Land Snails

Photo(s): Wikipedia image © Tim Ross.

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Lobosculum pustuloides (Bland, 1858)

Family: Polygyridae
Common name: Tiny Liptooth

Identification
Width:  5.0-5.5 mm
Height: 2.5-2.7 mm
Whorls: 4-5

The shell of Lobosculum pustuloides is heliciform with a heavily-guarded aperture. The apex is low and the umbilicus is large and open. The denticles in the aperture are three: a blade-like parietal tooth, a pointed basal tooth upon a buttress, and a palatal lamella with a tooth upon the lower end. The effect is that of a notch in the outer lip. Sparse “hairs” adorn the periostracum.

Ecology
This animal lives among leaf litter, logs, or rocks in calcium-rich habitats (Hubricht, 1985).

Taxonomy
Synonyms for L. pustuloides are Polygyra pustuloides, Helix pustula, H. pustuloides, P. pustuloides.

Distribution
Lobosculum pustuloides is a Southeastern native, found from Florida and Mississippi, north to Kentucky and Virginia. In Virginia, specimens are reported only for Tazewell and Pittsylvania Counties. Maryland museum records warrant scrutiny.

Conservation
NatureServe Global Rank: G4, Apparently Secure.
Virginia’s wildlife action plan: Tier III

 

Ken Hotopp 3/2013

Range Map (click to enlarge)