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Post by astana on Jun 21, 2015 18:36:06 GMT
Just look at these gorgeous snails. 
(Photo courtesy of FeaturedCreature.com) 
(Photo courtesy of PBS)
For those who don't know, this is the Polymita, a highly beautiful and highly varied land snail endemic to Cuba. Apparently they're endangered.
I know that some time back a thread on Polymitas was opened up (the basis of this thread was the thread's author inquiring as to whether anyone kept/knew of anyone who kept Polymita snails) but I want to know whether the situation has changed at all: Is anyone aware of anyone who keeps/is licensed to keep these snails? They're endangered and many hunt them for their shells, so it would make a lot of sense for private collectors/malacologists to help their population get back into shape by breeding them. |
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Post by Liguus on Jun 22, 2015 0:58:19 GMT
Unfortunately, I don't know if anyone is keeping these snails, but I think there may be at least one researcher who is. I tried to find info about a captive breeding program but I was unable to.
Polymita appears to be very similar to Liguus, a species of florida tree snail, (tropical, colorful shells, diet of algae/lichen/fungi). In the case of Liguus researchers have bred them in captivity in the past but currently there is no program for breeding them. Instead, they are listed as a species of concern, and collection is prohibited. I think that the same might be true for polymita: no breeding program only a law against collection.
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robs
Achatina fulica
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Post by robs on Jun 22, 2015 9:47:45 GMT
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Post by astana on Jun 22, 2015 18:29:14 GMT
So they did keep a captive breeding population. Thanks for the info. |
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Post by sparrow on Jun 22, 2015 19:26:29 GMT
I just got sick when I Googled all the shells for sale. No wonder this magnificent snail is endangered.  Tempted to contact major sites selling the shells and have the listings for shells removed as it's killing off the population. Going to do some research on poaching. |
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Post by astana on Jun 23, 2015 3:16:50 GMT
I just got sick when I Googled all the shells for sale. No wonder this magnificent snail is endangered. Tempted to contact major sites selling the shells and have the listings for shells removed as it's killing off the population. Going to do some research on poaching. I presume many of the listings for shells were of shells found in a natural environment after the snail itself died naturally. However the sheer number of Polymita shells available, their stellar condition, and the lack of ways to verify whether the shell was just the remainder of a snail that died a natural death makes me critically doubt whether they were all indeed collected from snails that died of natural causes.
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Post by Sarah on Jun 23, 2015 15:26:14 GMT
A good reason to never buy snail shells without knowing where they originate from. I have a massive collection of shells but they have all came from private collectors who have given up or from bootsales, charity shops etc. So many species - not just snails - have been killed to the brink of extinction or beyond because humans think something is 'pretty' and want it on their shelf.
As to where you can find some your best bet may be some of the zoos that participate in snail breeding projects - Bristol and London are two I can think of, also the Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland may be worth an email. You never know.
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Post by astana on Jun 23, 2015 19:43:50 GMT
Their diet seems to be rather particular as well. "The Polymita snails feed on the confervoid algae, fungi, sooty molds and lichens which grow on
subtropical hardwood trees and shrubs . Polymita do not eat the leaves or bark of the host tree. Feeding
paths may be seen where the snail has scraped the algae and lichen growths with their radula."
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Post by Liguus on Jun 23, 2015 20:53:45 GMT
"In the laboratory, 46 P. muscarum and 25 P. venusta were kept in a terraria and fed fungi-infested branches"
Dr. Tom Emmel studied Liguus starting in 1969 and found that "captive breeding using an artificial diet was quite successful". I wonder if any further research has been done on polymita using an artificial diet. Perhaps the natality of polymita could be improved with it. A similar feeding method is being used for endangered partula snails and it seems successful as well.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2015 2:02:13 GMT
I've been doing a lot of research on Polymita snails. I found out that in Cuba, there is a place called Vinales Valley were the Polymita snails live. Vinales Valley is protected by UNESCO and locals so poachers can't harvest their shells.
I know this because I am part Cuban.
In Vinales Valley, there are a lot of endangered animals that are protected there and the Polymita snails are one of them. I'd like to believe that since this area is protected by poachers, the snails can thrive and reproduce.
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Post by astana on Jun 24, 2015 2:43:23 GMT
I've been doing a lot of research on Polymita snails. I found out that in Cuba, there is a place called Vinales Valley were the Polymita snails live. Vinales Valley is protected by UNESCO and locals so poachers can't harvest their shells. I know this because I am part Cuban. In Vinales Valley, there are a lot of endangered animals that are protected there and the Polymita snails are one of them. I'd like to believe that since this area is protected by poachers, the snails can thrive and reproduce. Wait, what? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2015 13:27:01 GMT
Oh my God. Sorry, auto correct.. This area is protected by UNESCO I meant.
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Post by astana on Jun 24, 2015 16:12:43 GMT
Ahhh, okay.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2015 19:17:56 GMT
As I said before, the local people and UNESCO are doing a lot to keep these animals protected. They started welcoming tourist to the area to see the different endangered animals. They have also started to educate people about why these creatures are so important. I really hope from all this protection, the snails will not go extinct.
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