title: Ontogeny and morphological variability of shell in populations of Leptinaria unilamellata (d'Orbigny, 1835) (Mollusca, Pulmonata, Subulinidae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies concerning species of land snails have revealed that the shell morphometrics can provide evidence of the differentiation among populations. In many cases, the morphologic analysis combined with the investigation of molecular variability, can support changes in taxonomy of studied groups. In this sense, the study of shell morphometry during snail development can contribute to the understanding of the structural mechanisms that creates the diversity observed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The morphological and ontogenetic pattern differences were collected among snails from four different populations, kept under the same laboratorial conditions. It was possible to distinguish characteristic shell morphometrics for snails from each population. The snails from Barra Mansa and Floriano, locations with smaller precipitation indexes presented smaller shell aperture values. The results are discussed in terms of the role of the reproductive strategy of this species as a factor determining shell shape.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in growth allometry indicated that the whole shell forming process is different among the populations, not only the final form of the adult's shell. Some allometry relationships indicated that, during the snails' development, the increase in shell width is not proportional to the increase of the width and height of the shell aperture. Thus, there is possibly an antagonism between the adoption of K-strategy and protection against desiccation. Since the spire indices of L. unilamellata morphotypes cannot be explained by physical functional aspects, the most likely explanation is the reproductive strategy of this species.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG 30190-002 Brasil.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG 30190-002 Brasil.
authors.forename: Roberta Lima
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG 30190-002 Brasil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Lafetá Furtado
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG 30190-002 Brasil.
authors.forename: Omar Dos Santos
authors.initials: Odos S
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Museu de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Programa de Pós graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG Brasil.
authors.forename: Sthefane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'ávila
keywords: Allometry; Shell morphometry; Shell shape; Subulinids