Achatinella byronii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Achatinella byronii |
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_-_Achatinellidae_-_Mollusc_shell.jpeg) |
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| Achatinella byronii shells | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): |
clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata clade Eupulmonata clade Stylommatophora informal group Sigmurethra |
| Superfamily: |
Achatinoidea
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| Family: |
Achatinellidae
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| Genus: | |
| Subgenus: |
Bulimella
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| Species: |
A. byronii
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| Binomial name | |
| Achatinella byronii (Wood, 1828)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Achatinella byronii is a special type of land snail. It is a small mollusc that breathes air. These snails are found only in one place: the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. This means they are endemic to Hawaii.
Sadly, the Achatinella byronii is in great danger. It is listed as critically endangered. This means it faces a very high risk of disappearing forever. This snail was first described in 1828 by a zoologist named Wood.
Achatinella byronii is also important because it is the main example for a group of snails called the subgenus Bulimella.
Shell Features of the Snail
The shell of the Achatinella byronii snail is quite unique. It can spiral either to the right (dextral) or to the left (sinistral). The shell is solid and looks shiny. It has a shape like a pyramid or a cone. The top part, called the apex, is rounded.
The shell has about 6.5 turns, which are called whorls. The color of the shell can be different for each snail. Usually, the last two whorls are green and light greenish-yellow. These colors appear in slanted stripes. There is also a light green band around the edge of the shell. A dark brown band runs along the seam, called the suture, where the whorls join.
The whorl before these is yellow with a brown band. The first three tiny whorls, called embryonic whorls, are a pinkish-gray color. The opening of the shell, known as the aperture, is white. Its edge, or lip, has a dark brown border.
The shell's surface has faint lines on the embryonic whorls. The later whorls are rounded and have small wrinkles. These wrinkles follow the direction of the snail's growth. The opening of the shell is slanted. Inside the lip, there is a strong ridge that makes it thicker. A part called the columellar fold is medium-sized and can be white or slightly colored.
The shell of the Achatinella byronii is about 20.0 millimeters (0.79 inches) tall. It is about 11.0 millimeters (0.43 inches) wide.
See also
In Spanish: Achatinella byronii para niños
