Virginia Land Snails


VA_LandSnails

VA_LandSnails
Photo(s): Euconulus dentatus shell from below, showing the base of interior teeth visible through the bottom of the transparent shell, by Larry Watrous ©. Other views of E. dentatus by David Kirsch ©.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Euconulus dentatus (Sterki, 1893)

Family: Euconulidae
Common name: Toothed Hive

Identification
Width: 2-3 mm
Height: 2-3 mm
Whorls: 6+

Like others of its genus, the shell of Euconulus dentatus is a small beehive shape, and thin, with tightly coiled whorls. The final whorl of E. dentatus contains 1-3 radially-aligned lamellae that can be viewed through the base of the shell. When multiple lamellae are present, they are spaced at wide intervals, about every 1/3 of a whorl (Pilsbry, 1946).

Ecology
Euconulus dentatus lives primarily in dry leaf litter, and is occasionally found around logs. It is one of the more difficult snails to collect because of the timing of its life cycle; individuals reach maturity in winter and die in spring (Hubricht 1985). In Tennessee, it is associated with steep slopes and limestone substrata at elevations of 940 to 1,120 feet (Coney et al, 1982).

Taxonomy
This species has also been known as Euconulus chersinus dentatus.

Distribution
Euconulus dentatus is widespread throughout the southeastern United States. It is reported from the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania in the north to Louisiana in the south (Hubricht, 1985). In Virginia it is found in scattered counties but is absent in the southeast.

NatureServe Global Rank: G5
NatureServe State Rank: S3S4

 

Meegan Winslow 11/2012

Range Map
VA_LandSnails