Partulidae Explained

Partulidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Pupilloidea.^[1]

The family is endemic to Pacific islands.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Genera

The Partulidae are divided into five genera:^{[4] [5]}

• Eua has four species, confined to Tonga and Samoa.
• Palaopartula Pilsbry, 1909- has three species, restricted to the Palau.
• Partula Pilsbry, 1909 - has about 100 species, distributed from New Guinea to the Society Islands.
• Samoana Pilsbry, 1909 - has about 23 species, distributed in Polynesia and the Mariana Islands.
• Sphendone has a single species from the Palau.

This cladogram shows the phylogenic relationships of genera in the family Partulidae:^{[4] [6]}

Synonyms

• Aega Hartman, 1881: synonym of Samoana (Marquesana) Pilsbry, 1909 represented as Samoana Pilsbry, 1909
• Astraea Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Clytia Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Echo Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula (Leptopartula) Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Evadne Hartman, 1881: synonym of Samoana Pilsbry, 1909
• Harmonia Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula (Marianella) Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of v
• Helena Hartman, 1881: synonym ofPartula A. Férussac, 1821
• Latia Hartman, 1881: synonym of Samoana (Marquesana) Pilsbry, 1909 represented as Samoana Pilsbry, 1909 (unavailable; a junior homonym of Latia Gray, 1850 [Latiidae])
• Marianna Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of Partula (Marianella) Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Matata Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Nenia Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Oenone Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821
• Pasithea Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821(junior synonym)
• Rennellia Clench, 1941: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821 (junior synonym)
• Scilistylus Iredale, 1941: synonym ofPartula A. Férussac, 1821
• Sterope Hartman, 1881: synonym of Partula (Melanesica) Pilsbry, 1909: synonym of Partula A. Férussac, 1821

Anatomy

In this family, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 26 and 30 (according to the values in this table).^[7]

Significance

The Partulidae represent a significant species radiation and were important in the development of modern evolutionary studies through the work of Henry Crampton in the early 20th century and later by Bryan Clarke, James Murray and Michael Johnson.

Status

Most Partulidae species have declined since 1974 and a very large proportion are extinct. The main threat to their survival has been the introduction of the predatory snail Euglandina rosea.^[4]

References

• Gerlach J. (2016). Icons of evolution: Pacific Island tree-snails of the family Partulidae. Phelsuma Press.

External links

• Partulidae evolution, diversity and conservation Partula Pages
• Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. (2005). Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia. 47 (1-2): 1-397

Notes and References

1. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Partulidae Pilsbry, 1900. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=162663 on 2021-12-12
2. Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2006. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org.
3. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=76758 ITIS Standard Report Page: Partulidae
4. http://www.islandbiodiversity.com/crampton.htm Gerlach, J. (2016) Icons of Evolution - Pacific island tree snails, family Partulidae. Phelsuma Press, Cambridge
5. Cowie, R.H. (1992). Evolution and Extinction of Partulidae, Endemic Pacific Island Land Snails. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, Vol. 335, No. 1274 (Feb. 29, 1992), pp. 167-191.
6. Lee T., Burch J. B., Coote T., Pearce-Kelly P., Hickman C., Meyer J.-Y. & Foighil D. O. (18 August 2009). "Moorean tree snail survival revisited: a multi-island genealogical perspective". BMC Evolutionary Biology 9: 204.
7. Barker G. M.: Gastropods on Land: Phylogeny, Diversity and Adaptive Morphology. in Barker G. M. (ed.): The biology of terrestrial molluscs. CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK, 2001, . 1-146, cited pages: 139 and 142.