No specimens of this species have been found recently, despite surveys of Palauan islands in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The species was previously known only from Peleliu and Koror and several unspecified locations in Palau (Solem 1976). It is listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) as it is believed that it may be extirpated from its historically known distribution, and only seven individuals were ever known. Additional surveys of the island are urgently needed to verify whether the species is in fact Extinct.
|Previously published Red List assessments:|
The historical geographic range of this species is unknown, due to several collections from unspecified Palau islands, but included the islands of Koror (Oreor) and Peleliu (Beliliou) which have an areas less than 19 km2 (Solem 1976). No specimens were recovered in recent surveys of Palau (Rundell 2010, Rundell 2007, unpublished data).
|Range Map:||Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.|
|Population:||This is a minute ground-dwelling snail for which no specimens have been found recently, despite surveys of the islands in 2003, 2005 and 2007 (Rundell 2010). The species was previously known only from Peleliu and Koror, and was described based on seven museum specimens, all of which were collected prior to World War II (Solem 1976).|
|Current Population Trend:||Decreasing|
|Habitat and Ecology:|
This species was recorded from tropical most lowland forest.
|Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat:||Yes|
|Use and Trade:||This species is not utilized.|
Destruction and modification of native lowland forest is a major threat to this species. Therefore, it is not surprising that the species has probably been extirpated from the highly modified islands of Koror and Peleliu. Disruption of the ground, rocks and leaf litter may be of particular significance to this and other endodontid species. Endodontoid land snails are among the most threatened land snails on Pacific Islands in the few places where they still exist (Solem 1983).
This species is not protected. Additional surveys of the islands are needed to verify whether the species is in fact Extinct.