Aegopinella pura (Alder 1830)

Aegopinella pura is a species of small land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Gastrodontidae, the glass snails. ^[1]

Description

For terms see gastropod shell

The shell is colourless or weakly brown and weakly shiny. The microsculpture (only visible under a microscope, 35-40 x) is faint, spiral lines crossing irregular radial lines. There are 3.5-4 convex whorls, the last whorl increasing and not descending near aperture. The umbilicus is wide and slightly excentric.

Distribution

This species occurs in countries and islands including:

• Czech Republic
• Ukraine^[2]
• Great Britain
• Ireland
• and other areas

Habitat

Aegopinella pura lives in deciduous forests where it can be found in the litter layer, underneath deadwood and at the base of vegetation. It preferes dry to humid habitats, especially on calcareous substrate.^[3]

Life cycle

In spring, the adult snails lay the eggs and die after that. Two years after hatching the juveniles reach their maturity.^[3]

References

• Kerney, M.P., Cameron, R.A.D. & Jungbluth, J-H. (1983). Die Landschnecken Nord- und Mitteleuropas. Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Biologen und Naturfreunde, 384 pp., 24 plates. [Summer or later]. Hamburg / Berlin (Paul Parey).
• Sysoev, A. V. & Schileyko, A. A. (2009). Land snails and slugs of Russia and adjacent countries. Sofia/Moskva (Pensoft). 312 pp., 142 plates. [June] [= Pensoft Series Faunistica No 87].