The non-marine molluscs of the Gambier Islands are a part of the molluscan fauna of French Polynesia. There is a high degree of endemism of these species. The gastropod fauna has been affected by severe alterations to the natural environment of the Gambier Islands. [1] 43 of the 46 species of snails that once made the Gambier Islands their homes are now extinct. [2]
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Heterobranchia, the heterobranchs, is a taxonomic clade of snails and slugs, which includes marine, aquatic and terrestrial gastropod mollusks.
Allenoconcha retinaculum is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Euconulidae.
Euconulidae is a taxonomic family of minute, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the superfamily Trochomorphoidea.
Subulininae is a subfamily of small tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.
Lodderena is a genus of minute sea snails or micromolluscs, marine gastropod molluscs, formerly in the family Skeneidae. Following a morphological reevaluation, it was excluded from Skeneidae and treated as incertae sedis within the superfamily Trochoidea.
Micractaeon koptawelilensis is a species of land snail, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Achatinoidea.
Conus troendlei is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.
Philippe Bouchet is a French biologist whose primary scientific fields of study are malacology and taxonomy. He works at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. He is also a Commissioner of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.
Clavus virginieae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Drilliidae.
Neritilia rubida is a species of submarine cave snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Neritiliidae.
The most recent research, published in Biodiversity and Conservation, reports the discovery of nine new species of land snail, bringing the total number of known snails from these islands to 46. But here's the catch—all nine new species are extinct. Overall, 43 of the 46 species are extinct. Deader than a dodo. Gone before they could even get names.