Ogasawarana yoshiwarana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ogasawarana yoshiwarana |
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Helicina yoshiwarana Pilsbry, 1902 |
Ogasawarana yoshiwarana is a very special type of land snail that lives only on one island in Japan. It has a little "door" called an operculum that it can close to protect itself. This snail is a land animal and belongs to a group of snails called gastropods. It is part of the Helicinidae family, often called helicinids. Sadly, this snail is in great danger of disappearing forever.
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What Does Ogasawarana yoshiwarana Look Like?
This snail was first described in 1902 by an American scientist named Henry Augustus Pilsbry. He gave it the original name Helicina yoshiwarana.
Pilsbry noted that the snail's shell can be somewhat angled or rounded. Its surface has delicate spiral lines. The shell is about 3.5 millimeters (mm) tall and 5.3 to 5.8 mm wide.
Pilsbry also found two slightly different types of this snail:
- H. yoshiwarana var. arata: This type had very clear spiral lines on its upper shell.
- H. yoshiwarana var. mierotheca: This type was smaller, with a height of 2.2 mm and a width of 4.5 mm. It also had delicate spiral lines.
Where Does Ogasawarana yoshiwarana Live?
This snail is endemic, meaning it naturally lives only in one specific place. Its home is Haha-jima island, which is part of the Ogasawara Islands in Japan.
The Snail's Home and Environment
Ogasawarana yoshiwarana has been seen living on the Higashizaki peninsula. This area is on the eastern coast of Hahajima, the second largest island in the Ogasawara Archipelago. These islands are sometimes called the Galapagos Islands of the Orient. This is because they have many unique plants and animals, just like the Galapagos. The island of Hahajima is small and has some forest areas. This forest is where this land snail makes its home.
What Ogasawarana yoshiwarana Eats
This snail is mainly an herbivore. This means it eats plants. Its diet includes leaves, stems, soft bark, fruits, vegetables, fungi, and algae. Like other land snails, it prefers damp and wet weather. This is especially true for Ogasawarana yoshiwarana because it lives in a subtropical or tropical climate.
Who Are the Snail's Predators?
Some animals hunt and eat these snails. These predators include other types of snails that eat meat, ground beetles, leeches, and various parasites.
Population and Conservation Status
Scientists have not yet counted how many of these snails are left. They are expected to be found only in the Ogasawara Islands, close to Hahajima. It is not clear why their numbers are so low. We do not know if their population is getting smaller or bigger.
Unlike many other species, habitat loss is not a major problem for this snail. Its home is one of the few places in the world not greatly changed by human activities or by new species brought in from other places. It is possible that natural selection plays a role in why this species is so threatened.
Why Ogasawarana yoshiwarana Is Endangered
Ogasawarana yoshiwarana is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means it faces a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
The last time this species was officially recorded was in 1902. This was when Henry Augustus Pilsbry first described it. Since then, it has been considered critically endangered.
