Otala is a genus of land snails in the subfamily Helicinae of the family Helicidae.[1][2]

Otala
Otala punctata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Infraorder: Helicoidei
Superfamily: Helicoidea
Family: Helicidae
Genus: Otala
Schumacher, 1817
Synonyms
  • Archelix Albers, 1850 (objective junior synonym)
  • Archelix (Dupotetia) Kobelt, 1904
  • Helix (Archelix) Albers, 1850 (objective junior synonym)
  • Otala (Deserticola) P. Hesse, 1911· accepted, alternate representation
  • Otala (Dupotetia) Kobelt, 1904· accepted, alternate representation
  • Otala (Otala) Schumacher, 1817· accepted, alternate representation
  • Pachydupotetia Pfeffer, 1930 (junior subjective synonym)
  • Tingitana Pallary, 1919 (junior synonym)

Archaeological evidence in Morocco indicates the exploitation of O. lactea by ancient Romans as a food source.[3]

Distribution

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This genus of snail is native to northwestern Africa and southwestern Europe.

Anatomy

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These snails create and shoot love darts as part of their courtship and mating behavior.

Species

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Species within the genus Otala include:[4]

Species brought into synonymy
  • Otala (Otala) alicantensis Truc, 1971 †: synonym of Schlickumia alicantensis (Truc, 1971) †
  • Otala (Otala) bottini (Sacco, 1884) †: synonym of Schlickumia bottinii (Sacco, 1884) † (incorrect subsequent spelling; new combination)
  • Otala canariensis Mousson, 1872: synonym of Otala lactea (Müller, 1774)
  • Otala jacquemetana Mabille, 1883: synonym of Otala lactea (Müller, 1774)
  • Otala vermiculata (O. F. Müller, 1774): synonym of Eobania vermiculata (O. F. Müller, 1774)

References

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  1. ^ Taxonomy of the Genus Otala (2008). Uniprot.
  2. ^ MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Otala Schumacher, 1817. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=818443 on 2021-02-14
  3. ^ Hogan, C. M. Volubilis. In: Burnham, A. (ed.) The Megalithic Portal. 2007.
  4. ^ Genus summary for Otala. AnimalBase, accessed 7 August 2009.
  • Pfeffer, G. (1930). Zur Kenntnis tertiärer Landschnecken. Geologisch-Paläontologische Abhandlungen, neue Folge. 17(3): 153–380.
  • Pallary, P. (1918). Diagnoses d'une cinquantaine de mollusques terrestres nouveaux du Nord de l'Afrique. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle d'Afrique du Nord, 9 (7): 137–152. Alger
  • Holyoak, D.T. & Holyoak, G.A. (2017). A revision of the land-snail genera Otala and Eobania (Gastropoda, helicidae) in Morocco and Algeria. Journal of Conchology, 40 (6): 419–490. London
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