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Achatinella fulgens in the Koolau Mountains
Posted: November 9, 2008
For the past several months, I have been searching for a critically endangered species of Oahu Tree Snail on the leeward-facing upper slopes of the southern Koolau.
Based on a tip that a population of rare Oahu Tree Snails — Achatinella fulgens – have survived in this region of the Koolau, I made my way up and down a series of adjacent ridges and valleys looking for these small aboreal snails which are found only on the island of Oahu. I searched in the early hours of the morning when clouds cover the Koolau summit and light rain often falls on the mountains — conditions favorable to finding snails moving on the vegetation.
After numerous attempts without success I was absolutely ecstatic when I finally found a cute little kahuli crawling about on pilo leaves. The kahuli was nearly half-an-inch long and was primarily white in color with alternating bands of reddish-brown and creamy-yellow stripes that spiralled up the spire of the shell. Also known as pupu kani oe or pupu kuahiwi, kahuli are mostly nocturnal and usually sleep on the underside of leaves during the day.
While I photographed the cute little snail, the sun inched its way higher in the sky and the clouds parted. As a result, the kahuli crawled to the underside of the leaf to escape the sun and sleep for the day. For the rest of the morning I searched high and low for more snails on trees in the immediate area, but was unable to find another one.
Research at Bishop Museum revealed this species of Oahu Tree Snail — Achatinella fulgens — was once found in the tens of thousands in the Southern Koolau. There was considerable variation in the shape and coloration of shells — each of the shells above belong to the A. fulgens species.
Indiscriminate shell collecting in the 1800′s and 1900′s and predation by carnivorous snails and rats have decimated their numbers. While I was happy to have seen this cute little kahuli with my own eyes it was with heavy heart that I departed, realizing that its probably one of a just a handful of its kind left.
To see more photos of Achatinella snails see my previous blog articles on (1) Achatinella fuscobasis in the Koolau Mountains, (2) Kahuli at Poamoho (3) Kahuli at Pahole and Kahanahaiki and (3) Kahuli at Honouliuli Preserve.
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SOURCES
Mass Extinction of Hawaiian Land Snails, AAAS Pacific Division
Oahu Tree Snails Found on Oahu, Pamphlet by Ken (Kenji) Suzuki
I’m a life member of HTMC and have just gotten a fast internet connection so that I can view your wonderful pictures for the first time. I sent the snail report to a granddaughter of an old time snail shell collector. One of those who probably helped deplete the snail population. Your pictures and reports are spectacular and I can’t thank you enough for the pleasure they give me. Gay