Carelia cochlea (Reeve)

Screwed Carelia Snail (Carelia cochlea)  

This species was described in 1849, it is known exclusively from subfossil specimens.  

The shells reached sizes of about 4 cm. [1]  

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The Screwed Carelia Snail died out shortly after the colonization of the Hawaiian Islands by the first Polynesian settlers, which introduced rats and pigs to the islands.  

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References:  

[1] C. Montague Cooke Jr.: The land snail genus Carelia. Bishop Museum Bulletin 85: 1-97. 1931  

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Depiction from: ‘George W. Tryon; Henry A. Pilsbry; a.o.: Manual of Conchology. Second series: Pulmonata. Vol 21: Achatinellidae (Amastrinae). 1911′

(public domain)

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edited: 21.10.2017