Laminella venusta is a species of land snail in the genus Laminella. [1] Laminella venusta is a land snail in the family Amastridae.[2]  In 1845 this species was given the common name of Graceful Laminella Snail.[3] The Hawaiian name for Laminella venusta is Pupu Kuahiwi, and it is the only surviving member of its species currently living on the island of Molokai. [4]

Graceful Laminella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Superfamily: Pupilloidea
Family: Amastridae
Genus: Laminella
Species:
L. venusta
Binomial name
Laminella venusta
(Mighels, 1845)
Synonyms
  • Achatinella (Newcombia) venusta Mighels, 1845 (unaccepted combination)
  • Achatinella venusta Mighels, 1845 (original combination)
Laminella venusta from Hawaii
Subspecies:
  • Laminella venusta muscaria Hyatt & Pilsbry, 1911
  • Laminella venusta orientalis Hyatt & Pilsbry, 1911
  • Laminella venusta venusta (Mighels, 1845)

Description

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Laminella venusta is described as having a fawn-colored body with small distinct black points down its sides. It also has extremely dark tentacles. This species has a lean body that can increase to a size of two-thirds longer than its shell. The size of its shell can approximately reach to 1.35 cm in height with a diameter of 0.62 to 0.73 cm. The Graceful Laminella Snail is distinguished by the final whorl and the sunken black markings on its shell.[3]

Distribution and Habitat

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It is endemic to Hawaii.[5] Laminella venusta makes its home in the Mapulehu Valley near Molokai’s southeastern coast.[3] This rare species can be found on olopua trees down in gulches. When this species is found it routinely swabs fungi off olona leaves.[4]

References

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  1. ^ MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Laminella venusta (Mighels, 1845). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1421699 on 2023-08-28
  2. ^ Imbler, Sabrina (2019-11-22). "In the Field With the Intrepid, Dedicated Snailers of Hawai'i". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. ^ a b c Alang (2018-09-13). "Laminella venusta (Mighels) | Dead as the Dodo – Holocene Extinctions". Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. ^ a b "Laminella venusta – Hawaii State Snails Voting Platform". Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  5. ^ "Laminella venusta (Mighels, 1845)". Molluscabase. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  • Yeung, N. W.; Bustamente, K. M.; Sischo, D. R.; Hayes, K. A. (2018). Rediscovery of Newcombia canaliculata (Baldwin, 1895) (Gastropoda: Achatinellidae) and Laminella venusta (Mighels, 1845) (Gastropoda: Amastridae). Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 123: 31-36
  • Cowie, R. H., Evenhuis, N. L. & Christensen, C. C. (1995). Catalog of the Native Land and Freshwater Molluscs of the Hawaiian Islands. vi + 248 pp. [3 June]. Leiden (Backhuys Publishers).
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