Partula (genus)

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Partula
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Pulmonata Suborder: Eupulmonata Infraorder: Stylommatophora Superfamily: Partuloidea Family: Partulidae Genus: Partula
Species
See text.

Partula is a genus of snails of the family Partulidae.^[1][2]

Partulids are spread over 5,000 square miles of Pacific Ocean islands, from the Society Islands to Palau.

Once used as decorative items in Polynesian ceremonial wear and jewelry, these small snails (averaging about one-half to three-quarters of an inch in length) gained the attention of science when Dr. Henry Crampton (along with Yoshio Kondo) spent 50 years studying and cataloging partulids, detailing their remarkable array of morphological elements, ecological niches and behavioral aspects that illustrate adaptive radiation.

[edit] Decline

The partulids in Tahiti have earned a notorious reputation as a "poster child" of the effect of biological control gone awry when, after an infestation of giant African land snails (Achatina spp.), the carnivorous Florida rosy wolfsnail (Euglandina rosea) was introduced to combat the African species.

The wolfsnail chose instead the nearly 76 species of Partula endemic to Tahiti, devouring all but about 5 species in a decade. Several scientists recognized what were going on and saved several species prior to them becoming extinct.

Today, the Zoological Society of London runs the Partula Programme Consortium which maintains a captive breeding program in the United Kingdom, France and the United States.

The 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains 15 critically endangered, 10 extinct in the wild and 49 extinct Partula species.^[3]

[edit] Species

Partula affinis † Partula approximata † Partula arguta † Partula atilis † Partula attenuata † Partula aurantia † Partula auriculata † Partula bilineata † Partula callifera † Partula calypso Partula candida † Partula castanea † Partula cedista † Partula citrina † Partula clara

Partula compacta † Partula crassilabris † Partula cuneata † Partula cytherea † Partula dentifera Partula dolichostoma † Partula dolorosa † Partula emersoni Partula eremita † Partula exigua † Partula faba Partula filosa Partula formosa † Partula fusea † Partula garretti

Partula gibba Partula guamensis Partula hebe Partula hyalina Partula imperforata † Partula jackieburchi † Partula labrusca Partula langfordi Partula leptochila † Partula leucothoe Partula levilineata † Partula levistriata † Partula lutea † Partula martensiana Partula microstoma †

Partula mirabilis Partula mooreana Partula nodosa † Partula otaheitana Partula planilabrum † Partula producta † Partula protea † Partula protracta † Partula radiata † Partula radiolata Partula raiatensis † Partula remota † Partula robusta † Partula rosea Partula rustica †

Partula sagitta † Partula salifana † Partula salifera † Partula suturalis Partula taeniata Partula thalia † Partula thetis Partula tohiveana Partula tristis Partula turgida † Partula umbilicata † Partula varia Partula variabilis † Partula vittata †

[edit] References