Auriculella

Auriculella
An unidentified species of Auriculella from Hawaii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Achatinellidae
Subfamily:	Auriculellinae
Genus:	Auriculella Pfeiffer, 1854 [1]
Type species
Partula auriculaA. Férussac, 1821
Synonyms
Achatinella (Auriculella)L. Pfeiffer, 1854 superseded rank Achatinella (Frickella)L. Pfeiffer, 1854 junior subjective synonym

Auriculella is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinellidae. ^[2]

Auriculella is the type genus of the subfamily Auriculellinae.

General characteristics

(Original description in Latin) The shell is subperforate and possesses an oblong-conic shape. The apertural wall is armed with a spirally entering lamella, while the columellar fold is situated superiorly, appearing either tooth-like in form or, in some specimens, nearly obsolete. Finally, the peristome is slightly expanded. ^[3]

Distribution

They are endemic to Hawaii (United States) and several are extinct. They are oviparous (egg laying) and hermaphroditic. Among achatinellid snails, they are unique in the fact that they are not restricted to living on plants endemic to the Hawaiian islands. They have been known to relatively thrive on non-native plants such as ginger and night jasmine.

Species

Species within the genus Auriculella include:

• Auriculella ambusta Pease, 1868
• Auriculella amoena (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
• Auriculella armata (Mighels, 1845)
• Auriculella auricula (A. Férussac, 1821)
• Auriculella brunnea E. A. Smith, 1873
• Auriculella canalifera Ancey, 1904
• Auriculella castanea (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
• Auriculella cerea (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
• Auriculella chamissoi (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
• † Auriculella crassula E. A. Smith, 1873
• Auriculella diaphana E. A. Smith, 1873
• Auriculella expansa Pease, 1868
• Auriculella flavida C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella gagneorum Yeung, Slapcinsky, E. E. Strong, J. R. Kim & K. A. Hayes, 2020
• Auriculella kuesteri (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
• Auriculella lanaiensis C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella malleata Ancey, 1904
• Auriculella minuta C. M. Cooke & Pilsbry, 1915
• Auriculella montana C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella newcombi (L. Pfeiffer, 1854)
• Auriculella olivacea C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella perpusilla E. A. Smith, 1873
• Auriculella perversa C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella petitiana (L. Pfeiffer, 1847)
• Auriculella pulchra Pease, 1868
• Auriculella serrula C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella straminea C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella tantalus Pilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915
• Auriculella tenella Ancey, 1889
• Auriculella tenuis E. A. Smith, 1873
• Auriculella turritella C. M. Cooke, 1915
• † Auriculella uniplicata Pease, 1868

Synonyms

• Auriculella jucundaPilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915 : synonym of Auriculella uniplicata f. jucundaPilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915 : synonym of Auriculella uniplicataPease, 1868 (superseded rank)
• Auriculella jucundaBland & W. G. Binney, 1873 (nomen nudum)
• Auriculella obliquaAncey, 1892 : synonym of Auriculella ambusta obliquaAncey, 1892 (superseded rank)
• Auriculella patulaE. A. Smith, 1873 : synonym of Auriculella auricula(A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
• Auriculella pellucidaGulick, 1905 (nomen nudum)
• Auriculella perkinsiSykes, 1900 : synonym of Auriculella auricula(A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
• Auriculella ponderosaAncey, 1889 : synonym of Auriculella crassulaE. A. Smith, 1873 (junior subjective synonym)
• Auriculella solidissimaBland & W. G. Binney, 1873 : synonym of Auriculella crassulaE. A. Smith, 1873 (nomen nudum)
• Auriculella triplicataPease, 1868 : synonym of Auriculella auricula(A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
• Auriculella umbilicataAncey, 1889 : synonym of Tornatellaria umbilicata (Ancey, 1889) (superseded combination)
• Auriculella westerlundianaAncey, 1889 : synonym of Auriculella armata(Mighels, 1845) (junior subjective synonym)

Gallery

Shells

• 
  Auriculella auricula
• 
  Auriculella auricula variation
• 
  Auriculella gagneorum
• 
  Auriculella minuta
• 
  Auriculella minuta variation
• 
  Auriculella perpusilla
• 
  Auriculella perpusilla variation
• 
  Auriculella perversa
• 
  Auriculella tenella

Live individuals

• 
  Auriculella gagneorum
• 
  Unidentified species
• 
  Unidentified species
• 
  Unidentified species
• 
  Unidentified species
• 
  Unidentified species
• 
  Unidentified species

References

1. Pfeiffer (1854). Malak. Bl.2: 3.
2. MolluscaBase eds. (2026). MolluscaBase. Auriculella L. Pfeiffer, 1854. Accessed through: World Register of Marine * At: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=995582 on 2026-01-11
3. Pfeiffer, L. (1854–1855). "Weitere Beobachtungen über die Gattung Achatinella". Malakozoologische Blätter. 2 (1): 3. Retrieved 11 January 2026. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .