Polymita picta
| Polymita picta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Five views of a shell of Polymita picta, typical colour | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Panpulmonata clade Eupulmonata clade Stylommatophora informal group Sigmurethra |
| Superfamily: | Helicoidea |
| Family: | Helminthoglyptidae |
| Genus: | Polymita |
| Species: | P. picta |
| Binomial name | |
| Polymita picta (Born, 1778) | |
Polymita picta, common name the "Cuban land snail" or the "painted snail", is a species of large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helminthoglyptidae.[1]
The shell of this species is large, shiny and brightly colored. The species has numerous color varieties. These shells are sought after by poachers and used to make jewelry and trinkets. As a result, the species has become endangered.
This species is the type species of the genus Polymita.
This snail is endemic to Cuba.
Anatomy
Like most air-breathing land snails, this species is hermaphroditic. This species uses love darts as part of its mating behavior.
References
- ↑ http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/P/Polymita_picta/, accessed 8 May 2011.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polymita picta. |