Camaenidae | |
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A live individual of Meridolum gulosum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Superfamily: | Helicoidea |
Family: | Camaenidae Pilsbry, 1895 [1] |
Type genus | |
Camaena Albers, 1850 | |
Genera | |
See text | |
Synonyms | |
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Camaenidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea, the typical snails and their allies. This is one of the most diverse families in the clade Stylommatophora.
These snails occur in a wide variety of habitats in the tropics of Eastern Asia and Australasia. [2]
A large American group, which is mainly represented by species from the Caribbean, has, until recently, also been subsumed under the Camaenidae. However, latest molecular phylogenetic studies showed that these species represent a different family, the Pleurodontidae. [3] [4]
This molecular study also implies that the Bradybaeninae, previously treated as a distinct family within the Helicoidea, is a junior synonym of the Camaenidae.
Camaenid shells are often quite large (25–50 mm), but a number of species also have small shells (<5 mm). Shells reveal a remarkable diversity in shape and colour, which is partly linked with their lifestyle. For instance, arboreal species tend to have large and conical shells, whereas terrestrial species often have rather flat shells. The shells of some taxa can be vividly coloured, showing banding or other conspicuous patterns, but others are plain and uniform.
This family is defined by a missing diverticulum and a missing stimulatory organ. It is suggested that the family Camaenidae as currently delimited is a polyphyletic taxon. There are no synapomorphies uniting this diverse family. The American group is closely related to the families Helicidae and Helminthoglyptidae, while the Australasian group is a closely related to the Bradybaenidae. [5]
In order to retain the Camaenidae as a monophyletic clade, the Neotropical Pleurodontidae will need to be removed as an independent family and the Bradybaenidae will need to be included. This taxonomic decision is currently pending a formal suggestion and wider acceptance among systematists, however.
In this family, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 26 and 30 (according to the values in this table). [6]
Division into subfamilies has been suggested, however, given the unresolved relationships on the family level, the subfamilial treatments must be considered hypothetical. They do not reflect the results of comprehensive phylogenetic analyses and are not corroborated by current molecular data.
The following three subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) (as based on a suggestion of Alan Solem)
A different taxonomy of the Caemenidae was used by Schileyko (1998–2003). [10]
The new taxonomy of the gastropods, published in 2017 and accepted by WoRMS, gives the following subfamilies: [11]
As of March 2023, WoRMS accepts four subfamilies: [12]
Currently, the following genera are accepted within the family Camaenidae: [13] [14]
Taxa with main occurrence in South-East Asia
Taxa with main occurrence in Papua New Guinea to Solomon Islands
Australian genera In Australia, the Camaenidae comprise 131 currently recognized genera, most of which are endemic to the continent.
Pulmonata or pulmonates is an informal group of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includes many land and freshwater families, and several marine families.
Stylommatophora is an order of air-breathing land snails and slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. This taxon includes most land snails and slugs. Stylommatophorans lack an operculum, but some close their shell apertures with temporary "operculum" (epiphragm) made of calcified mucus. They have two pairs of retractile tentacles, the upper pair of which bears eyes on the tentacle tips. All stylommatophorans are hermaphrodites.
Bradybaeninae is a taxonomic subfamily of medium-sized to small land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae, superfamily Helicoidea.
Helicoidea is a taxonomic superfamily of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the clade Stylommatophora.
Amplirhagada is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae. This genus is endemic to the Kimberley region in northwesternmost Western Australia, where it represents the most species-rich genus of land snails.
Youwanjela wilsoni is a species of air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.
Rhagada is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Hadrinae of the family Camaenidae.
Torresitrachia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.
Westraltrachia is a genus of land snails in the family Camaenidae.
Sagdidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks with highest diversity in the Greater Antilles. It has been classified in its own superfamily Sagdoidea and as a member of the superfamily Helicoidea. Some species of Sagdidae are ovoviviparous.
Charopidae is a taxonomic family of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Punctoidea.
Helicarionidae is a family of air-breathing land snails or semi-slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicarionoidea.
Orthalicidae are a family of tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks are classified in the subfamily Orthalicoidea of the order Stylommatophora.
Pleurodontidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea.
Bothriembryontidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Orthalicoidea.
The Orthalicoidea are a superfamily of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the infraorder Orthalicoidei of the suborder Helicina
George Alan Solem, known professionally as Alan Solem, was an American malacologist, a biologist who studied mollusks.
Basedowena is a genus of air-breathing land snails in the subfamily Hadrinae of the family Camaenidae.