| Aaadonta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Aaadonta fuscozonata shell (figure 12) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Endodontidae |
| Genus: | Aaadonta Solem, 1976 [1] |
Aaadonta is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae. [2] [3] [4] Specimens from this genus are endemic to Palau. [5]
Species in the genus Aaadonta include: [6]
The genus was given its unusual name by the biologist Alan Solem, who wanted it to appear first in any alphabetical list of endodontid genera. [8] [9] For animal genera, the first alphabetically listed name is Aaaaba , which is a genus of beetles from Australia. The current conservation status, according to the IUCN Red List, varies depending on species, though they all fall into the larger category of being threatened. [10] One cause of a low population stated by Solem could be that ant colonies that come into the area can prey on eggs of the various species, thus wiping out a large number of snails, potentially without harming the adult snails. [11] Some species, like the fuscozonata, have not been found recently and leads researchers to believe that they may already be extinct. [12]
While single localities had been found before Alan Solem established the genus, such as Aaadonta angaurana in 1936, [10] the six species were first defined in Solem's 1976 paper. Solem defined the genus' and species qualities in 8 rules defining shell shape. [13]
But since the genus was established, many of the species within it have been difficult to keep track of. A report in 2005 only found Aaandonta constricta and Aaandonta kinlochi. [14]
The habitat where Aaadonta were typically found ranged from primary forests to secondary forests, and even to mountain bases. However, they usually resided on the underside of natural resources. Moreover, they were found under rocks or stones, and under leaves. Some species were found living on dead plants and low levels of trees, as well as on the moss of some boulders. [15] [16]
Aaadonta angaurana is a small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Endodontidae.
Aaadonta constricta is a species of land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae. It is endemic to Palau, where it is known from the islands of Babeldaob, Ngemelis, Peleliu and Koror. It may be extirpated from Koror. It is threatened by habitat destruction and modification.
Aaadonta fuscozonata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Endodontidae. This species is endemic to Palau, where it is known from Koror and Peleliu, and the small islands of Ngemelis and the northern Rock Islands. This snail inhabits tropical moist lowland forest, and is threatened by the destruction and modification of its habitat.
Aaadonta irregularis is a species of snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae. It is endemic to Palau, where it was only known from Peleliu, but has only been found recently on the very small island of Omekang. It is threatened by the destruction and modification of its tropical moist lowland forest habitat.
Aaadonta kinlochi is a species of snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae. It is endemic to Palau, where it was known from Angaur and Ulong Island. If it is still extant, it is threatened by the destruction and modification of its tropical moist lowland forest habitat.
Aaadonta pelewana is a species of snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae. It is found in Palau, where it was known from Peleliu and Koror. If it is still extant, it is threatened by the destruction and modification of its tropical moist lowland forest habitat.
Endodontidae is a taxonomic family of very small air-breathing land snails and slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Punctoidea.
Cookeconcha is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.
Opanara is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.
Sinployea is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.
Sinployea decorticata a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Charopidae. This species was endemic to the Cook Islands; it is now extinct.
Zyzzyxdonta alata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae.
Libera is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.
George Alan Solem, known professionally as Alan Solem, was an American malacologist, a biologist who studied mollusks.
Aaadonta constricta constricta is a subspecies of land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae.
Aaadonta fuscozonata depressa is a subspecies of land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae. It is endemic to Palau, where it was only known from the tropical moist lowland forests of Peleliu. It is threatened by destruction and modification of its habitat.
Ba humbugi is the only species and therefore the type species in the genus Ba, a genus of land snail, belonging to the family Charopidae. Both the genus and the species were named by the American malacologist Alan Solem. The genus is endemic to the Fijian island of Viti Levu, and B. humbugi is an endangered species.
Vatusila is a genus of land snail found in Oceania. It consists of five extant and one fossil species. Alan Solem described and named the genus in 1983.
Kleokyphus is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae, an endemic family of land snails from the Hawaiian islands.