Classification

 

Scientific Name: Patera pennsylvanica

         Meaning of Patera: Latin for "saucer" (Wikipedia 2012)

         Meaning of pennsylvanica: Latin for "of Pennsylvania" (Rook 2006)

 

Common Name: proud globelet (Encyclopedia of Life 2012)

         The origin of the common name is unknown

 

Classification: (Encyclopedia of Life 2012)

        Kingdom: Animalia

                Phylum: Mollusca

                        Class: Gastropoda

                                Order: Stylommatophora

                                        Family: Polygyridae

                                                Genus: Patera

                                                        Species: Patera pennsylvanica

 

Characteristics of Each Taxonomic Level:

 

Kingdom Animalia:

Patera pennsylvanica are a part of the kingdom Animalia. There are several characteristics that define the kingdom Animalia that include their eukaryotic cells, multicellularity, and heterotrophic feeding styles (ZipcodeZoo 2012). On top of these things, the majority of animals are motile and have a fixed body plan at some point in their life (ZipcodeZoo 2012). All of these characteristics of the kingdom Animalia are relevant for the species Patera pennsylvanica.

 

Phylum Mollusca:

The estimated 100,000 species within the phylum Mollusca contain a significant amount of diversity (About 2012). With some exceptions, the majority of molluscs have a similar body plan that includes a foot, a visceral mass, and a mantle (About 2012). The foot is involved in locomotion, the visceral mass houses the internal organs, and mantle surrounds the visceral mass. (About 2012). Also, molluscs are bilaterally symmetrical and are invertebrates (ZipcodeZoo 2012). All of these characteristics hold true for the species Patera pennsylvanica (ZipcodeZoo 2012).

 

Class Gastropoda:

Most of the class Gastropoda is made up of snails and slugs; snails have an external shell while slugs do not (ZipcodeZoo 2012). Gastropods undergo torsion, resulting in a 180° rotation of the visceral mass (ZipcodeZoo 2012).

 

Order Stylommatophora:

Land snails and slugs that breathe air make up the order Stylommatophora (ZipcodeZoo 2012). In addition to this, all species within this order contain two pairs of tentacles that have eyes on the ends of them and directly below a membrane have a pedal gland (ZipcodeZoo 2012).

 

Family Polygyridae:

These air-breathing land snails lack the love dart (ZipcodeZoo 2012). Furthermore, species within the family Polygridae have a single band of muscle that functions in retracting the eyes and pharynx (ZipcodeZoo 2012). This family lacks a stimulatory organ and has ribbed jaws (ZipcodeZoo 2012). 

 

Genus Patera:

As the latin translation of Patera indicates, the snails in this genus have a shell that is characterized by its shape that resembles a saucer (Wikipedia 2012). There are two other characteristics that identify snails within the genus Patera that include having a single tooth and an imperforate umbilicus (Wikipedia 2012). 

 

Species Patera pennsylvanica:

Patera pennsylvanica are uniquely identified by their shell (Pilsbry 1940). The characteristics that separate Patera pennyslvanica include its shell’s strength, its yellowish olive color, and its half smooth exterior that becomes striated for the last half (Pilsbry 1940). Although the genus Patera is known for flattened shells, the species Patera pennsylvanica have spires that are heightened (Pilsbry 1940).

Next, learn about the habitat for Patera pennsylvanica. Or return to the home page.