| Giant Land Snail | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Informal group: | Sigmurethra |
| Family: | Acavidae |
| Genus: | Acavus |
| Species: | A. phoenix |
| Binomial name | |
| Acavus phoenix Pfeiffer, 1854 | |
Acavus phoenix, the giant land snail, is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae.
There are two subspecies recognized: [1]
Acavus phoenix is the most common Acavus species on the island. Shell about 60mm in diameter [2] and is rose colored and body black colored. [3]
This species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is confined to wet zone of the country.
Sri Lanka, historically known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian peninsula by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. It shares a maritime border with the Maldives in the southwest and India in the northwest.
A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name snail is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have a coiled shell that is large enough for the animal to retract completely into. When the word "snail" is used in this most general sense, it includes not just land snails but also numerous species of sea snails and freshwater snails. Gastropods that naturally lack a shell, or have only an internal shell, are mostly called slugs, and land snails that have only a very small shell are often called semi-slugs.
Tourism in Sri Lanka is growing rapidly. For centuries, Sri Lanka has been a popular place of attraction for foreign travelers. The Chinese traveler Fa-Hien visited Sri Lanka as early as the 410's AD/CE, and in the twelfth century, Italian explorer Marco Polo claimed Sri Lanka to be the "best island of its size in the world".
The Sri Lankan elephant is native to Sri Lanka and one of three recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant. It is the type subspecies of the Asian elephant and was first described by Carl Linnaeus under the binomial Elephas maximus in 1758. The Sri Lankan elephant population is now largely restricted to the dry zone in the north, east and southeast of Sri Lanka. Elephants are present in Udawalawe National Park, Yala National Park, Lunugamvehera National Park, Wilpattu National Park and Minneriya National Park but also live outside protected areas. It is estimated that Sri Lanka has the highest density of elephants in Asia. Human-elephant conflict is increasing due to conversion of elephant habitat to settlements and permanent cultivation.
The ruddy mongoose is a mongoose species native to hill forests in India and Sri Lanka.
Belilena Cave is a cave in Sri Lanka, located 8 km (5.0 mi) from the town of Kitulgala. Evidence of prehistoric human presence as early as 32,000 years ago was recorded at the site. The skeletal remains of ten individuals were discovered by Paul E. P. Deraniyagala, who attributed them to Balangoda Man. Balangoda Man is assumed to have lived as early as 32,000 years ago and occupied high altitude territories of up to 2,000 ft (609.6 m) above sea level.
The wildlife of Sri Lanka includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of biological endemism.
Acavidae is a taxonomic family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Acavoidea.
Leucotaenius favanii is a species of tropical air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Acavidae.
Udawattakele Forest Reserve often spelled as Udawatta Kele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares large. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawattakele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in Sinhalese meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawattakele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938.
Acavus is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae.
Acavus haemastoma is a species of air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae.
Ravana politissima is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Ariophantidae. It is a monotypic genus, which is endemic to island of Sri Lanka. They are considered as endangered due to habitat destruction.
Acavus superbus is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae.
Succinea ceylanica is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Succineidae.
Phaedusa ceylanica is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Clausiliidae. This species is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Oligospira is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae. These snails are endemic to Sri Lanka.
Oligospira polei is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Oligospira waltoni is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.