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Leptaxis minor

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
ANIMALIA MOLLUSCA GASTROPODA STYLOMMATOPHORA HYGROMIIDAE

Scientific Name: Leptaxis minor
Species Authority: Backhuys, 1975
Taxonomic Notes: Morelet (1860) extended the range of L. azorica to Santa Maria as variety γ minor, which Backhuys (1975) elevated to subspecific level. van Riel et al. (2005), using molecular data, found evidence for specific separation of the populations from Santa Maria. Backhuys (1975) states the type locality as “Azores, Santa Maria, Ribeira Almagreira”; however, just after that statement, the author mentions the 2 specimens from Pico Alto as “paratypes”. Ribeiro, Almagreira is at the footsteps of Pico Alto; for that reason, although confusing, this locality imprecision is not worth correcting.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered B1ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2011
Assessor/s: Frias Martins, A.
Reviewer/s: Neubert, E. & Cuttelod, A.
Contributor/s:
Justification:
The area from where L. minor has been recorded is small (extent of occurrence = 97 km2); although there is continuous forest, it is mostly secondary forest used for resources, which is liable to be cut down in the future. On the lower half of Pico Alto cattle affect the forest habitat through grazing and trampling, and may exclude the species from lower altitudes, further restricting its habitat. Therefore it has been assessed as Endangered (EN B1ab(iii)).

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description: This species is found on o the Pico Alto complex on Santa Maria island, Azores.
Countries:
Native:
Portugal (Azores)
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population: This species is restricted to the Pico Alto complex on Santa Maria island, where it is not commonly found; although it is more frequent at higher altitudes.
Population Trend: Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology: Leptaxis minor lives on the native vegetation at the top of Pico Alto, as well as in the secondary forests of Cryptomeria, Pittosporum and Accacia that cover most of the mountainous complex.
Systems: Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): Leptaxis minor is relatively uncommon and highly restricted, but it has adapted to secondary forests where there is a thick undergrowth of Hedychium. However the secondary forest is liable to be cut down, and on the lower half of Pico Alto, there is cattle that is let to enter the forest of Pittosporum, thus destroying the habitat by grazing and trampling, excluding L. minor from lower altitudes, further restricting its habitat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: Pico Alto is a protected area; however careful monitoring to avoid destruction of the habitat should be a priority.

Bibliography [top]

Backhuys, W. 1975. Land & Fresh-water Molluscs of the Azores. Backhuys & Meesters, Amsterdam.

IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).

Morelet, A. 1860. Notice sur l'histoire naturelle des Açores suivie d'une description des mollusques terrestres de cet archipel. Baillière, Paris.
Citation: Frias Martins, A. 2011. Leptaxis minor. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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