Endodontidae
Encyclopedia
Endodontidae is a taxonomic family of very small air-breathing land snail
s and slug
s, terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Punctoidea
.
This family, which includes both snails and slug
s, appears to have once been much more diverse, but has declined, and is now endangered due to human activity.
s lies between 26 and 35 (according to the values in this table).
. The family is critically endangered and on the verge of extinction, mainly because of habitat loss due to human development. On American Samoa
, some species are in decline due to predation by introduced fire ant
s.
Genera within the family Endodontidae include:
Land snail
A land snail is any of the many species of snail that live on land, as opposed to those that live in salt water and fresh water. Land snails are terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells, It is not always an easy matter to say which species are terrestrial, because some are more or less...
s and slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
s, terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Punctoidea
Punctoidea
Punctoidea is a superfamily of air-breathing land snails and slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the informal group Sigmurethra....
.
This family, which includes both snails and slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
s, appears to have once been much more diverse, but has declined, and is now endangered due to human activity.
Anatomy
In this family, the number of haploid chromosomeChromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
s lies between 26 and 35 (according to the values in this table).
Distribution and conservation status
This family is found only in the Pacific islandsPacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
. The family is critically endangered and on the verge of extinction, mainly because of habitat loss due to human development. On American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, some species are in decline due to predation by introduced fire ant
Fire ant
Fire ants are a variety of stinging ants with over 285 species worldwide. They have several common names, including ginger ants, tropical fire ants and red ants.- Appearance :...
s.
Genera
The family Endodontidae has no subfamilies.Genera within the family Endodontidae include:
- AaadontaAaadontaAaadonta is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae. Specimens from this genus have been found in Palau and America.- Species :Species in the genus Aaadonta include:...
- Allodiscus
- Anceyodonta
- Charopa
- CookeconchaCookeconchaCookeconcha is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.-References:*...
- EndodontaEndodontaEndodonta is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae, an endemic family of land snails from the Hawaiian islands.-References:*...
- Flammocharopa
- Flammoconcha
- Flammulina
- Foxidonta
- Gerontia
- Goniodiscus
- HiraseaHiraseaHirasea is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae, an endemic family of land snails from the Hawaiian islands.-Species:Species within the genus Hirasea include:...
- HirasiellaHirasiellaHirasiella is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.-References:*...
- Laoma
- Laomarex
- LiberaLibera (gastropod)Libera is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.Originally the genus Libera was placed within the family Charopidae.-Species:Species in the genus Libera include:...
- Minidonta
- Nesophila
- Obanella
- ParalaomaParalaomaParalaoma is a genus of very small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Punctidae, the dot snails.-Species:The genus Paralaoma includes the following species:...
- Phacussa
- Phenacharopa
- Phenacohelix
- Philolanka
- Protoendodonta
- Protoflammulina
- Pseudallodiscus
- Ranfurlya
- Rikitea
- Serpho
- Suteria
- Thalassohelix
- Therasia
- ThermiaThermiaThermia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.- Species :Species in the genus Thermia include:* Thermia virescens * Thermia subincarnata...
- TheskelomensorTheskelomensorTheskelomensor is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Endodontidae.It contains the following species:* Theskelomensor creon...
- Toltecia
- Zyzzyxdonta