Amastra cylindrica

Amastra cylindrica
Live Amastra cylindrica intermedia in situ, Oahu, Hawaii.
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 2.3) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Amastridae
Genus:	Amastra
Species:	A. cylindrica
Binomial name
Amastra cylindrica (Newcomb, 1854)
Synonyms
Achatinella (Laminella) grossaL. Pfeiffer, 1856 junior subjective synonym Achatinella cylindricaNewcomb, 1854 superseded combination Achatinella intermediaNewcomb, 1854 junior subjective synonym Achatinella porphyreaNewcomb, 1854 junior subjective synonym Amastra (Paramastra) cylindrica(Newcomb, 1854) · alternative representation Amastra conicospiraE. A. Smith, 1873 junior subjective synonym

Amastra cylindrica is a species of land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the Amastridae family. ^[2]

Description

(Original description) The shell is dextral, elongately cylindrical, tapering to a pointed summit. It consists of seven slightly rounded whorls separated by a moderately distinct suture. The aperture is oblong-ovate, and the columella ends in a flexuous tooth. The shell's surface is marked by strong longitudinal striations. Its coloration is of a light horn tone, encircled by numerous narrow brown bands. ^[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to Oahu Island, Hawaii. ^[1]

Conservation status

This species is one of the rarest mollusks in the world. While the captive population grew well, the wild population gradually dwindled down to one wild individual. The species is now only present in captive breeding and in small patches of protected habitat in the Waianae Mountains. ^[4]

References

1. Cowie, R.H. (1996). "Amastra cylindrica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996 e.T985A13100609. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T985A13100609.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Amastra cylindrica(Newcomb, 1854) . 19 November 2024. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species .
3. Newcomb, W. (1854). "Descriptions of seventy·nine new species of Achatinella, (Swains.), a genus of pulmoniferous mollusks, in the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 21: 134. Retrieved 19 November 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. Sischo, David. "AMASTRA INTERMEDIA". Department of Land and Natural Resources. Snail Extinction Prevention Program. Retrieved November 14, 2025.

• Cowie, R. H., Evenhuis, N. L. & Christensen, C. C. (1995). Catalog of the native land and freshwater molluscs of the Hawaiian Islands. Leiden: Backhuys Publishers. pp. 1–248.

External links

• Gulick, J. T. & Smith, E. A. (1873). "Descriptions of new species of Achatinellinae". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1873: 86.
• Pfeiffer, L. (1856). "Descriptions of twenty-three new species of Achatinella, collected by Mr. D. Frick in the Sandwich Islands; from Mr. Cuming's collection". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 23 (297): 204.