Quistrachia spp.

Family: Camaenidae
Genus: Quistrachia
Species: spp.

Identification:

  • Large globose to subglobose shell (width 11-25mm)
  • Shell with large rounded body whorl and relatively short spire
  • Shell tip (protoconch) with sculpture of microscopic radial riblets
  • Oval shaped aperture often flared outward, with upper lip bending sharply back to shell wall
  • Apertural lip often thickened to form sharp rim
  • Umbilicus usually open (or slightly open) when adult.

Morphological Distribution: Genus restricted to lower Kimberley; Pilbara and Shark Bay.

Molecular (COI) Distribution: Many short range endemic (SRE) species identified from molecular data.

Key References:

Iredale, T. (1939). A review of the land Mollusca of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum and Art Gallery 2(1): 1–88. [Published 1.viii.1939; same text republished 21.viii.1939 in Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 25:1–88 (read before the Society on 13.ix.1938, but publication delayed)].

Johnson, M.S., Stankowski, S., Whisson, C.S., Teale, R.J. and Hamilton, Z.C. (2013). Camaenid land snails on Barrow Island: distributions, molecular phylogenetics and taxonomic revision. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 83: 159-171.

Solem, A (1997). Camaenid land snails from Western and Central Australia (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Camaenidae). VII. Taxa from Dampierland through the Nullarbor. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 50: 1461–1906.

Images

Apertural shot of shell of Quistrachia turneri
Apertural view of shell of Quistrachia turneri from the Pilbara region (photo by Corey Whisson/WA Museum).

Dorsal shot of shell of Quistrachia turneri
Dorsal view of shell of Quistrachia turneri from the Pilbara region (photo by Corey Whisson/WA Museum).

This guide has been developed by Corey Whisson and Lisa Kirkendale, it can be cited as follows:

Whisson, C and Kirkendale, L (2014). Field Guide to the terrestrial and freshwater molluscs of the North West, version 1.0. Western Australian Museum, Perth. http://museum.wa.gov.au/catalogues-beta/wam-fieldguides/pilbara-snails

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