ISSN 0958-5079 Tentacle No.

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CONSERVATION DATA ON CERION MUMIA HONDANUM (MOLLUSCA: PULMONATA:

CERIONIDAE) FROM BAHÍA HONDA, PINAR DEL RIO, CUBA
By Alexis Suárez Torres, Iriel Hernández & Alejandro Fernández

Of the 600 species of cerionids described, there are 147 in the Cuban malacofauna (Espinosa & Ortea, 2009). The
mumia complex, in the genus Cerion Röding, 1798, comprises Cerion mumia mumia (Bruguière, 1792), C. m.
cabrerai Aguayo & Sánchez Roig, 1953, C. m. chrysalis (Férussac, 1837), C. m. cuspidatum Aguayo & Sánchez
Roig, 1953, C. m. fastigatum (Maynard, 1896), C. m. hondanum Pilsbry, 1902, C. m. noriae Aguayo & Sánchez
Roig, 1953 and C. m. wrighti Aguayo & Sánchez Roig, 1953. Very little is known of the ecology or natural history of
these subspecies; C. m. chrysalis is the best studied (Suárez, 2013, 2015).
Field work in April 2011 took place in a coastal area at San Pedro beach, Bahía Honda, Pinar del Río (Fig. 1). This is
habitat for C. m. hondanum (Fig. 2), a Cuban endemic subspecies.
In general, at Bahía Honda, a monodominant Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove) strip exists, varyng in height
between 8 and 11 m. This strip is behind a mixed forest of Avicennia germinans, with some Laguncularia racemosa
(see Menéndez & Guzmán, 2010), with patches of grass or sandy shore vegetation.
Over a distance of 3 km between 23º00'N 83º01'W and 23º00'N 83º02'W, C. m. hondanum were observed alive. In
these places, the vegetation alternates between grass and

Fig. 1. View of the coastal zone from Bahía Honda, Pinar del río, Cuba, where the population of Cerion mumia
hondanum is established.
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individuals of several Cerion species, on wet days,

opening a small hole in the sand, introducing their
body, and later withdrawing and covering the hole
with the removed sand. On one occasion, after a
specimen of C. m. chrysalis finished this behaviour,
the first author dug into the space and found eggs.
These were soft and translucent.
In the four subzones, the dispersion was
heterogeneous. Only 20 % of the herb subzone, and
7.1 % of the mangrove swamp subzone supported the
Fig. 2. Cerion mumia hondanum on a tree branch at highest densities, with fewer than 10 individuals per
Bahia Honda. m2, while in the rest of plots there were fewer than 3
individuals per m2; they were categorized as locally
mangrove swamp growing directly on the earth to
common in both subzones under Woodruff’s (1978)
sandy shore vegetation. For this work the vegetation
proposed scales, as modified by Suárez et al. (2012).
was divded into four subzones: 1, herb; 2, mangrove
In the sea grape area and in the sandy vegetation,
swamp; 3, sea grape area; and 4, sandy shore
83.3 % and 80 % respectively of the sampled plots
vegetation.
contained more than 10 individuals per m2; in these
Between 10 and 20 m from the shore line, several
areas the population was categorized as locally very
sampling plots of 1 m2 were established, and living
common.
C. m. hondanum counted (subzone 1: 13 plots;
According to Hamilton (1971), aggregation offers an
subzone 2: 14 plots; subzone 3: 6 plots; subzone 4: 5
advantage in diluting predation risk. On the other
plots).
hand, animals aggregate when and where resources
In subzone 1, the plots were in the herb area fully
and conditions favour their reproduction and survival
exposed to solar radiation. The density estimated here
(Begon et al., 2006).
was 1.9 individuals per m2. Seven individuals were
This is not the first record of cerionids associated
recorded in two of the plots, in the rest the numbers
with mangrove swamps, although Espinosa & Ortea
were lower.
(2009) stated that cerionids have never been found on
Subzone 2, where the red mangrove grows, was a
these plants. In the original description of Cerion
shady environment with plants growing to 6 m in
gundlachi Pfeiffer, 1852, the author mentions the
height. Here, snails were observed on the ground and
association with mangroves, making clear that the
also on trunks and branches. The density recorded
species of mangrove is Avicennia sp. (Pfeiffer, 1852).
here was 2.1 individuals per m2. The maximum
Another case is C. pastelilloensis Sánchez Roig,
number of idividuals recorded in a plot was 4, seen in
1951, but the author does not specify the species of
one plot only.
mangrove (Sánchez Roig, 1951). Consequently, this
Subzone 3 was a small area covered with sea grape
is the first record of Cerion associated with
trees, with plants growing up to 1.5 m in height. The
Rhizophora mangle.
sun’s rays were filtered by the vegetation canopy;
The plasticity that characterizes the molluscs of this
snails were in the branches and under fallen leaves.
genus has permitted them to establish in different
Eight individuals were recorded in one plot; in the
habitats, and perhaps this character may be the
rest of the plots, the numbers exceeded 10
genesis of so much diversity in the genus.
individuals, indicating a high population density and,
Cerion coutini Sánchez Roig, 1951, the population of
in fact, a great aggregation. The overall density in this
which is localized in a little area at Cayo de Tako
subzone was 33.8 individuals per m2.
Bay, Baracoa, Guantánamo, may have used the
Subzone 4 was an open space with a narrow band of
coastal vegetation that existed in the locality before it
Ipomoea pes-caprae growing in the sand. Here the
was converted by people through planting of coconut
snails were on the ground and on leaves. In one plot
palms, some 500 years ago. In this case the snails had
just a single individual was found, and in the rest
to adapt to this new substrate (Suárez & Hernández,
more than ten. The overall density was 38.0
2013).
individuals per m2.
We are grateful to IDEA WILD for its support of the
At the Bahía Honda locality, both the herb and
investigative work, Ramona Oviedo and Pedro
mangrove areas are established on the soil, whereas
Herrera for identification of the plants, Yahis Chávez
the sea grape tree and Ipomoea pes-caprae grow on
for her time and dedication, Gladys Gil for her
the sand. The soil characteristics could be the
collaboration during the desk work, and Esteban
determining factor in the differences in the health of
Gutiérrez and José Espinosa for critical review of the
the different cerionid populations, associated with
manuscript.
reproduction. The soil is harder and more compact
than the sand, and the vegetation that grows there
Begon, M., Townsend, C.R. & Harper, J.L. 2006.
may contribute to the resistance of the soil through
Ecology. From individuals to ecosystems. Blackwell,
decomposition of litter. This may affect egg laying,
Oxford.
hatching and emergence of juveniles. Until now the
scientific literature does not describe how cerionids
lay their eggs, but we have observed many
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Espinosa, J & Ortea, J. 2009. Moluscos terrestres de Cuba. Vaasa, Finland. 191 p.

Hamilton, W.D. 1971. Geometry for the selfish herd. Journal of Theoretical Biology 31(2): 295-311.

Menéndez, L. & Guzmán J.M. 2010. Los ecosistemas forestales costeros. Su importancia económica, social y
ambiental. In: Memorias de SIMFOR, 2010. 19 p.

Pfeiffer, L. 1852. Descriptions of sixty-six new land shells, from the collection of H. Cuming, Esq. Proceedings of
the Zoological Society of London 20: 56-70.

Sánchez Roig, M. 1951. Nuevos Moluscos terrestres Cubanos. Revista de la Sociedad Malacológica “Carlos de la
Torre” 7(3): 95-120.

Suárez, A. 2013. Dieta de Cerion mumia chrysalis (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Cerionidae). Solenodon 11: 103-108.

Suárez, A. 2015. Ciclo reproductivo de Cerion mumia chrysalis (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora: Cerionidae).
Solenodon 12: 21-27.

Suárez, A. & N. Hernández. 2013. Cerion coutini (Pulmonata, Cerionidae) at Tako Bay Key, Baracoa, Guantánamo,
Cuba. Tentacle 21: 5-7.

Suárez, A, Hernández, I. & Fernández, A. 2012. Abundancia, sustrato y estrato de Cerion peracutum peracutum
(Mollusca: Pulmonata) en Guanabo, La Habana, Cuba. Solenodon 10: 32-37.

Woodruff, D.S. 1978. Evolution and adaptive radiation of Cerion: a remarkable diverse group of West Indian land
snail. Malacologia 17(2): 223-239.

Alexis Suárez, Sociedad Cubana de Zoología, 35 No. 2627 e/ 26 A y Final. Sta. María del Rosario, CP 19330, La
Habana, Cuba. alexys02@nauta.cu

Iriel Hernández, Departamento de Arqueología, Instituto Cubano de Antropología, CITMA, Amargura No. 203,
e/Habana y Aguiar, CP 10100, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. irielhc@yahoo.com

Alejandro Fernández, Centro de Investigaciones y Servicios Ambientales y Tecnológicos, CISAT-CITMA-Holguín,

and Universidad de Holguín, Cuba. ale@cisat.cu