Edentulina moreleti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edentulina moreleti |
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| An apertural view of a shell of the species | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Edentulina
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| Species: |
moreleti
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Edentulina moreleti is a special kind of land snail that breathes air. It's a mollusc (like clams and octopuses) and belongs to a family of snails called Streptaxidae.
Contents
Where Does Edentulina moreleti Live?
This snail is found only in one place: the Seychelles islands. This means it is endemic to that area.
It was first discovered on Silhouette Island. It also lives on Mahé island. Before 1999, scientists only knew of 34 Edentulina moreleti snails in all their collections. This shows how rare they are!
What Does Edentulina moreleti Look Like?
This snail is unique because it gives live birth to its babies instead of laying eggs. When they are born, the baby snails are yellow. Young snails stay yellow and have bright red tentacles.
As they grow up, adult snails turn dark brown. However, one scientist named Martens described them as red in 1898.
Shell Details
The shell of Edentulina moreleti is a tan brown color. It is usually between 5.3 and 6.5 millimeters wide. The height of the shell is about 11.0 to 14.0 millimeters.
The shell has a shape called "bulimoid," which means it's somewhat oval or elongated. It has about 6.75 to 7.75 whorls, which are the spirals that make up the shell. This snail's shell does not have any spiral patterns or designs on it.
How is it Different from Other Snails?
The only other snail of the Edentulina type found in the Seychelles is Edentulina dussumieri. This other snail is much more common.
Edentulina moreleti is smaller than Edentulina dussumieri. The Edentulina dussumieri snail has a shell that is over 14 millimeters tall. Also, Edentulina dussumieri has spiral patterns on its shell, which Edentulina moreleti does not.
How Does Edentulina moreleti Live?
Edentulina moreleti likes to live in places that are very humid. They are often found where there are many Dracaena reflexa plants.
There aren't many of these snails in one place. Scientists found about 160 snails in an area of 2 hectares (about 5 acres). This species is ovo-viviparous, which means the eggs hatch inside the mother, and then she gives birth to live young.
What Does Edentulina moreleti Eat?
Most snails in the Streptaxidae family are carnivorous, meaning they eat other animals. But Edentulina moreleti is special because it's the only known herbivorous (plant-eating) snail in its family!
It probably eats algae and decaying plants. These are often found on the leaves of Dracaena reflexa plants. When kept by scientists, these snails can eat carrots, apples, and decomposing leaves.
Images for kids
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Juvenile shell
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Subadult shell
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Adult shell
