, and Polauta Ridge. Empty shells have also been found on Maugaloa Ridge, Pagatatua Ridge, and Levaga Ridge, indicating a historically broader distribution. The species has an estimated area of occupancy of less than 5 km².[4][1]
Conservation
Samoana abbreviata was not observed alive between 1940 and 1998, leading several authors to consider it possibly extinct. Alan Solem (1975) and Stephen E. Miller (1993) both regarded the species as tentatively extinct. In 1994, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service included the species as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, although it was considered probably extinct. The International Union for Conservation of Nature subsequently classified it as Data Deficient in 1996 due to insufficient information on its status.[4]
During surveys conducted in 1998, researchers rediscovered living populations on Tutuila, recording 15 live individuals across Alava–Maugaloa Ridge, Faiga Ridge, the Vatia Powerline Trail, Toa Ridge, and Polauta Ridge. Empty shells were also found at several additional localities. The species was the rarest of the three partulid tree snails recorded on Tutuila and was considered to persist in extremely low numbers, indicating that it remained highly endangered despite its rediscovery.[4]
References
- 1 2 Cowie, R. (2012). "Samoana abbreviata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012 e.T19879A2536089. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T19879A2536089.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ↑ "Samoana abbreviata". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- 1 2 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Out of scope". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Cowie, Robert H.; Cook, Robert P. (October 1999). "The distribution and abundance of land snails in the National Park of American Samoa, with particular focus on Partulidae". PCSU Technical Report. 125. Cooperative National Parks Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Botany: 31 – via ScholarSpace.
- ↑ Cowie, Robert; Rundell, Rebecca; Yeung, Norine (2017). Samoan Land Snails and Slugs - An Identification Guide. Lulu.com. p. 43. ISBN 9781387155330.
Further reading
- Gerlach J. (2016). Icons of evolution: Pacific Island tree-snails of the family Partulidae. Phelsuma Press. ISBN 978-0-99322-033-3.