| Xerocrassa simulata | |
|---|---|
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| Shell of Xerocrassa simulata | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Geomitridae |
| Genus: | Xerocrassa |
| Species: | X. simulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Xerocrassa simulata Ehrenberg, 1831 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Xerocrassa simulata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Geomitridae. It is endemic to southern Spain, specifically adapted to dry Mediterranean climates. Like other land snails, it undergoes a life cycle that includes egg laying, hatching of juveniles, shell development, and reproductive maturity as adults. These snails play a crucial role in their ecosystem by recycling nutrients and serving as prey for various predators, highlighting their ecological significance in their native habitat.
Distribution
This species is common in the deserts and semideserts of the levantine region. Morphology varies greatly with locality.
Life cycle
The size of the egg of this species is 2.6 × 2.1 mm.
Xerocrassa simulata : Diet, Mucus Production, and Effects on Biocrust CO2 Efflux
Xerocrassa simulata (XS) exhibits a dietary preference for plant litter, distinguishing it from other desert snail species that primarily consume biological soil crust (biocrusts). In laboratory conditions, XS produces approximately 0.5 ± 0.1 mg of mucus per mg of body mass daily. Despite its dietary preference, XS mucus significantly affects biocrust activity through its deposition. The mucus increased CO2 efflux in both cyanobacteria-dominated and lichen/moss-dominated biocrusts, with consistent effects across different biocrust types (Hedges d effect sizes ranging from 1.28 to 1.44). For cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts, XS mucus enhanced CO2 efflux by 106% compared to controls. These findings suggest that XS mucus acts as a potent stimulator of biocrust activity, regardless of the snail's primary diet or the specific biocrust community composition
References
- MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Xerocrassa simulata (Ehrenberg, 1831). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1262093 on 2022-08-06
- DeWitt, Thomas J; McCarthy, Thomas M; Washick, Denise L; Clark, Anne B; Langerhans, R Brian (2018-08-01). "Predator avoidance behaviour in response to turtles and its adaptive value in the freshwater snail Planorbella campanulata". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 84 (3): 266–274. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyy025. ISSN 0260-1230.
- Mienis, H.K., 2011. New or little known land- and freshwater molluscs from Israel 3. Xerocrassa simulata lothari, a new subspecies from some kurkar outcrops. Triton, 23: 35-38.
- Heller J.: Life History Strategies. in Barker G. M. (ed.): The biology of terrestrial molluscs. CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK, 2001, ISBN 0-85199-318-4. 1-146, cited page: 428.
- Rinehart, S.; Shamir Weller, N. D.; Hawlena, D. (2022-04-01). "Snail Mucus Increases the CO2 Efflux of Biological Soil Crusts". Ecosystems. 25 (3): 537–547. doi:10.1007/s10021-021-00670-4. ISSN 1435-0629.
External links
- Ehrenberg, C. G. (1828-1831). Animalia evertebrata exclusis Insectis. Series prima. In: F. G. Hemprich & C. G. Ehrenberg, Symbolae physicae, seu icones et descriptiones Mammalium, Avium, Insectorum et animalia evertebra, quae ex itinere per Africam borealem et Asiam occidentalem studio nova aut illustrata redierunt. 126 pp. (1831), 10 pls (1828)
- Neubert, E.; Amr, Z. S.; Waitzbauer, W.; Al Talafha, H. (2015). Annotated checklist of the terrestrial gastropods of Jordan (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Archiv für Molluskenkunde. 144(2): 169-238.
Media related to Xerocrassa simulata at Wikimedia Commons
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