Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Differential Climatic Selection in Natural Population of Land Snail Cepaea nemoralis

Nature volume 247, pages 572–573 (1974)Cite this article

Abstract

DURING a study of the energetics of a population of the polymorphic land snail Cepaea nemoralis L. on the sand dunes at Braunton Burrows, North Devon, numbers of dead and dying snails were collected during the daylight hours in the summer. They showed similar symptoms, being unable to retract the foot which had become dried, discoloured and unresponsive to touch stimuli. Some animals were unable to retract the optic tentacles and in some, the genitalia protruded. Snails found in this condition, although alive (as evidenced by sensitivity of the mantle area) early in the day, were usually dead by evening.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Van Emden, F. I., Handbook for the Identification of British Insects. X. Diptera Cyclorrapha: Tachinidae and Calliphoridae (Royal Entomological Society of London, 1954).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Jolly, G. M., Biometrika, 52, 222 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Richardson, A. M. M. thesis, Univ. of Exeter (1972).

  4. Sokal, R. R., and Rohlf, F. J., Biometry (Freeman, San Francisco, 1969).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Schnetter, M., Zool. Anz. Suppl., 15, 192 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Boettger, C. R., Biol. Zbl., 73, 318 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lamotte, M., Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol., 24, 65 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sedlmair, H., Biol. Zbl., 75, 281 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cain, A. J., Phil. Trans. R. Soc., B 253, 499 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Williamson, M. H., Analysis of Biological Populations (Arnold, London, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Box 252C, G.P.O., Hobart, Tasmania, 7001

    ALASTAIR M. M. RICHARDSON

Authors
  1. ALASTAIR M. M. RICHARDSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

RICHARDSON, A. Differential Climatic Selection in Natural Population of Land Snail Cepaea nemoralis. Nature 247, 572–573 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/247572a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/247572a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing