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Giant Mangrove Whelk

Terebralia palustris

Summary 5

Terebralia palustris, common name the giant mangrove whelk, is a species of brackish-water snail, a gastropod mollusk in the family Potamididae. This tropical species which inhabits mangrove environments of the Indo-West Pacific region, has the widest geographic distribution amongst the potamidids extending from eastern Africa to northern Australia. Terebralia palustris is the largest mangrove gastropod, with a maximum shell length of 190 mm recorded from Arnhem Land.
They are currently considered to be extinct in the Mlalazi Estuary, but their shells are found embedded in mud deposits that were laid down some time in the past - indicating that mangroves were present in the past before the mouth of the estuary started closing. The closures killed all the mangroves which weer flooded for prolonged periods by rising river water. Mangroves only returned to the estuary once artificial mouth breaching prevented this prolonged flooding. The mangroves have returned, but not the Terebralia.

Fontes e Créditos

  1. Jan Delsing, sem restrições de direitos de autor conhecidas (domínio público), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terebralia_palustris_001.jpg
  2. (c) Ricky Taylor, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ricky Taylor
  3. (c) Cédric de Foucault, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Cédric de Foucault
  4. (c) Femorale, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), http://www.femorale.com/shellphotos/photos46/93247.jpg
  5. Adaptado por Ricky Taylor de uma obra de (c) Wikipedia, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terebralia_palustris

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