Land Snails

Photo(s): Paravitrea mira shell © Dan Dourson. Note the teeth seen through the bottom of the shell.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Paravitrea mira (Hubricht, 1975)

Family: Pristilomatidae
Common name: Funnel Supercoil

Identification
Width: 6-7 mm
Height: 3.5-4.5 mm
Whorls: 8+

The umbilicus of Paravitrea mira is funnel-shaped – hence the animal’s common name – and about one-sixth of the diameter of the entire shell. The shell is relatively large overall for its genus. The base and whorls appear flattened. The final whorl expands somewhat as it approaches the aperture, and contains two rows of large teeth. In juvenile shells these rows are made up of three teeth, while in adults there may be two or three.

Ecology
Paravitrea mira may be found under moist leaf litter close to creeks and streams, and on wooded hillsides.

Taxonomy
There are no synonyms.

Distribution
Paravitrea mira is known only from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and Kentucky (Hubricht, 1985). In Virginia it is known only from the westernmost part of the state.

Conservation
NatureServe Global Rank: G2
NatureServe State Rank: S2
Virginia’s wildlife action plan: Tier II

 

Meegan Winslow 11/2012

Range Map (click to enlarge)