Drymaeus poecilus

The species was first described in 1835 by French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny as Helix poecila, with the Bolivian Chiquitos Province designated as its type locality. Its specific epithet, poecila, originates from the Greek word (poikilos), meaning "varicolored", "pied" or "mottled". In a later study published in 1837, d'Orbigny reassigned the species to the genus Bulimus, renaming it Bulimus poecilus, which remained an accepted combination in subsequent works. In 1897, French conchologist César Marie Félix Ancey recombined the species as Bulimulus poecilus and in 1898, American malacologist Henry A. Pilsbry transferred the species to the genus Drymaeus, establishing the currently accepted combination, Drymaeus poecilus. Drymaeus poecilus includes two subspecies: Drymaeus poecilus poecilus, the nominate subspecies, and Drymaeus poecilus tricinctus. The latter has been recently listed as a junior synonym (which would in turn synonymize the nominate subspecies) by some authors, but this interpretation is yet to be incorporated by MolluscaBase. ==Description==

Shell Drymaeus poecilus is considered a medium-sized land snail, with a shell length ranging from 31 to 37 mm. Soft parts The head and foot of Drymaeus poecilus are dark beige in color, with the base of the foot and the tentacles showing a grayish tone. Like most land snails, this species is hermaphroditic, meaning it has both male and female reproductive organs that function simultaneously. Attached to the end of the epiphallus is the flagellum, a narrow, tube-like extension that is closed at one end. It is about half the width of the epiphallus and makes up roughly a quarter of the penis's total length. The vagina in this species is relatively short compared to other members of the genus. The spermathecal duct, which carries sperm to the storage organ, begins with a tapered section, then narrows into a cylindrical tube that leads to a long, roughly spherical spermatheca. Smaller snails might show several thin spiral lines along with a reddish area near the shell's opening, a feature that sometimes appears in more "typical"-looking specimens as well. In some cases, the space between spiral bands can also have a reddish tint. Despite this colorful variety, all individuals share a consistent overall shell structure (apart from size) and a distinct net-like texture on the protoconch, the earliest part of the shell. Because of this, scientists view these differences as natural variation within the same species. The shape of the shell can also differ slightly, ranging from narrow to broader forms. Most of the time, the shell surface is smooth except for natural growth lines. However, one unusual specimen in the Natural History Museum, London shows dense vertical ridges. This rare feature is currently considered an unusual variation within the species. ==Distribution and habitat==

Drymaeus poecilus is native to regions of South America from Bolivia to Argentina, including Paraguay and Brazil. In Brazil, its presence has been recorded in the northern, midwestern and southeastern regions of the country across several states, including Tocantins, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. The species inhabits a variety of environments throughout its recorded range, from humid jungles such as the Yungas, to drier areas like the Dry Chaco, as well as other ecoregions such as the Humid Chaco, Alto Paraná, Espinal, and Monte. ==Phylogeny==

}} }} Genetic studies using both mitochondrial and nuclear markers, specifically COI, H3, and ITS2/28S, have placed Drymaeus poecilus within a clade that also includes other species from the genera Drymaeus, Pseudoxychona, and Peltella. This group appears to be closely related to species from the genera Mesembrinus and Antidrymaeus. Since the genus Drymaeus is highly diverse, with an estimated 300 species, broader sampling in future molecular analyses may lead to different results regarding its evolutionary relationships (or different phylogenetic tree structures). As it stands, the connections between D. poecilus and related species remain tentative, and current findings are considered preliminary. ==Human use==

Specimens of Drymaeus poecilus have been recovered from the archaeological site El Pobladito de Ampolla in northwestern Argentina, dated to the first four centuries CE. The shells were found in well-preserved condition, sometimes alongside fragments of other terrestrial gastropods such as Megalobulimus and Plagiodontes. Several D. poecilus shells exhibit signs of intentional modification, suggesting they were used as ornaments or tools. Their presence in domestic contexts, combined with evidence of shell-working and comparisons to similar sites, indicates that these gastropods may have been part of a broader subsistence strategy that included both dietary and utilitarian uses by pre-Hispanic populations. ==References==