| Zospeum vasconicum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Ellobiida |
| Family: | Ellobiidae |
| Genus: | Zospeum |
| Species: | Z. vasconicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Zospeum vasconicum Prieto, De Winter, Weigand, Gomez & Jochum, 2015 | |
Zospeum vasconicum is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snails (Eupulmonata, Ellobioidea, Carychiinae).
It is a very small species with a variable shell height (on average ca. 1.2 mm) and an average shell width of 0.80 – 0.87 mm. The shell is transparent and has an elongate or elongate-conical shape with an entire, roundish and more or less thickened peristome. The peristome is closely adhering to the spire, reflected and takes up ca. 40% of the shell height. The shell has about five convex, regularly coiled whorls, which are more or less strongly shouldered, especially in the more conical shells. The shell shows a deep suture. The opening (aperture) is more or less of a circular shape. This species lacks obvious apertural barriers, but often an obsolete lamella (denticle) in the parieto-columellar corner can be seen. The central column of the shell (columella) possesses a single, low annular lamella. [1]
Zospeum vasconicum shells were collected by various workers from caves in the Sierra de Aitzgorri and the adjacent Sierra de Aramotz-Anboto in the Provinces of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia in Northern Spain. Live individuals were encountered in the Cueva Arrikrutz. Populations of Zospeum vasconicum were found in the Cueva de la Ermita de Sandaili (at an altitude of 400 m), the Cueva de Otxas (at an altitude of 500 m), the Cueva Silibranka-2 (at an altitude of 220 m) and the Cueva del Cranéo (at an altitude of 400 m). [1]
The species Zospeum vasconicum is named after the pre-Roman Era Vascones Tribe (from Latin gens Vasconum), which at the arrival of the Romans during the 1st century, inhabited a territory spanning the region between the upper course of the Ebro River and the southern basin of the western Pyrenees. [1]
Zospeum vasconicum were discovered on moist, muddy walls in karst caves at a maximum depth of 400m. [1] They were identified on densely perforated mats of fine mud lining the walls of the upper level of the cave. Near this population, translucent Zospeum shells were found embedded in a thick, uniform layer of mud, superficially interspersed with yellow, clumped strands of fungal aggregations. [1]
Jochum et al. (2015) [1] suggest that the species is not immediately threatened. They found fresh empty shells in relative abundance at various spots in the caves, where Zospsum vasconicum occur. On a global scale the distribution is likely limited to less than 5 caves within a radius of less than 20 km2. [1]
The gastropod shell is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, a kind of mollusc. The shell is an exoskeleton, which protects from predators, mechanical damage, and dehydration, but also serves for muscle attachment and calcium storage. Some gastropods appear shell-less (slugs) but may have a remnant within the mantle, or in some cases the shell is reduced such that the body cannot be retracted within it (semi-slug). Some snails also possess an operculum that seals the opening of the shell, known as the aperture, which provides further protection. The study of mollusc shells is known as conchology. The biological study of gastropods, and other molluscs in general, is malacology. Shell morphology terms vary by species group.
Carychiinae is a taxonomic subfamily of minute air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks.
Zospeum is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae, the salt marsh snails.
Carychium is a genus of very small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.
Gulella systemanaturae is a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae.
Tectus mauritianus, common name the Mauritius top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.
Bostryx chusgonensis is a species of tropical air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Bulimulidae.
Leptacme cuongi is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Clausiliidae, the door snails.
Oospira duci is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Clausiliidae, the door snails.
Atractophaedusa smithi is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Clausiliidae, the door snails.
Zospeum tholussum or the domed land snail, is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snails in the family Ellobiidae. It is a very small species, with a shell height of less than 2 mm (0.08 in) and a shell width of around 1 mm (0.04 in). Z. tholussum individuals are completely blind and possess translucent shells with five to six whorls. The second whorl of their shells has a characteristic dome-like shape. They are also extremely slow-moving and may depend on passive transportation through running water or larger animals for dispersal.
Perrottetia aquilonaris is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Streptaxidae.
Perrottetia hongthinhae is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Streptaxidae.
Zospeum percostulatum is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Ellobiidae, the salt marsh snails. This species is endemic to Asturias, Spain. It is known from several limestone caves near Llanes. Though there were a few old records of Zospeum in Asturias, dubiously identified as Z. suarezi and Z. schaufussi, Zospeum percostulatum is the first species described for this autonomous community.
Koreozospeum is a genus of small air-breathing land snails. It contains a single species, Koreozospeum nodongense.
Zospeum zaldivarae is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snail.
Zospeum robustum is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snails.
Zospeum bucculentum is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snails.
Laoennea renouardi is one of two species in the genus Laoennea of the Asian terrestrial snail family Diapheridae.
Zospeum manitaense is a cave-dwelling species of air-breathing land snail. Some individuals in this genus were previously described under the name of Zospeum amoenum, Zospeum isselianum or Zospeum pretneri.