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DeutschHelix albescens
| Helix albescens | |
|---|---|
_(19341856612).jpg) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Helicidae |
| Genus: | Helix |
| Species: | H. albescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Helix albescens Rossmässler, 1839 | |
Helix albescens is a species of air-breathing land snail belonging to the family Helicidae. It is often found in Southeastern Europe and the surrounding areas. It is commonly known as the white-lipped snail or the whitish snail due to its distinctive white lip.
Description[edit]
The shell of H. albescens is relatively small, typically measuring between 18–23 mm in diameter. It has a flat spire and a relatively wide umbilicus. The shells are typically pale or reddish-brown, with a distinctive white lip around the opening. The body of the snail is greyish-brown in color, with darker stripes running along its length.[1]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
H. albescens is a terrestrial snail native to parts of Europe, including France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. It is most commonly found in woodland habitats, although it can also be found in gardens and other areas with vegetation. It is often found in areas of higher elevation, even in places with an elevation of up to 2,000 meters above sea level.[2]
Diet and behavior[edit]
Like most land snails, H. albescens is a herbivore, feeding primarily on leaves and other plant material. It is most active at night, when it will emerge from its hiding place to feed. During the day, it will usually hide in a damp, sheltered location to avoid drying out. When H. albescens wants to get up and go, it uses what is called mucus mediated gliding.[3] This looks like waves in the "foot" of the snail, which are often called pedal waves.
Reproduction[edit]
H. albescens is a hermaphrodite, meaning that it has both male and female reproductive organs. It lays its eggs in small clutches in damp soil, and the young snails hatch after several weeks. These egg clutches typically contain 10-25 eggs which are laid approximately 6 cm deep in the soil and will hatch after 10–15 days.[4]
Conservation status[edit]
Helix albescens is currently considered to be a species of least concern. However, like many land snails, it is susceptible to habitat destruction and pollution, which can impact its ability to reproduce or compete with other organisms that operate in a similar ecological niche.[5]
Use in science[edit]
One of the most interesting things about H. albescens is how it has been used to further our understanding of snail morphology. One study looked into whether or not they could monitor their pain sensitivity by conducting a hot-plate test, which is exactly as barbaric as it sounds, but nevertheless showed that they had some increased sensitivity to pain when treated under the action of an electromagnetic field.[6] Another experiment attempted to prevent desynchronosis, or the disruption of circadian rhythms,[7] caused by ferromagnetic shielding by using a variable magnetic field of 8hz.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Bielz, E. A. (1863). Fauna der Land- und Süsswasser-Mollusken Siebenbürgens. Hermannstadt: In Commission von Th. Steinhaussen's Buchhandlung. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.2039.
- ^ "Molluscabase - Helix (Helix) albescens Rossmässler, 1839". molluscabase.org. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ "Helix philibinensis Rossmässler 1839 - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ "AnimalBase :: Helix albescens species homepage". www.animalbase.uni-goettingen.de. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ "Helix albescens Rossmässler, 1839". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ Temour’yants, N. A.; Kostyuk, A. S.; Tumanyants, K. N. (January 2011). "Dynamics and Infradian Rhythmics of Thermal/Pain Sensitivity of the Helix Mollusc under the Action of Electromagnetic Fields". Neurophysiology. 42 (4): 276–285. doi:10.1007/s11062-011-9160-1. ISSN 0090-2977. S2CID 32052083.
- ^ Bazhanova, Elena D. (2022-08-11). "Desynchronosis: Types, Main Mechanisms, Role in the Pathogenesis of Epilepsy and Other Diseases: A Literature Review". Life. 12 (8): 1218. Bibcode:2022Life...12.1218B. doi:10.3390/life12081218. ISSN 2075-1729. PMC 9410012. PMID 36013397.
- ^ Temuryants, N. A.; Tumanyants, K. N.; Kostyuk, A. S.; Yarmolyuk, N. S.; Tumanyants, E. N. (December 2018). "Prevention of Shield-Induced Desynchronosis in Invertebrates by a Variable Magnetic Field of Extremely Low Frequency". Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics. 54 (7): 661–666. Bibcode:2018IzAOP..54..661T. doi:10.1134/S0001433818070150. ISSN 0001-4338. S2CID 126016386.
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