Anguispira knoxensis

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Anguispira knoxensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Discidae
Genus: Anguispira
Species:
A. knoxensis
Binomial name
Anguispira knoxensis
(Pilsbry, 1901)
Synonyms

Pyramidula alternata var. knoxensis(Pilsbry, 1901)

Contents

Anguispira knoxensis, also known as the rustic tigersnail or rustic disk, is a rare species of pulmonate land snail in the family Discidae, the disk snails. It is endemic to the Great Smoky Mountains in southeastern Tennessee. [1] [2] It was originally considered a subspecies of Anguispira alternata . [3]

Appearance

Rustic tigersnails are described as having a larger, more robust shell than Anguispira alternata marked by small, fine riblets. [3] [4] The entire shell is covered with a secondary structure of fine wrinkles, almost invisible to the naked eye, but that give the shell a 'dull' appearance compared to other Anguispira species. [3] It is described as rusty brown in color with inconspicuous flame-like markings. The shell ranges from 23 to 25 mm in diameter. [3]

Ecology

The rustic tigersnail can currently be found in three counties in Tennessee: Monroe, Blount, and Knox Counties. [5] Additionally, a population was historically recorded around Hazel Creek in North Carolina; the species is now considered likely extirpated from the state. [1]

The rustic tigersnail can be found in or around large, rotting hardwood logs in advanced stages of decay, in leaf mold, or in soil. They are typically found near limestone outcrops. [4] [6]

Due to the species' limited range the difficulty of locating new populations, the rustic tigersnail is listed as critically imperiled in Tennessee. [1] [2]

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Anguispira kochi, the banded tigersnail, is a species of pulmonate terrestrial gastropod belonging to the family Discidae, the disk snails. There are two recognized subspecies: Anguispira kochi kochi or the eastern banded tigersnail, and Anguispira kochi occidentalis, the western banded tigersnail.

Anguispira alabama, also known as the Alabama tigersnail or Alabama disc, is a rare, range-restricted species of pulmonate land snail found in Alabama and Tennessee. Due to its rarity and the difficulty of locating new populations, the species is listed as vulnerable in both states.

Anguispira jessica, also known as the mountain tigersnail or mountain disc, is a species of pulmonate land snail– a gastropod mollusk in the family Discidae, the disk snails. The species is named after G.M. Kutchka's wife Jessica; he was the first to describe the species in 1938. It was originally considered a subspecies of Angusipira alternata, but has since been elevated to species status.

<i>Anguispira fergusoni</i> Species of land snail

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Anguispira nimapuna, also known as the nimapuna or nimapu tigersnail, is a rare, range-restricted species of pulmonate land snail endemic to north-central Idaho. The species is listed as critically endangered in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Anguispira knoxensis". NatureServe Explorer.
  2. 1 2 Pearce, Tim. "Chasing Snails in the Great Smoky Mountains". Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Pilsbry, H. A. (1901). The subspecies of Pyramidula alternata. The Nautilus. 15(1): 6-7.
  4. 1 2 Pilsbry, Henry Augustus (1948). Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). Vol. 2, Part 2. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
  5. Hubricht, Leslie (1985). The distributions of the native land mollusks of the Eastern United States. Field Museum of Natural History.
  6. Dourson, D.C. (2013). Land snails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and southern Appalachians. Goatslug Publications, Bakersville, NC.