Classification
Picture Courtesy of Jaxshells.org
Mesdon thyroidus has the common name "White-Lip Globe". It was given this common name because the lip of the shell is generally lighter in color than the rest of the shell (NatureSearch). Below is a table showing the specific classification of White-lipped Globe. Also below are the characteristics that breakdown the classification for each level, starting with Order.
|
Kingdom |
Animalia |
|
Phylum |
Mollusca |
|
Class |
Gastropoda |
|
Order |
Stylommatophora |
|
Family |
Polygyridae |
|
Genus |
Mesodon |
|
Species |
Thyroidus |
Information courtesy of Natureserve.org
Animalia (Kingdom)- Usually multi-cellular, Eukaryotic organisms that are also hetertrophic (rely on other sources for food rather than making their own through processes like photosynthesis) (Encyclopedia of Life, 2011).
Mollusca (Phylum)- One of the most diverse phylum's, with over 50,000 known species. This group consists of soft bodied organisms that usually have a "head" and a "foot" region (University of California Museum of Paleontology).
Gastropoda (Class)- Asymmetrical body plan, usually in a coiled shell. Large flat foot, a well developed head, with radula, and either monoecious or dioecious (Eisenhour, 2009).
Stylommatophora (Order)- An order of snail with their eyes on long tentacle like stalks (Leonard, 1959).
Polygyridae (Family)- This family of snail includes snails that have teeth, and have no dart apparatus (Baker, 1939).
Mesodon (Genus)- Air breathing snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Polygyridae (Leonard, 1959).
Thyroidus (Species)- Species of terrestrial snail from the family polygyridae and genus Mesodon, with a shell that is 18-25mm in diameter, brown in color with a lighter colored lip (ufl.edu). There is a further description of Mesodon thryroidus on the description page.
Classification of White-Lipped Globe