Land Snails

Photo(s): Images of Euconulus fulvus egena shell © Jeff Nekola.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Euconulus fulvus egena (Müller, 1774)

Family: Euconulidae
Common name: Brown Hive

Identification
Width: 3.2 mm
Height: 2.5 mm
Whorls: 5+

The shell of Euconulus fulvus egena has a very large body whorl, measuring over half the shell’s full height, with a rounded margin (Pilsbry, 1946). The shell aperture is wide and rounded. The radial microsculpture on the shell is strong compared to other species, especially on the relatively large nuclear whorl. Faint spiral lirae may also be seen on the glossy surface.

Ecology
Euconulus fulvus egena can be found in moist leaf litter (Hubricht 1985).

Taxonomy
Taxonomy of the genus Euconulus is in a state of flux. However, recent genetics research shows that Euconulus fulvus egena is distinct from E. polygyratus and the E. Chersinus, E. dentatus, E. trochulus group. (J.C. Nekola, pers. comm.).

Synonyms for E. f. egena include Conulus chersina, C. fabricii, Euconulus trochiformis, Helix egena, H. fulva, H. mortoni, and Zonites (Conulus) fulvus.

Distribution
Euconulus fulvus egena is part of a genetically diverse subspecies that ranges from central Asia across Beringia to North America in eastern North America, E. f. egena is found across the upper Midwest of the United States and Canada, east to New England and the Canadian Maritimes, and south in the Appalachian Mountains.

Conservation
NatureServe Global Rank: G5

 

Meegan Winslow, Ken Hotopp 11/2012

Range Map (click to enlarge)