Land Snails

Photo(s): Ventridens ligera © Bill Frank, views of the shell © Larry Watrous.

Click photo(s) to enlarge.

Ventridens ligera (Say, 1821)

Family: Gastrodontidae
Common name: Globose Dome

Identification
Width: 11-16 mm
Height: 8-13 mm
Whorls: 6+

The shell of Ventridens ligera is nearly as tall as it is wide, and whorls are well-rounded. It is glossy with radial striae, becoming smoother on the base where there are light spiral striae as well. The umbilicus is very narrow. It has a thin lip with no teeth. The animal is black above.

Ecology
This animal is a widespread habitat generalist, though it is most common on richer soils. It is reported in young forest, open weedy forest, floodplain, wooded river terraces, meadows, and roadsides (Hubricht, 1985; Dourson, 2010).

Taxonomy
Synonyms for V. ligera are Gastrodonta ligera, Helix ligera, H. rafinesquia, H. wardiana, Zonites ligerus, Z. (Gastrodonta) ligerus var. sagdinoides, and Zonitoides (Ventricallus) ligerus.

Distribution
Ventridens ligera is widespread in eastern North America, from New York south to North Carolina, and west to Kansas and Oklahoma. In Virginia it is reported from scattered western counties.

NatureServe Global Rank: G5
NatureServe State Rank: S4

 

Ken Hotopp 11/2012

Range Map (click to enlarge)