''Laemodonta'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of small air-breathing, saltmarsh

snail A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastro ...

s, terrestrial

pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an order, and before that a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includ ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Ellobiidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). Laemodonta Philippi, 1846. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=205794 on 2012-03-16

Description

(Description as ''Plecotrema'') The solid shell has an ovate-conic shape and is umbilicated. The acute

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

is elevated. The oblong

aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. An opt ...

is contracted. The inner lip shows three plaits, the middle one bifid. The outer lip has a marginal

varix A varix (pl. varices) is an abnormally dilated vessel with a tortuous course. Varices usually occur in the venous system, but may also occur in arterial or lymphatic vessels. Examples of varices include: * Varicose veins, large tortuous veins usua ...

and is internally bidentate.Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1855). Contributions towards the natural history of the Auriculidae, a family of pulmoniferous Mollusca; with descriptions of many new species from the Cumingian Collection. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. (1854) 22: 30-37
/ref>

Species

Species within the genus ''Laemodonta'' include: * '' Laemodonta amplicata'' C. F. Jickeli, 1874 * '' Laemodonta bella'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1855) * † ''

Laemodonta bourgeoisi ''Laemodonta'' is a genus of small air-breathing, saltmarsh snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). Laemodonta Philippi, 1846. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://w ...

'' (Tournouër, 1870) * '' Laemodonta clausa'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854) * '' Laemodonta cubensis'' (Pfeiffer, 1854) * † '' Laemodonta delaunayi'' (Tournouër, 1870) * '' Laemodonta exarata'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854) * '' Laemodonta exaratoides'' Kawabe, 1992 * '' Laemodonta hirsuta'' (Garrett, 1872) * '' Laemodonta livida'' Perugia, 2010 * '' Laemodonta madagascariensis'' Bozzetti, 2007 * '' Laemodonta minuta'' (Möllendorff, 1885) * '' Laemodonta monilifera'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854) * '' Laemodonta oblonga'' Jickeli, 1874 * ''

Laemodonta octanfracta ''Laemodonta'' is a genus of small air-breathing, saltmarsh snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). Laemodonta Philippi, 1846. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://w ...

'' (Jonas, 1845) * ''

Laemodonta punctatostriata ''Laemodonta'' is a genus of small air-breathing, saltmarsh snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). Laemodonta Philippi, 1846. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://w ...

'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854) * ''

Laemodonta punctigera ''Laemodonta'' is a genus of small air-breathing, saltmarsh snails, terrestrial animal, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Ellobiidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). Laemodonta Philippi, 1846. Accessed through: World Re ...

'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853) * '' Laemodonta rapax'' (Dohrn, 1860) * ''

Laemodonta siamensis ''Laemodonta siamensis'' is a species of small air-breathing saltmarsh snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae. Distribution The distribution of ''Laemodonta siamensis'' includes: * Japan. It is critically e ...

'' (Morelet, 1875) * '' Laemodonta typica'' (H. & A. Adams, 1854) ;Species brought into synonymy: * ''Laemodonta affinis'' (Férussac, 1821) : synonym of '' Pedipes affinis'' Férussac, 1821 * ''Laemodonta bronni' (sic)': synonym of '' Allochroa bronnii'' (Philippi, 1846) * ''Laemodonta ciliata'' (Tate, 1879): synonym of ''

'' (Jonas, 1845) * ''Laemodonta conica'' (Pease, 1863): synonym of ''

Allochroa layardi ''Allochroa layardi'' is a species of gastropods belonging to the family Ellobiidae. The species is found in Australia, Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australa ...

'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1855) * ''Laemodonta exigua'' (H. Adams, 1867): synonym of '' Laemodonta bella'' (H. Adams & A. Adams, 1855) * ''Laemodonta striata'' (Philippi, 1846): synonym of ''

'' (Jonas, 1845)

References

* Zilch, A. 1959. Euthyneura. In, Schindewolf, O.H. (ed.). Handbuch der Paläozoologie. Berlin-Zehlendorf : Bornträger Vol. 6(2)(2) xii 834 pp. * Vaught, K.C. (1989). ''A classification of the living Mollusca''. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp. * Smith B.J. (1992). Non-marine Mollusca. In: Houston W.W.K. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia, volume 8. xii + 405 pp

External links

Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1854). Monograph of Plecotrema, a new genus of gasteropodous mollusks, belonging to the family Auriculidae, from specimens in the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. (1853) 21: 120-122

Möllendorff, O. F. von. (1898). Verzeichnis der auf den Philippinen lebenden Landmollusken. Abhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Görlitz. 22: 26-208

Morgan J. de. (1917). Observations sur les Auriculidés du Falunien de la Touraine. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. ser. 4, 16: 21-49
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3074029 Ellobiidae