Paraboysidia serpa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paraboysidia serpa |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): |
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura clade Panpulmonata clade Eupulmonata clade Stylommatophora clade Orthurethra |
| Superfamily: |
Pupilloidea
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| Family: |
Vertiginidae
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| Genus: |
Paraboysidia
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| Species: |
P. serpa
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| Binomial name | |
| Paraboysidia serpa van Benthem-Jutting, 1950
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The Paraboysidia serpa is a tiny land snail. It belongs to a group of snails called vertiginids. This special snail lives only in one place: the limestone hills of Bukit Baling in Malaysia.
What Does the Paraboysidia serpa Look Like?
This snail has a relatively small shell. It looks like a cone or a tiny tower that gets wider at the bottom. The shell is a reddish-brown color and is not see-through.
The shell has about five spirals, which scientists call whorls. The first few spirals are smooth. The later spirals have faint lines or ridges. The very last spiral has a clear ridge, like a small rim, around its edge. There's also a similar ridge around the snail's belly button, which is called the umbilicus. This is a wide, open hole at the bottom of the shell.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is wide. Inside this opening, the snail has several small bumps or folds. These are like tiny "teeth" that help protect the snail. The edge of the opening is thick and spread out.
The Paraboysidia serpa is quite small. It is usually about 2.9 to 3.4 millimeters tall. That's less than half a centimeter! Its width is about 2.6 to 3.1 millimeters. The opening of the shell is about 1.4 to 1.6 millimeters high.
Where Does This Snail Live?
The Paraboysidia serpa is a very unique snail because it is endemic to one specific area. This means it can only be found naturally in the limestone karst region of Bukit Baling, in Kedah, Malaysia.
It lives among the trees in lowland forests. These forests are called dipterocarp woodlands. This snail needs its special limestone home to survive.
Why Is This Snail in Danger?
Sadly, the Paraboysidia serpa is in big trouble. Because it lives in such a small, specific area, it is very sensitive to changes. The place where it lives is facing several threats.
One major problem is desiccation. This means the area is becoming too dry. When the forest gets drier, it harms the animals that live in the limestone, including this snail. Scientists have seen that snail populations go down when their habitat dries out.
Another possible threat comes from quarrying operations. Quarries are places where rocks, like limestone, are dug out of the ground. This can destroy the snail's home and possibly cause pollution. Changes in the forest structure, like trees being cut down, also threaten the snail.
Because its home is so small and in danger, the Paraboysidia serpa has been listed as Critically Endangered. This is the highest level of risk for a species. The IUCN has given it this status. It means the snail is at an extremely high risk of disappearing forever in the wild.
