|
Peronaeus atacamensis (L. Pfeiffer, 1856) |
|
|
| These bulimulid snails were collected by Dr. Alan Craig on 10/20/1981 at the summit of Morro Moreno, 1148 meters above sea level and within sight of the large coastal city of Antofagasta, northwestern Chile. The snails "only become active in the winter, when the mountain is shrouded in constant fog," according to Dr. Craig. Here it has rained no more than 0.2 mm in the last 40 years. It is common, as happened at Antofagasta, for the public, especially children, to panic when any rain falls. Further contributing to the inimical environment is the fact that the Morro Moreno is entirely composed of igneous rocks, and there is no obvious source of calcium. |
|
|
