Auriculella

Auriculella is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinellidae.

Auriculella is the type genus of the subfamily Auriculellinae.

General characteristics

(Original description in Latin) The shell is subperforate and possesses an oblong-conic shape. The apertural wall is armed with a spirally entering lamella, while the columellar fold is situated superiorly, appearing either tooth-like in form or, in some specimens, nearly obsolete. Finally, the peristome is slightly expanded.

Distribution

They are endemic to Hawaii (United States) and several are extinct. They are oviparous (egg laying) and hermaphroditic. Among achatinellid snails, they are unique in the fact that they are not restricted to living on plants endemic to the Hawaiian islands. They have been known to relatively thrive on non-native plants such as ginger and night jasmine.

Species

Species within the genus Auriculella include:

Auriculella ambusta Pease, 1868
Auriculella amoena (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
Auriculella armata (Mighels, 1845)
Auriculella auricula (A. Férussac, 1821)
Auriculella brunnea E. A. Smith, 1873
Auriculella canalifera Ancey, 1904
Auriculella castanea (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
Auriculella cerea (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
Auriculella chamissoi (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
† Auriculella crassula E. A. Smith, 1873
Auriculella diaphana E. A. Smith, 1873
Auriculella expansa Pease, 1868
Auriculella flavida C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella gagneorum Yeung, Slapcinsky, E. E. Strong, J. R. Kim & K. A. Hayes, 2020
Auriculella kuesteri (L. Pfeiffer, 1855)
Auriculella lanaiensis C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella malleata Ancey, 1904
Auriculella minuta C. M. Cooke & Pilsbry, 1915
Auriculella montana C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella newcombi (L. Pfeiffer, 1854)
Auriculella olivacea C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella perpusilla E. A. Smith, 1873
Auriculella perversa C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella petitiana (L. Pfeiffer, 1847)
Auriculella pulchra Pease, 1868
Auriculella serrula C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella straminea C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella tantalus Pilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915
Auriculella tenella Ancey, 1889
Auriculella tenuis E. A. Smith, 1873
Auriculella turritella C. M. Cooke, 1915
†Auriculella uniplicata Pease, 1868

Synonyms

Auriculella jucunda Pilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915 : synonym of Auriculella uniplicata f. jucunda Pilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1915 : synonym of Auriculella uniplicata Pease, 1868 (superseded rank)
Auriculella jucunda Bland & W. G. Binney, 1873 (nomen nudum)
Auriculella obliqua Ancey, 1892 : synonym of Auriculella ambusta obliqua Ancey, 1892 (superseded rank)
Auriculella patula E. A. Smith, 1873 : synonym of Auriculella auricula (A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
Auriculella pellucida Gulick, 1905 (nomen nudum)
Auriculella perkinsi Sykes, 1900 : synonym of Auriculella auricula (A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
Auriculella ponderosa Ancey, 1889 : synonym of Auriculella crassula E. A. Smith, 1873 (junior subjective synonym)
Auriculella solidissima Bland & W. G. Binney, 1873 : synonym of Auriculella crassula E. A. Smith, 1873 (nomen nudum)
Auriculella triplicata Pease, 1868 : synonym of Auriculella auricula (A. Férussac, 1821) (junior subjective synonym)
Auriculella umbilicata Ancey, 1889 : synonym of Tornatellaria umbilicata (Ancey, 1889) (superseded combination)
Auriculella westerlundiana Ancey, 1889 : synonym of Auriculella armata (Mighels, 1845) (junior subjective synonym)

Gallery

Shells

Live individuals

Auriculella gagneorum
Unidentified species
Unidentified species
Unidentified species
Unidentified species
Unidentified species
Unidentified species