Classification
Euchemotrema leai
(A. Binney, 1841)
Lowland Pillsnail
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
Order:
Stylommatophora
Superfamily:
Helicoidea
Family:
Polygyridae
Genus:
Euchemotrema
Species:
leai
Domain:
“Eukaryote” being Greek for good, it is a member of the domain
Eukaryota because it has a membrane-bound nucleus or nuclei
containing genetic material and does not categorize into the domain
Prokaryota (Global Biodiversity Information
Facility 2007).
Kingdom:
“Animal” comes from the Latin word
animale meaning vital
breath or soul.
Of the main kingdoms of Plantae, Protista, Animalia, and
Fungi, Euchemotrema leai
pertains to the kingdom Animalia.
It is a multicellular, heterotrophic organism that digests
its food in an internal body chamber.
This differentiates it from bacteria, protists, plants and
fungi. It also lacks a
cell wall common in most autotrophs and forms a blastula stage which
is unique only to animals (Global
Biodiversity Information Facility 2007).
Phylum:
Mollusc originated from
the Latin molluscus
meaning soft. A member
of the Phylum Mollusca because of a few defining characteristics: a
muscular foot on the underside of the organism which can be
specialized for different uses, a mantle containing a mantle cavity
on the dorsal side of the body that also secretes a protective and
supportive shell, and a radula bearing multiple rows of chitinous
teeth used for scraping and tearing of food (Global
Biodiversity Information Facility 2007).
Class:
From the Greek word gaster
meaning belly and
podos
meaning foot, this Lowland
Pillsnail has a muscular foot on its underside used for attachment
and locomotion. It also
contains a single, complete shell that is coiled.
Another known common behavior is the process of torsion in
which the visceral mass goes through a 180 degree turn during
development placing the anus in close proximity of the mouth (Global
Biodiversity Information Facility 2007).
Order:
Stylommatophora from stylos
meaning pillar contains the majority of land snails and slugs.
It is a taxon of air-breathing terrestrial gastropods that do
not possess a gill but rather use their mantle as an air-breathing
lung. They also have a
long pedal gland along with two pairs of retractable, sensory
tentacles (Global Biodiversity Information
Facility 2007).
Superfamily:
Euchemotrema leai is a
member of the superfamily Helicoidea because it is a terrestrial,
pulmonate gastropod that can breathe air (Global
Biodiversity Information Facility 2007).
Family:
Polygyridae from the Latin
poly+gyros means many
whorled. They have
coiled shells containing many whorls, a ribbed jaw, retractable eyes
and pharynx that are attached to muscles forming a single band,
haploid chromosomes numbering from 26 to 35 as well as no dart
apparatus used in reproduction (Global
Biodiversity Information Facility 2007).
Genus:
As a member of Euchemotrema,
it is part of a genus of small, air-breathing, terrestrial snails that
possess brown shells with a velvety surface.
Similar to the genus
Stenotrema but without a basal notch and an interdenticular
sinus (Global Biodiversity Information
Facility 2007).
Species:
Euchemotrema possesses a
conspicuous epiphallus bearing a minuscule flagellum on the floor of
the genital chamber (Webb 1950).
Scientific Name:
Euchemotrema leai
Aside from the common name of the
Lowland Pillsnail, this snail may also be referred to using the
genus name Stenotrema because it was not until recently that the genus
Euchemotrema was formed.
For this reason, other names of subspecies such as
Euchemotrema leai leai,
Euchemotrema leai aliciae or Stenotrema leai leai, Stenotrema leai
aliciae may be used (Perez 2011).
Go on to find out the
Distribution and Geography of the this
unique species or return Home.