The use of paper partition chromatography for taxonomic studies of land snails

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Abstract
Paper chromatography was applied to fresh tissue extracts of the foot muscle of 7 spp. of land snails. The characteristic UV fluorescence and absorption patterns obtained, using butanol: acetic acid: water as the solvent, are described. Each spp. gives a pattern which can be distinguished clearly from the others. The effect on the patterns of variations in age for T. pisana and H. aspersa and of geographical locality and of 3 different diets under laboratory conditions for T. pisana was studied. No significant differences were found in the characteristic pattern under any of the conditions studied. The potential value of chromatography of fresh tissue extracts for systematic and phylogenetic investigations is discussed.