Partula (gastropod)

For other uses, see Partula (disambiguation).

Partula
Partula radiolata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Heterobranchia
Order:	Stylommatophora
Infraorder:	Pupilloidei
Superfamily:	Pupilloidea
Family:	Partulidae
Genus:	Partula Férussac, 1821 [1]
Synonyms
Astraea Hartman, 1881 Bulimus (Partula) Clytia Hartman, 1881 Echo Hartman, 1881 HarmoniaHartman, 1881 HelenaHartman, 1881 MariannaPilsbry, 1909 MatataHartman, 1881 NeniaHartman, 1881 OenoneHartman, 1881 Partula (Astraea)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of AstraeaRöding, 1798 [Gastropoda, Turbinidae]) Partula (Carolinella)Pilsbry, 1909 Partula (Clytia)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of ClytiaLamouroux, 1812 [Cnidaria]) Partula (Echo)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of EchoSelys, 1853 [Odonata]; Leptopartula is a replacement name) Partula (Harmonia)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of HarmoniaMulsant, 1846 [Coleoptera]; Marianna is a replacement name) Partula (Helena)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of HelenaRisso, 1826 [Crustacea]) Partula (Leptopartula)Pilsbry, 1909 Partula (Marianella)Pilsbry, 1909 Partula (Marianna)Pilsbry, 1909 Partula (Matata)Hartman, 1881 Partula (Melanesica)Pilsbry, 1909 Partula (Nenia)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of NeniaH. & A. Adams, 1855 [Gastropoda, Clausiliidae]) Partula (Oenone)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of OenoneLamarck, 1818 [Annelida]) Partula (Partula)A. Férussac, 1821· accepted, alternate representation Partula (Pasithea)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of PasitheaOken, 1807 [Vermes], PasitheaLamarck, 1812 [Cnidaria] and PasitheaLea, 1833 [Gastropoda]) Partula (Rennellia)Clench, 1941 (junior synonym) Partula (Sterope)Hartman, 1881 (invalid: junior homonym of SteropeGoodsir, 1845 [Crustacea]) Partula (Thakombaua)Pilsbry, 1909 PasitheaHartman, 1881 (junior synonym) RennelliaClench, 1941 (junior synonym) ScilistylusIredale, 1941 SteropeHartman, 1881

Black-and-white photo taken in July 1920 in Saipan, showing numerous Partula snails on the underside of a single leaf of Caladium

Partula gibba

Partula langfordi

Partula is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Partulidae. ^{[2] [3]}

Many species of Partula are known under the general common names "Polynesian tree snail" and "Moorean viviparous tree snail". ^[4] Partulids are distributed across 5,000 sq mi (13,000 km²) of Pacific Ocean islands, from the Society Islands to New Guinea.^{[ citation needed ]}

Once used as decorative items in Polynesian ceremonial wear and jewelry, these small snails (averaging about one-half to three-quarters of an inch in length) gained the attention of science when Dr. Henry Crampton (along with Yoshio Kondo) spent 50 years studying and cataloging partulids, detailing their remarkable array of morphological elements, ecological niches, and behavioral aspects that illustrate adaptive radiation. ^{[5] [6]}

Decline

The partulids of the island of Tahiti act as an example of the possible deleterious effects of attempted biological control. After an infestation of the introduced giant African land snails ( Achatina spp.), the carnivorous Florida rosy wolfsnail ( Euglandina rosea ) was introduced into Tahiti in an attempt to combat the African species.

The wolfsnail chose instead to hunt and eat members of the nearly 76 species of Partula that were endemic to Tahiti and the nearby islands, devouring all but 12 species in a decade. Several scientists recognized what was going on, and were able to save 12 species prior to their becoming extinct.

Today, the Zoological Society of London runs the Partula Programme Consortium which maintains a captive-breeding programme in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.

The 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains 15 critically endangered, 11 extinct in the wild, and 48 extinct Partula species. ^[7] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2009.2 contains 13 critically endangered, 11 extinct in the wild and 51 extinct Partula species. ^[8] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2015-4 contains 83 Partula species. ^[9]

Individuals are being reintroduced to Tahiti from captive breeding programmes since 2014. ^{[10] [11]} In April 2023, over 5,000 individual snails from zoos in the United States and the United Kingdom were released on Tahiti and Mo'orea.

Species

Species within the genus Partula include: ^[6]

Full list

Partula affinis Pease, 1868 Partula arguta † Pease, 1866 Partula assimilis Pease, 1868 Partula atilis † Crampton, 1956 Partula auraniana Hartman, 1888 Partula aurantia † Crampton, 1932 Partula auriculata † Broderip, 1832 Partula bilineata † Pease, 1866 Partula clara Pease, 1866 Partula clarkei † Gerlach, 2016 Partula compressa Reeve, 1850 Partula cootei † Gerlach, 2016 Partula cramptoni Clench, 1941 Partula crassilabris † Pease, 1866 Partula cuneata † Crampton, 1956 Partula cytherea † C. M. Cooke & Crampton, 1930 Partula dentifera † L. Pfeiffer, 1853 Partula desolata † Bauman & Kerr, 2013 Partula diminuta C. B. Adams, 1851 Partula dolichostoma † Crampton, 1956 Partula dolorosa † Crampton & C. M. Cooke, 1953 Partula emersoni Pilsbry, 1913 Partula eremita † Crampton & C. M. Cooke, 1953 Partula faba † Gmelin, 1791 Partula filosa † L. Pfeiffer, 1853 synonym of Partula diminutaC. B. Adams, 1851) Partula flexuosa Hartman, 1885 Partula formosa † Garrett, 1884: synonym of Partula dentiferaL. Pfeiffer, 1853 Partula garretti † Pease, 1865

Partula gibba Férussac, 1821 Partula grisea Lesson, 1831 Partula guamensis † L. Pfeiffer, 1846 Partula hebe L. Pfeiffer, 1846 Partula hyalina Broderip, 1832 Partula incrassa Crampton, 1916 Partula jackieburchi † Y. Kondo, 1981 Partula labrusca † Crampton & C. M. Cooke, 1953 Partula laevigata L. Pfeiffer, 1857 Partula lanceolata C. M. Cooke & Crampton, 1930 Partula langfordi Y. Kondo, 1970 Partula leefei E. A. Smith, 1897 Partula leptochila † Crampton, 1956 Partula levistriata † Crampton, 1956 Partula lugubris Pease, 1865 Partula lutaensis Sischo & Hadfield, 2021 Partula lutea † Lesson, 1831 Partula magistri † Gerlach, 2016 Partula makatea † Gerlach, 2016 Partula martensiana Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of Partula rufaLesson, 1831 Partula meyeri J. B. Burch, 2007 Partula micans L. Pfeiffer, 1853 Partula mirabilis Crampton, 1924 Partula mooreana Hartman, 1880 Partula navigatoria L. Pfeiffer, 1849 Partula nodosa L. Pfeiffer, 1853 Partula obesa Pease, 1868 Partula otaheitana Bruguière, 1792 Partula pacifica L. Pfeiffer, 1855 Partula pearcekellyi Gerlach, 2016

Partula planilabrum † Pease, 1864 Partula producta † Pease, 1864 Partula protracta † Crampton, 1956 Partula pyramis Hartman, 1886 Partula radiolata L. Pfeiffer, 1846 Partula radiosa L. Pfeiffer, 1854 Partula recluziana Petit de la Saussaye, 1850 Partula remota † Crampton, 1956 Partula rosea Broderip, 1832 Partula rustica † Pease, 1866: synonym of Partula garrettiiPease, 1865 Partula sagitta † Crampton & C. M. Cooke, 1953 Partula salifana † Crampton, 1925 Partula similaris Hartman, 1886 Partula suturalis L. Pfeiffer, 1855 Partula taeniata Mörch, 1850 Partula thalia † Garrett, 1884: synonym of Partula garrettiiPease, 1865 Partula tohiveana Crampton, 1924 Partula tristis Crampton & C. M. Cooke, 1953 Partula turgida † Pease, 1864 Partula umbilicata † Pease, 1866 Partula vanikorensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 Partula varia Broderip, 1832

Collected for ex situ conservation

The Partula that were collected for ex situ breeding were the following: ^[12]

Tahiti - P. affinis , P. clara , P. hyalina , P. nodosa , P. otaheitana

Moorea - P. aurantia , P. mirabilis , P. mooreana , P. suturalis , P. taeniata , P. tohiveana

Huahine - P. arguta , P. rosea , P. varia

Raiatea - P. faba , P. garrettii (P. tristis), P. hebe , P. navigatoria (P. dentifera), P. turgida

Marianas - P. gibba , P. langfordi

What a Partula snail looks like with its shell removed.

P. garrettii and P. navigatoria were misidentified as the species in parentheses next to them.

Surviving species

Looking at the list of surviving species ^[13] it appears more species survived than initially thought. The list of surviving species is as follows:

Tahiti - P. affinis , P. clara , P. hyalina , P. incrassa , P. nodosa , P. otaheitana

Moorea - P. mirabilis , P. mooreana, P. suturalis, P. taeniata, P. tohiveana

Huahine - P. rosea , P. varia

Raiatea - P. garrettii (P. tristis), P. hebe , P. meyeri , P. navigatoria (P. dentifera)

Marianas - P. gibba , P. langfordi , P. lutaensis , P. radiolata

Micronesia - P. emersoni , P. rufa

Fiji - P. leefei , P. lirata

Solomon Islands - P. cramptoni , P. micans

Papua New Guinea - P. auraniana , P. similaris

Cook Islands - P. assimilis

Cladogram

Phylogenetic analyses revealed that many of the Partula species are not monophyletic. ^[14] The resulting cladogram is shown below.

Partulidae

Partula P. aurantia P. suturalis dendronica P. suturalis strigosa P. suturalis vexillum P. suturalis strigosa P. suturalis vexillum P. clara P. mirabilis P. suturalis vexillum P. hyalina P. varia P. rosea P. hebe P. hebe bella P. clara P. exigua P. mooreana P. taeniata elongata P. taeniata nucleola P. taeniata simulans P. taeniata P. clara P. taeniata nucleola P. mooreana P. tohivea (undescribed species) P. otaheitana otaheitana P. otaheitana lignaria P. otaheitana sinistralis P. otaheitana sinistrorsa P. otaheitana crassa P. producta P. hyalina (Austral Islands, etc.) P. hyalina (Tahiti) P. mooreana P. mirabilis propinqua P. tohiveana P. dentifera P. dentifera P. tristis P. meyeri P. faba P. turgida P. assimilis P. luteola P. gibba P. radiolata P. carteriensis P. similaris P. otaheitana P. otaheitana affinis P. affinis P. otaheitana P. otaheitana rubescens (undescribed species) P. otaheitana crassa P. nodosa composita P. nodosa intermedia P. subgonochila P. auraniana P. turneri P. lirata Samoana Samoana decussatula Samoana attenuata Samoana burchi Samoana conica Samoana thurstoni Samoana fragilis Palaopartula Palaopartula thetis Palaopartula calypso Eua Eua globosa Eua zebrina

Ecology

Partula species on Tahiti were usually found on the undersides of the leaves of Caladium and plantain, although in some valleys, they were frequently found on Dracaena and turmeric. ^[15]

References

This article incorporates public domain text from the reference. ^[15]

1. Férussac A. É. d'A. de (June 1821). Journ. de Physique92: 460; 1821, H.N. g. et p. Moll., Tabl. Limaçons, 23.
2. Myers, P.; Espinosa, R.; Parr, C. S.; Jones, T.; Hammond, G. S. & Dewey, T. A. (2006). The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org.
3. ITIS Standard Report Page: Partulidae
4. Searching for "Partula". In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 14 September 2010.
5. Jung, Younghun, Taehwan Lee, Burch J. B. & Diarmaid Ó Foighil. (2005) "Historical phylogeny of Tahitian Partula". Proc. Joint Conference - American Malacological Society and Western Society of Malacologists.
6. Gerlach, J. (2016) Icons of Evolution - Pacific island tree snails, family Partulidae. Phelsuma Press, Cambridge
7. IUCN (2008). 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 December 2008.
8. IUCN (2009). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 14 November 2009.
9. IUCN (2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015-4. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 June 2016.
10. Kuta, Sarah (2 May 2023). "Scientists Reintroduce 5,000 Snails to French Polynesian Islands". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
11. Elizabeth Claire Alberts (28 April 2023). "'Extinct' snails return to Tahiti in largest wildlife reintroduction ever". Mongabay. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
12. "Tentacle 3" (PDF). University of Hawaii.
13. "Partula". IUCN Red List.
14. "34". d-nb.info.
15. Mayer A. G. (January 1902). "Some species of Partula from Tahiti. A study in variation". Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy XXVI(2), Cambridge, U.S.A.

Further reading

• Crampton H. E. (1916). Studies on the variation, distribution and evolution of the genus Partula. The species inhabiting Tahiti. Carnegie Institution of Washington, 228: 1-311.
• Crampton H. E. (1925). Studies on the variation, distribution and evolution of the genus Partula. The species of the Mariana Islands, Guam and Saipan. Carnegie Institution of Washington, 228a: 1-116.
• Crampton H. E. (1932). Studies on the variation, distribution and evolution of the genus Partula. The species inhabiting Moorea. Carnegie Institution of Washington, 410: 1-335.
• Lee, T.; Burch, J. B.; Jung, Y.; Coote, T.; Pearce-Kelly, P.; ó Foighil, D. (2007). "Tahitian tree snail mitochondrial clades survived recent mass extirpation". Current Biology. 17 (13): R502–R503. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.05.006 . PMID   17610827.

External links

• Partula evolution, diversity and conservation Partula Pages