Partula faba
Partula faba | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
(unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
Superfamily: | Partuloidea |
Family: | Partulidae |
Genus: | Partula |
Species: | †P. faba |
Binomial name | |
†Partula faba (Gmelin, 1791) | |
Partula faba was a species of air-breathing tropical land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Partulidae. This species was endemic to Ra'iātea and Tahaa, neighbouring islands which share the same lagoon, in French Polynesia. It is now extinct.[2]
In captivity
From 1991 UK zoos fought to save this species from extinction. For a while this was successful but a slow decline set in. Bristol Zoo and then Edinburgh Zoo were entrusted with the last-known colony of these snails.[3] Unfortunately this was not a success and the last snail died in February 2016.[2]
Reasons for decline
The introduction of the small carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea in the 1980s caused the decline of many native species of Partulidae, among them Partula faba.
References
- ↑ Coote, T. (2009). "Partula faba". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- 1 2 "Captain Cook's bean snail Partula faba".
- ↑ "Bristol Zoo hopes to save last colony of tree snail ", BBC News, April 15, 2010.