Paropeas achatinaceum
Encyclopedia
Paropeas achatinaceum is a species
of air-breathing land snail
, a terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Subulinidae
.
The reproductive system
of Paropeas achatinaceum was described by Naggs (1994) and by Azuma (1995).
It is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific
region.
The type locality is Java.
Distribution include:
The non-native distribution of Paropeas achatinaceum includes:
Although it has not been reported from anywhere else in the Neotropics, it was recently (December 2002) intercepted during preclearance of a shipment of Eryngium
from Puerto Rico
to Georgia, USA
. It is possible that the source of the specimen was the Dominican Republic
, because much of the Eryngium shipped to the U.S. mainland from Puerto Rico is actually of Dominican origin.
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of air-breathing land snail
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...
, a 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 mollusk in the family Subulinidae
Subulinidae
Subulinidae is a family of small tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Achatinoidea.- Anatomy :...
.
Taxonomy
The subgenus Paropeas within the genus Prosopeas was elevated to generic status in 1994, based on the anatomy of this species.Description
Paropeas achatinaceum is a small snail with an oblong shell.The reproductive system
Reproductive system of gastropods
The reproductive system of gastropods varies greatly from one group to another within this very large and diverse taxonomic class of animals...
of Paropeas achatinaceum was described by Naggs (1994) and by Azuma (1995).
Distribution
Paropeas achatinaceum is native to Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
It is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
region.
The type locality is Java.
Distribution include:
- Pratas IslandsPratas IslandsThe Pratas Islands or Dongsha Islands consists of three islands forming from an atoll located in northeastern South China Sea, southeast of Hong Kong. The islands are governed by the Republic of China . The People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over these islands along with all other...
, Taiwan
The non-native distribution of Paropeas achatinaceum includes:
- It became established in the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1900’s.
Although it has not been reported from anywhere else in the Neotropics, it was recently (December 2002) intercepted during preclearance of a shipment of Eryngium
Eryngium
Eryngium is a genus in the family Apiaceae of about 230 species of annuals and perennials with hairless and usually spiny leaves, and dome-shaped umbels of flowers resembling those of thistles. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the centre of diversity in South America. Some species...
from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to Georgia, USA
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It is possible that the source of the specimen was the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, because much of the Eryngium shipped to the U.S. mainland from Puerto Rico is actually of Dominican origin.
- USA - introduced:
- It was first detected on a shipment in Florida in 2002.
- Miami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
- it has been reported since 2003 in the wild - Broward County, FloridaBroward County, Florida-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
- it has been reported since 2003 in the wild
Ecology
Paropeas achatinaceum is a phytophagous (plant eating) snail, which like many other subulinids, feeds on the roots of a wide variety of different plants, including those of the pineapplePineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
.