Pommerhelix monacha is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Camaenidae.[5]

Pommerhelix monacha
An acid-eroded shell of Pommerhelix monacha in the Mount Wilson rainforest, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Camaenidae
Genus: Pommerhelix
Species:
P. monacha
Binomial name
Pommerhelix monacha
(Pfeiffer, 1859)[1]
Synonyms[4]
  • Badistes bowdenae
  • Galaxias monacha
  • Hadra monacha
  • Helix monacha Pfeiffer, 1859
  • Helix cailleti Crosse, 1864
  • Helix cailleti pallidior Crosse, 1864
  • Helix (Pomatia) monacha
  • Helix (Dorcasia) cailleti[2]
  • Helix (Badistes) monacha[3]
  • Helix (Badistes) cailleti
  • Meridolum bowdenae McLauchlan, 1951 (nomen nudum)
  • Sauroconcha bowdenae (McLauchlan, 1954)
  • Thersites cailleti

This species is found in eastern Australia.

Distribution

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This snail is found in high altitude rainforests in Blue Mountains,[4] central eastern New South Wales, Australia.

The type locality is "Australia", which can be specified to Sassafras Gully, Springwood, New South Wales, Australia.[4]

 
Apertural view of a shell of Pommerhelix monacha

Description

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The shell of Pommerhelix monacha is subglobose (almost round).[4] The shell has 5.6–6.0 whorls. The color of the shell is dark brown to black,[4] but it can also be dark red or purple in colour.[6] The shell sculpture consists of zigzag ridges combined with small ridges on the periostracum.[4] The umbilicus is closed.[4] The aperture is roundly ovate in shape.[4]

The width of the shell is 26.2-30.3 mm.[4] The height of the shell is 18.1-23.2 mm.[4]

The visible soft parts are a yellowish grey in colour:[6] the body is grey to dark grey[4] and the mantle is dark yellow or orange.[4]

 
An apertural view of a shell of Pommerhelix monacha
 
An umbilical view of a shell of Pommerhelix monacha

References

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  1. ^ Pfeiffer L. K. G. (1859). P. Z. S. page 25. plate 43, figure 7.
  2. ^ Tryon G. W. (1887). Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species. Second series: Pulmonata. Volume 3. Helicidae - Volume I., page 216, plate 50, figs. 27-28.
  3. ^ Pilsbry H. A. (1890). Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species. Second series: Pulmonata. Volume 6. Helicidae - Volume IV. page 133, plate 43, fig. 39.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Clark S. A. (2009). "A review of the land snail genus Meridolum (Gastropoda: Camaenidae) from central New South Wales, Australia". Molluscan Research 29(2): 61-120. abstract.
  5. ^ MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Pommerhelix monacha (Pfeiffer, 1859). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1149995 on 2022-02-06
  6. ^ a b Michael Shea, Australian Museum, personal communication.
  • Mclauchlan, C. F. (1954). Three new land shells from New South Wales. Australian Zoologist. 12: 39.
  • Clark, S.A. (2009). A review of the land snail genus Meridolum (Gastropoda: Camaenidae) from central New South Wales, Australia. Molluscan Research. 29(2): 61–120.
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