Koolau Range tree snail [Stephania perlata]
Description
Stephania perlata, also known as the Koolau Range tree snail, is a unique gastropod that is endemic to the Koolau Range on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It's primarily distinguished by its pearly white shell and preference for higher altitudes, typically residing in the vegetation of cloud forests. The Koolau Range tree snail is a hermaphrodite, meaning individuals possess both male and female reproductive organs, and typically feeds on the surface film of leaves, which includes fungi and bacteria.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Jellyfish, Sea Anemones, and Relatives
Cnidaria
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Hydroids, Fire Corals, and Stinging Anemones
Hydrozoa
|
| Order |
Siphonophorae
Siphonophorae
|
| Family |
Physophoridae
Physophoridae
|
| Genus |
Stephalia
Stephalia
|