Naesiotus stenogyroides
Encyclopedia
Naesiotus stenogyroides is a species
of tropical air-breathing land snail
, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae
.
species.
that was subsequently lost during a fire which destroyed Guppy
’s collection in Port of Spain
. The true status of this taxon has been enigmatic since its description, as no additional material has been reported. Breure (1974) considered Bulimulus stenogyroides a nomen dubium
. The material recently collected in 2009 allowed to validate Guppy’s name. It proves to belong to the genus Naesiotus
, which has also been reported from neighbouring islands (Breure, 1975). A detailed study of the anatomy and a critical comparison with its congeners will be published later (Breure, in preparation).
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 tropical 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 pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae
Orthalicidae
Orthalicidae are a family of tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks are classified in the informal group Sigmurethra of the clade Stylommatophora...
.
Distribution
Naesiotus stenogyroides is endemic to Dominica. It is restricted to higher localities. It is very restricted in range and probably meet the IUCN-criteria of Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
species.
Description
This species was described from a single, incomplete 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...
that was subsequently lost during a fire which destroyed Guppy
Robert John Lechmere Guppy
Robert John Lechmere Guppy was a British-born naturalist after whom the guppy is named...
’s collection in Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
. The true status of this taxon has been enigmatic since its description, as no additional material has been reported. Breure (1974) considered Bulimulus stenogyroides a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
. The material recently collected in 2009 allowed to validate Guppy’s name. It proves to belong to the genus Naesiotus
Naesiotus
Naesiotus is a genus of tropical air-breathing land snails, a pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Orthalicidae.- Species :Species within the genus Naesiotus include:* Naesiotus quitensis -...
, which has also been reported from neighbouring islands (Breure, 1975). A detailed study of the anatomy and a critical comparison with its congeners will be published later (Breure, in preparation).