Virginia Land Snails

Photo(s): A Strobilops aeneus shell by Larry Watrous ©.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Strobilops aeneus Pilsbry, 1926

Family: Strobilopsidae
Common name: Bronze Pinecone

Identification
Width: 2.4 - 2.8 mm
Height: 1.5 - 2.0 mm
Whorls: 6

The shell of this species is dark reddish-brown and is covered with curved radial ridges. The periphery of shells in this genus is generally rounded, but on S. aeneus it is a bit angular. The pattern of the lamellae, as seen through the base, is alternating short-long-short-long. The aperture is wider than it is tall, with a bit of a reflected lip. The shell sculpture is somewhat smoother on the base, which is narrowly umbilicate.

Ecology
Strobilops aeneus is found upon old logs and in leaf litter, sometimes with S. labyrinthicus. In Tennessee this species was on flatter, drier, and more acid sites, and absent from wet or very rich sites (Coney et al, 1982).

Taxonomy
Synonyms for S. aeneus are Strobila labyrinthica, Strobilops aenea, S. labyrinthica, and S. l. strebeli.

Distribution
This snail ranges widely through the middle and eastern parts of the US, though it is sparse in the north and rare in New England (Hubricht, 1985). It is spread throughout most of Virginia.
NatureServe Global Rank: G5
NatureServe State Rank: S4

 

Ken Hotopp, Greg Kimber 11/2012

Range Map