Land Snails

Photo: Punctum smithi shell with basal tooth in aperture. Image © Ken Hotopp.

Click photo to enlarge.

Punctum smithi (Morrison, 1935)

Family: Punctidae
Common name: Lamellate Spot

Identification
Width: ≈1.2 mm
Height: ≈0.6 mm
Whorls: 4+

The tiny shell of Punctum smithi is similar to its congener species – a depressed heliciform shape with a thin lip and an open umbilicus. However, its whorls are slightly flattened, so they are oval in cross-section (Pilsbry, 1948). The shell is sculpted with ridges, and these are crossed by spiral lines that vary in depth, giving the texture a “beaded” appearance. The aperture contains a recessed basal tooth, as suggested by its name.

Ecology
This species is a leaf litter denizen, usually found with P. minutissimum (Hubricht, 1985).

Taxonomy
Its name has no synonyms.

Distribution
Punctum smithi occurs in scattered colonies in the Southeast from Maryland to northern Georgia. It is widely reported in Virginia.

NatureServe Global Rank: G4
NaatureServe State Rank: S3

 

Ken Hotopp 1/2013

Range Map (click to enlarge)