Moreletina obruta

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	HYGROMIIDAE

Scientific Name:	Moreletina obruta
Species Authority:	(Morelet, 1860)
Synonym/s:	Helix obruta Morelet, 1860
Taxonomic Notes:	Moreletina obruta was described as a fossil. Backhuys (1975:203) attributed it cautiously to the genus Cernuella. Martins et al. (1991) found it alive and placed it under Helicella. Finally Martins (2002) placed it in a separate genus, Moreletina. Two ecomorphs were recognized, their true taxonomic identity awaits molecular analysis.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2011

Assessor/s:

Frias Martins, A.

Reviewer/s:

Neubert, E., Cuttelod, A. & Nichols, C.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Due to the highly restricted area and few number of sites where the specimens were found, it is clear that we are dealing with a small population; the disjunct distribution of the two morphs, which could well be two different species, enhances the fact that the diversity within the population is very much at risk due to isolation and small size. The fact that it was first found as a fossil but later found alive enhances the need for protection. This species is considered Vulnerable (VU D2) due to the combination of its small area of occupancy (Area of occupancy = 20 km²), its two unique locations and potential threats from accidental fire and natural events (such as cliff erosion).

History:

1996	–	Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is only found on Santa Maria island, Azores, where it is restricted to two small areas.
Countries:	Native: Portugal (Azores)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species appears to have a disjunct distribution, the white ecomorph living in Figueiral (N 36º 56.873'; W 25º 07.715'; 100 m) and west of Praia Formosa (coordinate unavailable; 10 m); the black ecomorph was collected east of Anjos (coordinate unavilable; 50 m) and west of Anjos (N 37º 00.481'; W 025º 08.318'; 20 m) (Martins 2002)
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Moreletina obruta lives near the shore on sea cliffs; the white morph lives among gramineae, the black morph under stones. Although there are plenty of dead shells of the white morph, living specimens can be hard to find; the black morph is even rarer.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	As this species lives in cliff areas near the sea, only natural threats are foreseeable; however, accidental fires may pose a real threat to the white morph colonies, which live among gramineae.

Major Threat(s):

As this species lives in cliff areas near the sea, only natural threats are foreseeable; however, accidental fires may pose a real threat to the white morph colonies, which live among gramineae.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Due to their habitat (cliffs near the sea), only general preventive measures can be advised, such as preventing fires that could destroy the habitat. More taxonomic research is also needed on the two ecomorphs.

Conservation Actions:

Due to their habitat (cliffs near the sea), only general preventive measures can be advised, such as preventing fires that could destroy the habitat. More taxonomic research is also needed on the two ecomorphs.

Citation:	Frias Martins, A. 2011. Moreletina obruta. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.
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