Euhadra peliomphala
Encyclopedia
Euhadra peliomphala is a species
of air-breathing land snail
, a terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family
Bradybaenidae
.
This species is endemic to Japan. The species exhibits exceptional geographical variation in its mitochondrial DNA
.
:
s. The development of the "head-wart" parallels the development of the snail's reproductive system. The "head-wart" releases the steroid hormone, testosterone
, throughout the body before mating.
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...
, a 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
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Bradybaenidae
Bradybaenidae
Bradybaenidae is a taxonomic family of medium-sized to small land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea....
.
This species is endemic to Japan. The species exhibits exceptional geographical variation in its mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
.
Subspecies
Euhadra peliomphala has 4 subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
:
- Euhadra peliomphala kunoensis Kuroda in Masuda & Habe, 1989
- Euhadra peliomphala nimbosa (Crosse, 1868)
- Euhadra peliomphala peliomphala (PfeifferLudwig Karl Georg PfeifferLudwig Karl Georg Pfeiffer, also known as Louis Pfeiffer was a German physician, botanist and conchologist.-Biography:He received his education in Kassel, and became professor of pathology there in 1828...
, 1850) - Euhadra peliomphala simodae (Jay, 1856)
Hormonal control
As Euhadra peliomphala matures sexually, it develops a "head-wart" between the optic tentacleTentacle
A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like...
s. The development of the "head-wart" parallels the development of the snail's reproductive system. The "head-wart" releases the steroid hormone, testosterone
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...
, throughout the body before mating.