Virginia Land Snails

Photo(s): Views of a Novissuccinea ovalis shell by Larry Watrous ©.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Novisuccinea ovalis (Say, 1817)

Family: Succineidae
Common name: Oval Ambersnail

Identification
Height: 14.2-16.5 mm
Width: 9-11 mm
Whorls: 2+

Novisuccinea ovalis is a medium-sized snail with a transparent, glossy yellow shell. The fragile shell has a rela­tively low spire and an oval aperture about two-thirds the height of the entire shell. The animal is pale with dark upper antennae. There are several look-alike members of its family, but it tends to be large and has more rounded whorls than its congeners.

Ecology
Novisuccinea ovalis can be found among herbaceous plants along ditches, streams or rivers, but also in hillside woods, sometimes hundreds of meters from water. It typi­cally occurs in moderate to low numbers. It is the most upland-dwelling species in the Family Succineidae.

Taxonomy
Novisuccinea ovalis has also been known as: Helix (Cochlohydra) ovalis, H. (C.) putris, Succinea campestris, S. obliqua, S. totteniana, S. ovalis, and S. ovatis.

Distribution
This species is found throughout the eastern and Midwestern states and provinces, but also a bit further south along the Mississippi and Appalachian Mountains. It is found in the western Virginia mountains.

NatureServe Global Rank: G5
NatureServe State Rank: S4

 

Ken Hotopp, Meegan Winslow 11/2012

Range Map