Classification
The classification of Neohelix alleni is as follows:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Polygridae
Genus: Neohelix
Species: Neohelix alleni
Eukarya: Members have cells consisting of a nucleus or nuclei
containing DNA and membrane bound organelles (Hickman
et al., 2012).
Animalia: Members are multicellular and heterotrophic (Animal
Diversity Web, 2012).
Mollusca: The defining characteristics of the invertebrate members
are a head, foot, visceral mass, mantle, along with a calcium
carbonate shell (Gillis, 2012) .
Gastropoda: Members are characterized by single shell, which is usually spirally coiled.
Gastropods go through torsion, a process that results in the
rotation of the visceral mass and mantle on the foot (Animal
Diversity Web, 2012).
Stylommatophora: Members are terrestrial pulmonate gastropods with
two pairs of tentacles which they can retract. Its eyes are
located at the top of the front pair of tentacles (Encyclopedia
of Life, 2012).
Polygridae: Members are terrestrial snails, which are distinguished from other gastropods
by the absence of a dart apparatus, the muscles which allows the
pharynx and eyes to be withdrawn are joined by a single band, and the jaws
are ribbed (Encyclopedia of Life, 2012).
Neohelix: Members are in subgenus under Triodopsis; of
the triodopsine members, Neohelix group is composed of the largest
snails (Emberton,
1988).
Neohelix alleni: Its common name is the Western Whitelip
because of the conspicuous white lip of its shell.
Its shell is 23-28mm in diameter, 5-6 whorls, yellow to yellow-brown in
color. Neohelix alleni is distinguished by penial morphology (Emberton,
1988). The Latin scientific name was first given by
Sampson in 1883 (Discover Life, 2012). The
Latin translation for "neo" is young or new. "Helix"
translates from Latin to spiral. The name "alleni" originates
from the man who last renamed the snail.
Click HERE to learn more about Neohelix alleni habitat.