Palaina moussoni
CR

Palaina moussoni

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) — Species of gastropod

Overview

Palaina moussoni is a species of small land snail with an operculum, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk or micromollusks in the family Diplommatinidae. This species is endemic to Palau.

Palaina moussoni faces severe threats from habitat destruction as its native forest environments are cleared for agriculture and urban development. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species alter the microhabitat conditions essential for this terrestrial gastropod's survival. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the humid conditions required by this moisture-dependent snail.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered land snail inhabits humid tropical forests, typically found in leaf litter and among decaying organic matter on the forest floor. The species requires stable moisture conditions and appears to be associated with specific microhabitat features within its native forest ecosystem.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recovery

Other threatened species in DIPLOMMATINIDAE

EN

Diplommatina pyramis

Unknown
CR

Opisthostoma perspectivum

Declining
VU

Opisthostoma bihamulatum

Stable
CR

Opisthostoma fraternum

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Palaina moussoni classified as Critically Endangered?
Palaina moussoni is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Palaina moussoni faces severe threats from habitat destruction as its native forest environments are cleared for agriculture and urban development. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species alter the microhabitat conditions essential for this terrestrial gastropod's survival. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the humid conditions required by this moisture-dependent snail.
Where does Palaina moussoni live?
Palaina moussoni occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Palaina moussoni?
The main threats to Palaina moussoni are 2.1, 8.1, 9.4, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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