Oheatora Australdonta Snail (Australdonta oheatora)

The Oheatora Australdonta Snail was described in 2013; it is known from about 35 specimens that were recovered from the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells are small, thin, relatively high, subdepressed, opaque to pellucid, white to light fawn-colored and show no traces of markings. [1]

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References:

[1] André F. Sartori; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Anthropogenic extinction of Pacific and snails: A case study of Rurutu, French Polynesia, with description of eight new species of endodontids (Pulmonata). Zootaxa 3640(3): 343-372. 2013

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edited: 18.02.2024

Yoshi’s Australdonta Snail (Australdonta yoshii)

Yoshi’s Australdonta Snail was described in 1976 on the basis of subfossil specimens that were found on the foot of the Matonaa plateau on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells reach sizes of 0.29 to 0.35 cm in diameter; they are light yellowish white with prominent somewhat irregular, zigzag-shaped, reddish flammulations, becoming narrower and more sharply angled on the shell’s base, merging near or in the umbilicus. [1]

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References:

[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976

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edited: 18.02.2024

Tea’s Australdonta Snail (Australdonta teaae)

This species was described in 2013; it is known by 24 subfossil specimens that were collected on the island of Rurutu in the Austral archipelago.

The shells are very large, much wider than high, discoidal, white with reddish-brown flammulations on the apical surface, often faintly visible peripherally on the shell’s base through the subpellucid shell wall.

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References:

[1] André F. Sartori; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Anthropogenic extinction of Pacific and snails: A case study of Rurutu, French Polynesia, with description of eight new species of endodontids (Pulmonata). Zootaxa 3640(3): 343-372. 2013

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edited: 18.02.2024

Rurutuan Round Australdonta Snail (Australdonta radiella ssp. rurutuensis)

This somewhat enigmatic form was described in 1879, apparently based on a single specimen from the island of Rurutu that differs only slightly from the ‘normal’ Australdonta radiella (Pfeiffer) from the neighboring island of Tubuai. 

“The only significant difference from Australdonta radiella radiella lies in having 17 distinguishable parietals. Shape and sculpture fall within the limits of variation observed for the nominate race. The diameter (3.52 mm.) is less than that of nearly all adult A. radiella radiella, but the shell is clearly subadult and this difference has no significance.” [1]

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syn. Endodonta rurutuensis (Garrett), Helix rurutuensis (Garrett), Patula rurutuensis Garrett

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References: 

[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976  

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edited: 18.02.2024

Large-furrowed Australdonta Snail (Australdonta magnasulcata)

The Large-furrowed Australdonta Snail was described in 1976; it is known from subfossil specimens that had been collected from the Matonaa plateau on the island of Rurutu, Australian Islands.

The shells reach sizes of about 0.37 cm in diameter; they are light yellow horn-colored with faint, irregular, rather widely spaced, reddish flammulations that fade out on the shell’s base.

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References:

[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976

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edited: 18.02.2024

(Australdonta tapina)

This species was described in 1976 on the basis of subfossil specimens found on a Makatea cliff in the lowlands of western Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells reach sizes of about 0.31 to 0.38 cm in diameter; the are light yellowish white with widely spaced, irregularly shaped, reddish markings that fade out below the periphery.

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References:

[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976

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edited: 18.2.2024

Florence’s Australdonta Snail (Australdonta florencei)

Florence’s Australdonta Snail was described in 2013; it is known by the astonishing number of 1732 subfossil specimens all of which were collected on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells are depressed, white to light fawn-colored, usually without markings but some specimens bear narrow, oblique or curved flammulations fading out towards the shell’s base.

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References:

[1] André F. Sartori; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Anthropogenic extinction of Pacific and snails: A case study of Rurutu, French Polynesia, with description of eight new species of endodontids (Pulmonata). Zootaxa 3640(3): 343-372. 2013

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edited: 18.02.2024

Plane Australdonta Snail (Australdonta pseudplanulata)

The Plane Australdonta Snail was described in 1976; it was named after its similarity to the Plane Minidonta Snail (Minidonta planulata Solem) with which it shared its habitat.

This is the smallest species within its genus; the shells reach sizes of 0.5 to 0.28 cm; they are light yellowish horn-colored without any darker markings. [1]

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References:

[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976

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edited: 18.02.2024

Pakalolo Australdonta Snail (Australdonta pakalolo)

This species was described in 2013; it is known from only two subfossil specimens that were found on the island of Rurutu in the Austral archipelago.

The shells are depressed to subdepressed, light fawn-colored, without markings.

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References:

[1] André F. Sartori; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Anthropogenic extinction of Pacific and snails: A case study of Rurutu, French Polynesia, with description of eight new species of endodontids (Pulmonata). Zootaxa 3640(3): 343-372. 2013

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edited: 18.02.2024

Many-furrowed Australdonta Snail (Australdonta magnasulcatissima)

The Many-furrowed Australdonta Snail was described in 2009 on the basis of subfossil specimens; it is only known from Mato Toerau on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands, where it was found together with the remains of at least one additional congeneric species.

The shells reach sizes of about 0.5 cm; they are rather worn and creamy white with tawny flammulations visible mainly on the shell’s upper part. [1]

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References:

[1] Gabrielle Zimmermann; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Quatre espèces nouvelles d’Endodontidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) éteints de Rurutu (Îles Australes, Polynésie française). Zoosystema 31(4):791-805. 2009

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edited: 18.02.2024

Anne’s Australdonta Snail (Australdonta anneae)

This species was described in 2013; it is known from three subfossil specimens that were found on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells are depressed, white to light fawn-colored and bear no visible markings.

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References:

[1] André F. Sartori; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Anthropogenic extinction of Pacific and snails: A case study of Rurutu, French Polynesia, with description of eight new species of endodontids (Pulmonata). Zootaxa 3640(3): 343-372. 2013

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edited: 18.02.2024

Micro-spiraled Austral Snail (Australdonta microspiralis)

The Micro-spiraled Austral Snail was described in 2009; it is only known from subfossil specimens that were recovered from a locality near the eastern coast of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells reach sizes of about 0.34 cm in diameter; being subfossil they are very worn, creamy white and decorated with faded orange flammulations. [1]

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References:  

[1] Gabrielle Zimmermann; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Quatre espèces nouvelles d’Endodontidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) éteints de Rurutu (Îles Australes, Polynésie française). Zoosystema 31(4): 791-805. 2009

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edited: 18.02.2024

Small Rurutu Austral Snail (Australdonta collicella)

The Small Rurutu Austral Snail was described in 2009; it is only known from subfossil specimens that were recovered from a locality near the eastern coast of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells reached sizes of about 0.58 cm in diameter; they are, of course, quite worn and are creamy white, decorated with fading orange flammulations. [1]

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The island of Rurutu is now known to have once harbored at least 11 species of this genus, all of them are now extinct. [2] 

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References:  

[1] Gabrielle Zimmermann; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Quatre espèces nouvelles d’Endodontidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) éteints de Rurutu (Îles Australes, Polynésie française). Zoosystema 31(4): 791-805. 2009 
[2] Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: A Global Overview of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Molluscs. In: Jean-Yves Meyer; Elin. M. Claridge: Biodiversity of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris. 55-91. 2014  

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edited: 18.02.2024

Sulcate Australdonta Snail (Australdonta sulcata)

The Sulcate Australdonta Snail was described in 2009; it is known only from subfossil specimens that were recovered from a locality at the base of a Makatea cliff near the eastern coast of Rurutu, Austral Islands.

The shells reach sizes of about 0.36 cm; they are very worn, creamy white and are decorated with faded orange flammulations.

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References:

[1] Gabrielle Zimmermann; Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: Quatre espèces nouvelles d’Endodontidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) éteints de Rurutu (Îles Australes, Polynésie française). Zoosystema 31(4):791-805. 2009

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edited: 18.02.2024