Leptaxis vetusta (Morelet & Drouët, 1857:152)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonym/s: Helix vetusta Morelet, & Dronet, 1857:152
Conservation Status
Extinct (MolluscaBase eds., 2021; Teixeira & de Frias Martins, 2025)
Last record: Late Pleistocene
IUCN RedList status: Extinct
Distribution & Habitat
Santa Maria, Azores, Macaronesia
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Morelet, A. and Drouët, H. (1857). Conchologiae Azoricae prodromus novarum specierum diagnoses sistens. Journal de conchyliologie 6(3): 148-154. [6(2): 148-153?]
Other references:
Backhuys, W. (1975). Land and Fresh-water Molluscs of the Azores. Backhuys & Meesters, Amsterdam.
Bank, R. A., Groh, K. and Ripken, T. E. (2002). Catalogue and Bibliography of the non-marine Mollusca of Macronesia, pp. 89-235. In: Falkner, M., Grah, K. and Speight, M. C. D. (eds.). Collecteana Malacologica.
Borges, P. A. V., Cunha, R., Gabriel, R., Martins, A. F., Silva, L. and Vieira, V. (eds). (2005). A list of the terrestrial fauna (Mollusca and Arthropoda) and flora (Bryophyta, Pteridophyta and Spermatophyta) from the Azores. pp. 318. Horta, Angra do Heroísmo and Ponta Delgada.
Callapez, P., Soares, A. F., & Marques, J. (2010). Rediscovery of Leptaxis vetusta (Morelet & Drouet, 1857), a subfossil land snail from the Quaternary of Santa Maria (Azores). Ciências da Terra / Earth Sciences Journal. 15: 209-218.
Cameron, R. A. D., Pokryszko, B. M. and de Frias Martins, A. M. (2012). Land snail faunas on Santa Maria (Azores): local diversity in an old, isolated and disturbed island. Journal of Molluscan Studies 78(3): 268-274. doi: 10.1093/mollus/eys009.
Cunha, R., Rodrigues, P. and de Martins, A.M.F. (2010). Lista dos Moluscos, pp. 9-33. In: Borges, P.A.V., Costa, A., Cunha, R., Gabriel, R., Gonçalves, V., Martins, A.M.F., Melo, I., Parente, M., Raposeiro, P., Rodrigues, P., Santos, R.S., Silva, L., Vieira, P. and Vieira, V. (eds), A list of the terrestrial and marine biota from the Azores. Principia, Cascais.
Martins, A. M. F., Backeljau, T., da Cunha, R. M. T. and Brito, C. P. (1991). Moluscos terrestres da Ilha de Santa Maria. Lista preliminar. Relatórios e Comunicações do Departamento de Biologia. Santa Maria e Formigas 19: 53-59.
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Leptaxis vetusta (Morelet & Drouët, 1857) †. Accessed at: http://molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1447592 on 2021-06-03
Nobre, A. (1931). Moluscos terrestres, fluviais e das águas salobras do arquipélago da Madeira. Barcelos, Porto.
Pilsbry, H. A. (1895). Catalogue of the marine molluscs of Japan with description of five new species and notes on others collected by Frederick Stearns. Frederick Stearns, Detroit.
Teixeira, D. and de Frias Martins, A. M. (2025). Leptaxis vetusta. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T11658A213395725. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-2.RLTS.T11658A213395725.en. Accessed on 05 August 2026.
Van Riel, P., Jordaens, K., Van Houtte, N., de Frias Martins, A. M., Verhagen, R. and Backeljau, T. (2005). Molecular systematics of the endemic Leptaxini (Gastropoda :Pulmonata) on the Azores islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37: 132-143.
Wollaston, T. V. (1878). Testacea Atlantica or the land and freshwater shells of Azores, Madeiras, Salvages, Canaries, Cape Verdes, and Saint Helena. London: L. Reeve & Company.