Cernuella

Cernuella
Cernuella virgata aestivating on a fence in Provence.
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:	Hygromiidae
Genus:	Cernuella Schlüter, 1838[1]

Cernuella is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies. The native range of the genus is primarily Mediterranean.

Some species such as Cernuella virgata have become significant invasive species, agricultural pests, in parts of Australia.^[2]

This same species of the genus has been recovered in archaeological excavations from the Roman Empire occupation of Volubilis, an ancient habitation site in present day Morocco.^[3]

Cernuella snails create and use love darts as part of their courtship and mating behavior.

Species

Species within the genus Cernuella include:

• Cernuella aginnica
• Cernuella caruanae
• Cernuella cisalpina
• Cernuella dobrogica
• Cernuella hydruntina
• Cernuella jonica
• Cernuella neglecta
• Cernuella virgata
• ...

References

1. ^ Schlüter F. 1838. Kurzgefasstes systematisches Verzeichniss meiner Conchyliensammlung, nebst Andeutung aller bis jetzt von mir bei Halle gefundenen Land- und Flussconchylien. - pp. I-VII [= 1-7], 1-40. Halle. (Gebauer).
2. ^ Barker, G. M. 2004. Natural Enemies of Terrestrial Molluscs. CABI Publishing, 644 pp., ISBN 0851993192.
3. ^ Hogan, C.M. 2007. Volubilis. The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham.