VU

Amplirhagada imitata

Stable

Overview

This land snail belongs to the family Camaenidae, a group of air-breathing terrestrial gastropods known for their coiled shells and detritivorous or herbivorous feeding habits. Like other members of its genus, Amplirhagada imitata likely possesses a distinctively shaped shell adapted to sheltering within rock crevices and among leaf litter, emerging during periods of high humidity to feed on fungi, algae, and decaying plant matter. As with many camaenid snails, it likely plays a modest but useful ecological role in breaking down organic material and cycling nutrients within its habitat, while also serving as a food source for various invertebrate and vertebrate predators.

Amplirhagada imitata is endemic to Australia, where it occupies terrestrial habitats, likely associated with the rocky sandstone landscapes and monsoonal vine thickets characteristic of the Kimberley region in Western Australia, an area known for high levels of land snail endemism within this genus.

The species is currently listed as Vulnerable, with its population trend assessed as stable. The primary ongoing threat is the impact of invasive non-native species, which may prey upon, compete with, or otherwise disrupt the snail's habitat and food resources. Unlike many threatened invertebrates facing habitat destruction, this species' main pressure stems specifically from biological invasion rather than land clearing or climate impacts.

Conservation attention for Kimberley land snails generally includes habitat protection within reserved lands and ongoing monitoring of invasive species populations. Given its stable population trend despite the presence of invasive threats, the species' outlook appears cautiously steady, though continued vigilance regarding invasive species control remains important to prevent future decline.

The main ongoing threat to this species is invasive non-native animals or diseases, which can prey on, compete with, or spread illness to the native population. This is an ongoing pressure with no clear end in sight based on current data. Based on available information, this threat appears to be stable rather than clearly increasing or decreasing.

Threat summary

Habitat

TERRESTRIAL· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

Frequently asked questions

Why is Amplirhagada imitata classified as Vulnerable?
Amplirhagada imitata is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The main ongoing threat to this species is invasive non-native animals or diseases, which can prey on, compete with, or spread illness to the native population. This is an ongoing pressure with no clear end in sight based on current data. Based on available information, this threat appears to be stable rather than clearly increasing or decreasing.
Where does Amplirhagada imitata live?
Amplirhagada imitata occurs in Australia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Amplirhagada imitata?
The main threats to Amplirhagada imitata are 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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