Otala

Otala
Otala
Otala punctata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Family: Helicidae
Genus: Otala
Schumacher, 1817

Otala is a genus of large air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicidae.[1] Archaeological recovery in Morocco indicates the exploitation of this genus by ancient Romans.[2]

Contents

Distribution

This genus of snail is native to northwestern Africa and southwestern Europe.

Anatomy

These snails create and shoot love darts as part of their courtship and mating behavior.

Species

Species within the genus Otala include[3]:

References

  1. ^ Taxonomy of the Genus Otala (2008)
  2. ^ C. Michael Hogan, Volubilis, The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham (2007) [1]
  3. ^ Genus summary for Otala. AnimalBase, accessed 7 August 2009.

External links

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