Aegista diversifamilia

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Aegista diversifamilia
Aegista diversifamilia 32569.jpg
Live individual from Xiulin, Hualien
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Camaenidae
Genus: Aegista
Species:
A. diversifamilia
Binomial name
Aegista diversifamilia
Huang, Lee, Lin & Wu, 2014 [1]

Aegista diversifamilia is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk from Taiwan. [1]

Contents

Discovery and naming

A. diversifamilia was previously identified as being part of the species A. subchinensis , which was known to occur throughout most of Taiwan. In 2003, a paper was published remarking on the morphological and genetic difference between the eastern and western populations of the species. Eventually it was established that the eastern population was a separate species, divided from A. subchinensis by the Lanyang River. [1]

The new species' name is derived from Latin diversus and familia . The name was chosen in recognition of the same-sex marriage movement in Taiwan and worldwide. [1] [2] [3] [4] Dr. Yen-Chang Lee, co-author of the ZooKeys paper describing the species, [2] said: "When we were preparing the manuscript, it was a period when Taiwan and many other countries and states were struggling for the recognition of same-sex marriage rights. It reminded us that Pulmonata land snails are hermaphrodite animals, which means they have both male and female reproductive organs in single individual. They represent the diversity of sex orientation in the animal kingdom. We decided that maybe this is a good occasion to name the snail to remember the struggle for the recognition of same-sex marriage rights." [5] A. diversifamilia was selected as one of the top 10 new species in 2014. [6] [7]

Description

The shell is depressed and spherical, between 1.98 centimetres (0.78 in) and 3.24 centimetres (1.28 in) wide and 0.97 centimetres (0.38 in) to 1.68 centimetres (0.66 in) high. The shell is thin but strong, with a depressed conic spire. The aperture is ovate, 0.78 centimetres (0.31 in) to 1.32 centimetres (0.52 in) wide by 0.48 centimetres (0.19 in) to 1.05 centimetres (0.41 in) tall. [1]

The shell is a glossy chestnut- or yellow-brown, with a thin light brown stripe running along the periphery. The peristome is white. [1]

Apical view. Aegista diversifamilia 32562 (2).jpg
Apical view.
Apertural view. Aegista diversifamilia 32562 (1).jpg
Apertural view.
Umbilical view. Aegista diversifamilia 32562 (3).jpg
Umbilical view.

Reproductive system

Reproductive system of Aegista diversifamilia. Aegista diversifamilia 32565.jpg
Reproductive system of Aegista diversifamilia.

A. diversifamilia is hermaphroditic. The penis is long and thin, but shorter than the epiphallus. The dart sac is positioned in the vagina, which is equal in length to the penis. The spermoviduct is approximately four times as long as the penis and oviduct, and two times as long as the hermaphroditic duct. Individuals lay 20–30 white, 3 mm diameter round eggs per spawning. [1]

Distribution and habitat

A. diversifamilia is endemic to eastern Taiwan, bounded on the north by the Lanyang River. It is found in the Yilan and Hualien Counties, but not on Guishan Island. [1]

The species is usually found in lowland hardwood forests, living in or under moist leaf litter. [1]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hermaphrodite</span> Sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love dart</span> Darts that some snails shoot into each other during mating

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reproductive system of gastropods</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mating of gastropods</span>

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<i>Aegista subchinensis</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista subchinensis is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Plectotropis mackensii</i> Species of gastropod

Plectotropis mackensii is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Camaenidae.

Aegista oldhami is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista oculus</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista oculus is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista vermis</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista vermis is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista platyomphala</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista platyomphala is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista fulvicans</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista fulvicans is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

Aegista hebes is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

Aegista impexa is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

Aegista inrinensis is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

Aegista perplexa is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista lasia</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista lasia is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

<i>Aegista awajiensis</i> Species of gastropod

Aegista awajiensis is a species of air-breathing land snails, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Camaenidae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Huang, Chih-Wei; Lee, Yen-Chen; Lin, Si-Min; Wu, Wen-Lung (13 October 2014). "Taxonomic revision of Aegista subchinensis (Möllendorff, 1884) (Stylommatophora, Bradybaenidae) and a description of a new species of Aegista from eastern Taiwan based on multilocus phylogeny and comparative morphology". ZooKeys (445). Pensoft: 31–55. Bibcode:2014ZooK..445...31H. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.445.7778 . PMC   4205739 . PMID   25349506 . Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Ghorayshi, Azeen (13 October 2014). "New species of snail named in celebration of same-sex marriage". The Guardian . Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  3. Feltman, Rachel (13 October 2014). "New species of hermaphrodite snail named in support of same-sex marriage". The Washington Post . Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  4. "Hermaphrodite snail named after marriage equality". BBC News . BBC. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  5. Huang, Chih-Wei (13 October 2014). "A new land snail species named for equal marriage rights". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. Kluger, Jeffrey (2 December 2014). "Top 10 New Species". Time . Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  7. Winter, Lisa (1 January 2015). "Top 10 New Species of 2014". IFLScience . Retrieved 14 January 2015.