Hawaiia minuscula (Minute Gem)

Classification

 

Domain Eukarya

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Eukarya because its cells contain a membrane-bound nucleus containing DNA. These cells also contain specialized organelles.

Kingdom Animalia

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Animalia because it is a multi-cellular organism with specialized cells.

Phylum Mollusca

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Mollusca because it possesses bilateral symmetry, a mantle specialized for respiration and excretion of a shell, a coelom, a soft body that lacks a vertebrae, a radula used for feeding, and an open circulatory system.

Class Gastropoda

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Gastropoda because it has body torsion and a coiled shell.

Order Stylommatrophora

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Stylommatrophora because it has eyes that are situated at the top of the pair of tentacles, respires by the use of lungs, and is a pulmonate species that lives on land.

Family Zonitidae

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as Zonitidae because it possesses a semi-transparent (glass-like) shell and is less than seven millimeters in diameter.

Genus Hawaiia

Hawaiia minuscula is classified in the genus Hawaiia because it has a domed spire, a rounded whorl base, and a wrinkled shell surface.

Species minuscula

Hawaiia minuscula is classified as the species minuscula because it has an umbilicate shell with its umbilicus (or shell opening) about one third of the shell diameter, faint striations on their shell, and no shell thickenings inside the shell.

 Classification information derived from (Burch, 1962), (Dourson, 2006), (Solem, 1978) and (Perez, 2008)

 

Learn more about the habitat of Hawaiia minuscula.

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