Virginia Land Snails

Photo(s): Euchemotrema leai image by Bill Frank ©. The southern Euchemotrema leai aliciae shell by Larry Watrous ©.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Euchemotrema leai (A. Binney, 1841)

Family: Polygyridae
Common name: Lowland Pillsnail

Identification
Width: 7.0-9.5 mm
Height: 4-6 mm
Whorls: 6+

Euchemotrema leai has a similar rounded shape to E. fraternum, but it is slightly smaller, smoother and less hairy, and more tightly-whorled, having one more shell revolution. The narrow aperture holds a single blade-like tooth, or lamella. The reflected lip nearly covers the umbilicus.

Ecology
This animal’s habitat is primarily low, wet terrain. Euchemotrema leai may be found in marshes and swamps, floodplains, and grassy meadows (Hubricht, 1985).

Taxonomy
Synonyms for E. leai include: Helix leai, H. monodon, Polygyra monodon, P. m. peoriensis, Stenotrema leai, and S. monodon.

Distribution
The Lowland Pillsnail is distributed widely in central North America – from southern Canada and the upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast. The subspecies E. leai leai is recognized to the north, and E. leai aliciae to the south. In Virginia it is E. leai aliciae that has been reported, and only from Craig County.

NatureServe Global Rank: G5
NatureServe State Rank: S1S3
Virginia’s wildlife action plan: Tier IV

 

Ken Hotopp, Meegan Winslow 8/2012

Range Map