Partula clara

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	MOLLUSCA	GASTROPODA	STYLOMMATOPHORA	PARTULIDAE

Scientific Name:

Partula clara

Species Authority:

Pease, 1864

Common Name/s:

English

–

Polynesian Tree Snail

Taxonomic Notes:

Has always been considered a distinct species but DNA analysis suggests that it may be a colour morph of Partula hyalina and as such remains a candidate for merging. Populations in one valley are genetically distinct.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered B2ab(ii,iv) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

Coote, T.

Reviewer/s:

Cowie, R. & Seddon, M.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
After the introduction of the carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea to Tahiti in 1977, populations and species of native partulid snails began to disappear rapidly as a result of predation. This species became rarer but very small isolated populations persisted and these were identified during the intensive surveys on the main island of Tahiti Nui 2003–2005 and on the peninsula of Tahiti Iti in 2007.

History:

1996	–	Critically Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Extinct (Groombridge 1994)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Tahiti, Society Islands. It is now restricted to only a few small populations in a few valleys around the island.
Countries:	Native: French Polynesia (Society Is.)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Small subpopulations are scattered around Tahiti, mostly consisting of less than 50 individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Habitat quality is not an issue for this species. Many populations survive in disturbed habitat, often not too far from human habitation.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The principal threat to this species is Euglandina rosea but there is evidence that some populations have survived in spite of this introduced carnivorous species. The carnivorous flatworm Platydemus manokwari has been found in one area where P. clara persists but its imapct is unclear at the moment. The intrinsic problems associated with small population size also threaten the future of this species.

Major Threat(s):

The principal threat to this species is Euglandina rosea but there is evidence that some populations have survived in spite of this introduced carnivorous species. The carnivorous flatworm Platydemus manokwari has been found in one area where P. clara persists but its imapct is unclear at the moment. The intrinsic problems associated with small population size also threaten the future of this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is maintained in the international breeding programme. Some wild populations are regularly monitored.

Conservation Actions:

This species is maintained in the international breeding programme. Some wild populations are regularly monitored.

Citation:	Coote, T. 2009. Partula clara. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
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