Eremina desertorum explained

Eremina desertorum (formerly Helix desertorum) is a species of land snails in the genus Eremina.^{[1] [2] [3]} It is native to desert regions in Egypt^[4] and Israel.^[5]

A specimen from Egypt, initially thought to be dead was glued to an index card at the British Museum in March 1846. However, in March 1850, it was discovered to be alive.^[6] The Canadian writer Grant Allen observed:^[7]

It is reported that the museum specimen was then transferred to a large glass jar where it lived for a further two years, subsisting largely on cabbage leaves. During this period, it successfully re-entered and exited torpor once more.^[8]

Later studies demonstrated that the species could survive in suspended animation without food or water for even longer. In 1904, 40 snails were placed in a tin box as part of an experiment. Approximately 8 years later, in 1912, 10 of these snails were found to be still alive.^[9]

External links

• The British Museum example now in the collection of the natural history museum

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: Eremina desertorum . . 17 July 2015.
2. Q J Microsc Sci . June 1949 . 90 Pt. 2. 2 . 159–81. Oogenesis in the desert snail Eremina desertorum with special reference to vitellogenesis . Fahmy . O. G. . 18132293 .
3. Hassan . Kamaleldin M. . 2015 . Stable isotopic signatures of the modern land snail Eremina desertorum from a low-latitude (hot) dry desert – A study from the Petrified Forest, New Cairo, Egypt . Chemie der Erde – Geochemistry . 75 . 1 . 65–72 . 0009-2819 . 10.1016/j.chemer.2014.09.002. 2015ChEG...75...65H .
4. Ali . Reham F. . Neiber . Marco T. . Walther . Frank . Hausdorf . Bernhard . January 2016 . Morphological and genetic differentiation of E remina desertorum (G astropoda, P ulmonata, H elicidae) in E gypt . Zoologica Scripta . en . 45 . 1 . 48–61 . 10.1111/zsc.12134 . 0300-3256.
5. Arad . Zeev . 1993-05-01 . Water relations and resistance to desiccation in three Israeli desert snails, Eremina desertorum, Euchondrus desertorum and Euchondrus albulus . Journal of Arid Environments . 24 . 4 . 387–395 . 10.1006/jare.1993.1032 . 1993JArEn..24..387A . 0140-1963.
6. Web site: The desert snail at once awoke and found himself famous . MetaFilter. 17 July 2015.
7. Book: Allen, Grant . Falling in Love; With Other Essays on More Exact Branches of Science . 1889 . Smith, Elder & Co. . London .
8. Book: Hamilton, James . 1854 . Excelsior: Helps to Progress in Religion, Science, and Literature. James Nisbet and Co. . 344–45 . James Hamilton (1814–1867). 1 .
9. Book: Smith, E. A. . Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London . 10, 1912—1913 . 1913 . 49 . Dulau & Co. . London .