Loping behaviour in Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801)
Delcourt, J.; Vilvens, C. (2021). Loping behaviour in Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801). Novapex (Jodoigne) 22(1-2): 43-50
In: Novapex (Jodoigne). Société Belge de Malacologie: Bruxelles. ISSN 1375-7474, more
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Gastropoda, land, loping behaviour, new records |
| Abstract |
Loping behaviour is a mode of locomotion in land gastropods, in which the animal creates arches with its foot, notably to minimize body contact with a dry substrate. Although this behaviour has been known since the early 1900s, few species have been reported adopting it (14species of snails or slugs). Here, we present our observation of loping behaviour in Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801), a species not yet known to adopt this particular mode of locomotion. This behaviour is here induced by a substrate of dry limestone. A typical discontinuous slime trail linked to this loping behaviour is observed. Hygromia cinctella is able to adopt a single body elongation wave, with at times a temporary "tiptoe" posture, thereby limiting its contact with the substrate to only 25 % of the body length. This result is currently a record for science, the number of elongation waves being usually between 1 and 2. Based on data in literature [in particular for Cornu aspersum (O. F. Muller, 1774)], one may suppose that the number of elongation waves (and number of arches) is probably dependent on thesnail's size, but that the proportion of the foot in contact with the substrate is not. It appears to be confirmed that a full adhesive crawling is related to smooth and nonporous surfaces whereas loping is associated with more rough, porous and absorbent surface. |
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