Land Snails

Photo(s): Paravitrea lamellidens shell © Dan Dourson. Note the base of the lamellae seen through the shell.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Paravitrea lamellidens (Pilsbry, 1898)

Family: Pristilomatidae
Common name: Lamellate Supercoil

Identification
Width: 3-4 mm
Height: 1.5-2 mm
Whorls: 6+

The glossy shell of Paravitrea lamellidens is sculpted with strong, close radial striae on the upper part of all but the center whorl. The periphery and base of the shell are also striate, but weakly so. The closely-coiled whorls create a low spire. Inside the final whorl, on the outer and basal walls, are one to three curved, radial laminae. At the aperture, the lip is slightly reflected near the columella.

Ecology
Paravitrea lamellidens prefers rock talus and deep, moist leaf litter on wooded hillsides. In Kentucky, it has been found associated with sandstone bedrock (Dourson and Beverly, 2008). It can be found in similar and higher elevations than P. multidentata (Hubricht, 1985).

Taxonomy
Paravitrea lamellidens has been known as Gastrodonta lamellidens and Vitrea lamellidens.

Distribution
This species is found in the mountains of eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, and western North Carolina and Virginia.

Conservation
NatureServe Global Rank: G2
NatureServe State Rank: SNR

 

Meegan Winslow 11/2012

Range Map (click to enlarge)