Classification
The name Neohelix lioderma comes from Latin. The word neo means "to interweave and spin" (Casselman, 2012). The world helix means "a cylindrical spiral" (Wolfram Alpha). Derma is a word that means "inner vascular layer of skin" (Wolfram Alpha). The common name of Neohelix lioderma is the Tulsa Whitelip (Encyclopedia of Life). It is given this nickname because it is only found in Oklahoma (Encyclopedia of Life).
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Polygridae
Genus: Neohelix
Species: Neohelix lioderma (Pilsbry, 1902)
Domain Eukarya: Eukaryotes have nuclei and organelles bound within a membrane (Hickman, 2012). An example of an organelle is a mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of a eukaryotic cell (Hickman et al, 2012).
Kingdom Animalia: Animals are multicellular, heterotrophic (meaning that they do not create their own food source) organisms (Hickman et al, 2012).
Phylum Mollusca: Molluscs have a few things that separate them from other members of Kingdom Animalia. One is the presence of a mantle and a mantle cavity (Hickman, 2012). The mantle is a protective sheath of skin that encloses the mantle cavity. (Gillis, 2012). The mantle cavity contains gills in aquatic molluscs, lungs in terrestrial molluscs (Hickman et al, 2012).
Class Gastropoda: The Class Gastropoda contains snails, slugs, and conchs (Hickman et al, 2012). Most gastropods are slow-moving and sluggish (no pun intended) organisms because they have heavy shells (Hickman et al, 2012). Slugs are an example of a gastropod that has evolved to have no shell (Hickman et al, 2012). However, slugs are slow as well because they have poor locomotor organs (Hickman et al, 2012).
Order Stylommatophora: Snails in this order are characterized by having two elongated pairs of tentacles on the head. These tentacles can be retracted (Grzimek, 2003). One pair has eyes at the tips and the other pair helps with locating food (Grzimek, 2003). Additionally, snails in the Order Stylommatophora are pulmonates, meaning that they have lungs instead of gills (Grzimek, 2004). This means that they are terrestrial (live on land) instead of aquatic (live in water).
Family Polygridae: Snails within this family are terrestrial, pulmonate snails that are found only in North America (Emberton, 1988).
Genus Neohelix: The shells of the genus Neohelix are very similar to the shells of the genus Mesodon (Encyclopedia of Life). However, the reproductive anatomy of Neohelix contains a structure called the ovotestis that is capable of producing both sperm and eggs (Tompa, et. al. 1984).
Species Neohelix lioderma: This species is found only in the state of Oklahoma (Encylopedia of Life). Like other pulmonate snails, it is typically found feeding on the leaf litter of forest floors (Grzimek, 2003).
Now that you know the taxonomy of Neohelix lioderma, let's look at its Habitat