Polynesian Tree Snail
Samoana inflata
Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Overview
Samoana inflata was a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Partulidae. It was endemic to Hiva Oa and Tahuata in the Marquesas Islands and went extinct in the 1990s or 2000s.
Samoana inflata faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in Samoa. Introduced predatory species, particularly the rosy wolf snail (Euglandina rosea), pose an additional critical threat to remaining populations. The species' restricted distribution and specialized habitat requirements make it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbance.
Habitat
This endemic land snail inhabits native rainforest environments in Samoa, typically found in moist leaf litter and on vegetation in undisturbed forest areas. The species requires specific humidity and temperature conditions found only in intact tropical forest ecosystems.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in PARTULIDAE
Threatened in French Polynesia
Frequently asked questions
Why is Polynesian Tree Snail classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Polynesian Tree Snail live?
What are the main threats to Polynesian Tree Snail?
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