Careoradula perelegans
Encyclopedia
Careoradula perelegans is a species
of air-breathing land snail
, terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae
.
Careoradula perelegans is the only species in the genus Careoradula.
The generic name Careoradula consist of Latin word "careo", that means "lacking" and the word radula
.
is discoidal. The shell has 6-8 whorls
. there are regular ribs on the shell. The umbilicus is open.
The width of the shell is 4.4-6.1 mm. The height of the shell is 1.9-3.1 mm.
The body color is pale yellow.
Digestive system
: Careoradula perelegans is unique among other streptaxids, because it has no radula
, no odontophore
and no retractor muscles associated with these structures. It is the first known terrestrial mollusc and fist pulmonate gastropod without radula. Instead of this, the Careoradula perelegans has strong muscular ridges between mouth and oesophagus.
. It evert an extensive rostrum
, that is that is available in all carnivorous gastropods on the anterior part of the oesophagus, and it uses only muscular peristaltics instead of rasping by radula.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of air-breathing land snail
Land snail
A land snail is any of the many species of snail that live on land, as opposed to those that live in salt water and fresh water. Land snails are terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells, It is not always an easy matter to say which species are terrestrial, because some are more or less...
, terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae
Streptaxidae
Streptaxidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in theStylommatophora. Six Streptaxidae subfamilies are accepted in the 2005 taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi....
.
Careoradula perelegans is the only species in the genus Careoradula.
The generic name Careoradula consist of Latin word "careo", that means "lacking" and the word radula
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
.
Distribution
Careoradula perelegans is endemic to the Seychelles.Description
The shape of the shellGastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
is discoidal. The shell has 6-8 whorls
Whorl (mollusc)
A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the...
. there are regular ribs on the shell. The umbilicus is open.
The width of the shell is 4.4-6.1 mm. The height of the shell is 1.9-3.1 mm.
The body color is pale yellow.
Digestive system
Digestive system of gastropods
The digestive system of gastropods has evolved to suit almost every kind of diet and feeding behavior. Gastropods as the largest taxonomic class of the mollusca are very diverse indeed: the group includes carnivores, herbivores, scavengers, filter feeders, and even parasites.In particular, the...
: Careoradula perelegans is unique among other streptaxids, because it has no radula
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
, no odontophore
Odontophore
The odontophore is part of the feeding mechanism in molluscs. It is the cartilage which underlies and supports the radula, a ribbon of teeth. The radula is found in every class of molluscs except for the bivalves....
and no retractor muscles associated with these structures. It is the first known terrestrial mollusc and fist pulmonate gastropod without radula. Instead of this, the Careoradula perelegans has strong muscular ridges between mouth and oesophagus.
Ecology
Careoradula perelegans feeds on carions. It has been recorded to feed on dead snail Subulina octonaSubulina octona
Subulina octona is a species of small, tropical, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Subulinidae.- Distribution :The native distribution of this species includes:* Caribbean* Cuba...
. It evert an extensive rostrum
Rostrum (anatomy)
The term rostrum is used for a number of unrelated structures in different groups of animals:*In crustaceans, the rostrum is the forward extension of the carapace in front of the eyes....
, that is that is available in all carnivorous gastropods on the anterior part of the oesophagus, and it uses only muscular peristaltics instead of rasping by radula.