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Post by Paul on May 10, 2005 5:03:39 GMT
This thread is for what jobs we need to concentrate on, in the short term to get the idea up and running. - Find a reliable way of group chatting
- Make progress on a members section
- Create a snail directory facility so we can all post links (as mentioned in another thread)
- Make progress on some simple software to allow us to all collaborate on research.
- Decide what lines of research we wish to make progress with, so a list of tasks can be drawn out.
Any more? We can use this list for everyone to choose what they'd like to do. paul
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Post by Paul on May 20, 2005 19:52:57 GMT
Hi, just a small update....
Find a reliable way of group chatting
I'm on to it, I have found one (albeit crude) that should work for everyone. Still testing coz I don't want us to have the same problems next time we attempt it.
Make progress on a members section
Also on to it, just trying to knock some order into it.
Create a snail directory facility so we can all post links (as mentioned in another thread)
Not started yet, but I intend to do this when the members section is up and running. It has to come first coz a lot of the ideas will need to be tied into it.
Make progress on some simple software to allow us to all collaborate on research.
Re-thought that, for now we will just use the research boards until we see what avenues are being explored and what is taking place. I don't think we can have some super-intuitive facility, but I can knock small stuff as we see fit.
"Decide what lines of research we wish to make progress with, so a list of tasks can be drawn out."
For now I have two questions that I think need answering:
1. Can different sub-species successfully breed, and how likely is it?
So, can Archachatina marginata spp. marginata breed with spp. suturalis or spp. ovum etc?
Is it just possible or common or would the snails not care?
2. Can different sub-genera of snails cross-breed with in a Family group? (incidentally, I found out that Achatinidae covers other African snails than Achatina, Archachatina etc. - the correct term for these is Achatininae - and i thought the Bequaert title was an old spelling or pre-revision, lol)
So to put it simply, can Lissachatina etc breed with Achatina etc?
If someone fancies taking that on, that'd be great! I have the contact details for the Natural History Museum who told me that the above is certainly unheard of, but I have since heard of two possible cross-breeds, Achatina stuhlmanni/Lissachatina panthera and Achatina achatina/Lissachatina fulica.
"but now consider that the name Lissachatina, which was previously used at subgeneric level, should be raised to genus, giving Lissachatina panthera. According to Albert Mead the type species of Achatina, the West African Achatina achatina, has a distinct anatomy and belongs to a different group." - Fred Naggs - Dept. Zoology, LNHM.
Before it would have been:
Achatina (Lissachatina) panthera but now it is Lissachatina panthera.
The point I am really trying to find out:
What is the latest nomenclature? At what level in the nomenclature does cross-breeding become impossible? Or is is not even related to breeding ability. Are the resulting crossbreeds sterile?
I think it would be very beneficial to everyone in the short term to finally answer the question of whether we can mix species in a tank if we have any aspirations of breeding the snails at some point in their lives.
paul
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on May 22, 2005 8:22:30 GMT
So if Achatinidae is not the correct name for Achatina sp. which one is the right one? I always thought that the -inae ending was for subfamilies.
Arno
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Post by Paul on May 22, 2005 17:18:45 GMT
Achatinidae is higher up the nomenclature and contains Achatininae, Stenogyrinae etc as sub classes/groups.
It is Achatininae that includes Achatina, Burtoa, Limicolariopsis, Limicolaria etc.
paul
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Post by Paul on Jun 2, 2005 4:43:55 GMT
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Post by bookitten on Jun 2, 2005 12:04:07 GMT
The natural history museam eh? maybe soon I could go visit it and ask to take a pic of their shell collection?
sophie
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Post by Paul on Jun 2, 2005 12:24:04 GMT
Well before anyone does, we need to figure out what pictures we want taking. It is probably the world's biggest collection so we can't afford to squander any opportunity we get, there is too much to cover. We need certain pictures and they need to be clear. I'll post more about this when I get chance.
paul
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Post by bookitten on Jun 2, 2005 12:26:36 GMT
yeah... Im now just wondering how big it is... hundreds of shells? Thousands?
sophie
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Post by Paul on Jun 6, 2005 1:43:27 GMT
I've no idea but I imagine we are talking 500 plus.
paul
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on Jun 6, 2005 8:35:09 GMT
I did contact the NHM a while ago,but haven't got an answer back yet
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Post by Eric R on Jun 7, 2005 18:01:58 GMT
The national history museum reply to me if there are any questions you want me to ask just say and i will do my best Eric
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Post by Paul on Jun 15, 2005 3:47:20 GMT
Ok Eric, here's some questions you could ask them. Do they have a list of the current classifications of snails?. Do they have a list of currently accepted snail species? For instance I have the Bequaert book but it could be out of date. They told me Lissachatina had been upgraded from sub-genus to genus. The Bequaert book lists the following as sub-genus Lissachatina: fulica, lactea, panthera, zanzibarica, allisa, delorioli, iredalei, albopicta and reticulata. So, do these all change from Achatina (Lissachatina) to Lissachatina. Do you see what I'm driving at. You'll also notice the snails listed above aren't even mentioned on the list of snails you can find in on-line encyclopedias such as: en.efactory.pl/AchatinidaeSo, the question is, what are the currently accepted genera, sub-genera and species of Achatininae snails. Refer him to this post if it's easier. I can't believe we haven't thought about doing this before, because it is a base for all other identification research, lol. thanks paul
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Post by Eric R on Jun 17, 2005 19:16:44 GMT
I have emailed the mollusc departent they should reply within the next couple of weeks eric
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Post by Paul on Jun 18, 2005 14:21:12 GMT
nice one Eric!
pau
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Post by Eric R on Jun 27, 2005 17:14:59 GMT
I got a reply Thank you for your enquiry. Bequart's monograph is the most recent comprehensive taxonomic review of the Achatinidae. Subsequent research has resulted in a number of changes but these have not been collated into a revised list. To produce such a revised list you would need to look through all the publications on achatinids over the past fifty years. The morphological studies conducted by Al Mead in Arizona and DNA studies carried out by Christopher Wade in Nottingham University have demonstated that Achatina, as typified by the West African species Achatina achatina, is distinct from Achatina (Lissachatinaa)species from East Africa and they are not closely related. Thus Lissachitina has been elevated to a full genus. And he said: If you let me know your postal address I can send you a copy of a guide to pest species of snail in Sri Lanka that uses Lissachatina fulica as the new combination. what do you think should i get it eric R
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