Mitchell's rainforest snail

Thersites mitchellae
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Panpulmonata clade Eupulmonata clade Stylommatophora informal group Sigmurethra
Superfamily:	Helicoidea
Family:	Camaenidae
Genus:	Thersites
Species:	T. mitchellae
Binomial name
Thersites mitchellae

Mitchell's rainforest snail, scientific name Thersites mitchellae, is a species of large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Camaenidae.

This species is native to Australia. It is an endangered species.

Description

The shell of this species measures up to 5.5cm across and is reddish brown to black with two distinct yellow bands. The visible soft parts of the animal are black.

Ecology

While it prefers and enjoys palm and fig trees, the Mitchell’s rainforest snail is usually traveling along the forest floor among fallen leaves or under the bark on many trees. This nocturnal animal feeds upon leaf litter, fungi and lichen, making these substances its primary diet. Despite the fact the Mitchell’s rainforest snail is nocturnal, it can be spotted year-round and has no specific season in which it may disappear or hibernate

Distribution and Threats

The snail used to be commonly found in rainforests and swampy parts of northern coastal lowlands and prefers palms and fig trees within rainforests. It also used to be found throughout coastal floodplain wetlands, coastal swamp forests, eastern riverine forests, littoral rainforests, northern warm temperate rainforests, and subtropical rainforests.

Unfortunately, the Thersites mitchellae, or the Mitchell's rainforest snail is on the endangered species list due to numerous threats. These threats include, but are not limited to animals that have been introduced to the snail’s small habitat such as rats and birds. Other major threats consist of the use of herbicides and pesticides, fires, weed invasion, and is also largely tied to deforestation. This critically endangered snail is now largely restricted to a range of less than 5 km² of remnant lowland rainforest, scattered around the Tweed, Byron and Ballina Shires of northern New South Wales. A significant population can still be found on the Stotts Island Nature Reserve on the Tweed River. Scientists believe that less than 500 mature individuals remain in the wild.

References

• Threatened Species Profile for Mitchell's Rainforest Snail
• Rainforest Snail - Northern Rivers: Distribution and vegetation associations in the Northern Rivers
• The IUNC Red List of Threatened Species - Thersites mitchellae
• Thersites mitchellae — Mitchell's Rainforest Snail
• NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
• Mitchell's Rainforest Snail - Priority actions

External links

• Mitchell's Rainforest Snail Teaching Resources for Primary Schools (by the Foundation for National Parks & Widllife)