''Lantzia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of amphibious

pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates is an informal group (previously an order, and before that, a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group inclu ...

gastropods in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Lymnaeidae Lymnaeidae, common name the pond snails, is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family (biology), family of small to large air-breathing freshwater snails, Aquatic animal, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks, that belong to the clade Hygrophila (cl ...

. It is

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

, being represented by the single species ''Lantzia carinata''. It is endemic to montane streams on the Indian Ocean island of

Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...

Habitat and ecology

''Lantzia carinata'' is a small, limpet-like lymnaeid endemic to mountain streams and waterfalls at an altitude of 1200–1300 meters asl on the island of Réunion, where it clings to mosses and stones- similarly to the Hawaiian ''

Erinna Erinna (; ) was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek poet. She is best known for her long poem ''The Distaff'', a 300-line dactylic hexameter, hexameter lament for her childhood friend Baucis, who had died shortly after her marriage. A large fragm ...

'' species. Despite a similarity in habitat choice and morphology, this is assumed to be a case of convergence rather than one originating from evolutionary radiation (although this genus has occasionally been synonymized with ''Erinna'').

Threats

''Lantzia carinata'', despite being rediscovered in 1992, continues to occur in an extremely limited area, also possessing an extremely vulnerable and specialized habitat within native mosses. Threats posed by declines in habitat quality as a result of invasive species have caused the species to, under IUCN criteria B2ab(iii), be assessed as Critically Endangered. In addition, a lack of recorded occurrences in modern endemic malacofaunal surveys has presented the caveat 'Possibly Extinct' to this species' status. Along with ''

Madagasikara zazavavindrano ''Pirena zazavavindrano'' is a species of gastropods belonging to the family Pachychilidae. It is found in Madagascar, and according to the IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization workin ...

'' and '' Pisidium betafoense,'' this species is one of the only three Critically Endangered freshwater mollusk species recorded from the Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands hotspot.

References

Endemic fauna of Réunion Molluscs of Réunion Lymnaeidae Gastropods described in 1872 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Lymnaeidae-stub