Crikey steveirwini is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Camaenidae. Crikey steveirwini is the only species in the genus Crikey.

Crikey steveirwini
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Infraorder: Helicoidei
Superfamily: Helicoidea
Family: Camaenidae
Subfamily: Hadrinae
Genus: Crikey
Stanisic, 2009[1]
Species:
C. steveirwini
Binomial name
Crikey steveirwini
Stanisic, 2009[1]

Etymology edit

The specific name steveirwini is in memory of Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin, who died from a stingray injury in 2006. The genus name was a favourite exclamation of Steve Irwin's, "crikey!" being a minced oath.[2] The snail species was described by John Stanisic, a scientist at the Queensland Museum[2] who was later awarded Certified Environmental Practitioner of the Year 2010.

Habitat edit

Crikey steveirwini occurs in the north-eastern part of Queensland, Australia, in the tropical rain forests also known as the Wet Tropics.[1][3] Crikey steveirwini is an arboreal species.[1] It has been found at altitudes over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

Appearance edit

The small, rare species has a high spire and is creamy yellow with coppery brown spiral bands. It can reach 15 millimetres (0.59 in) in size.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Stanisic, J. (2009). "Crikey steveirwini gen. et sp. nov. from montane habitats in the Wet Tropics of northeastern Queensland, Australia (Gastropoda: Eupulmonata: Camaenidae)" (PDF Abstract). Zootaxa. 2206: 62–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2206.1.4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Crikey! Snail named after Steve Irwin". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Steve Irwin's Treesnail". Dr John Stanisic's official website Facts About Snails. 2012-06-15. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.