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Snails

Parts of a snail

Shows the parts of a snail using two diffearent snail species. These include growth rings, whorl, shell, shell lip, body and tentacles
Blow-up of a section of snail shell showing spiral grooves and umbilicus.

Common snail identification guide 

Start here:

  • Shell length greater than width
Snail shells that are longer than wide.
  • ​shell wider than long 
Snail shell that is wider than long.

Shell longer than wide

  • shell opening less than half the length of shell - Cochlicopa lubrica, glossy pillar
Picture
Cochlicopa lubrica, glossy pillar
  •  Shell opening half or more the length of the shell - Succineidae, amber snails 


Picture
Succineidae, amber snails

Shell wider than long

  • mottled, banded, or striped shell
4 snails with banded or striped shells
  • without mottling, stripes, or bands, shell basically of one color
4 snails with plain or unbanded shells

Mottled, banded, or striped shell

1. Edge of shell angled or narrowly rounded-  Candidula intersecta, wrinkled dune snail 

Picture
Candidula intersecta, wrinkled dune snail
2. Edge of shell evenly rounded and...
Image of side of shell showing that it is evenly rounded
...body cream to tan. Umbilicus partially to completely covered- Cepaea nemoralis, grove snail


Picture
Cepaea nemoralis, grove snail
...body brown. Umbilicus partially to completely covered (as above). Shell brown with lighter brown broken bands and some irregular cream-yellow streaks - Cornu aspersum, European brown garden snail.
Picture
Cornu aspersum, European brown garden snail
...body reddish brown. Umbilicus open. Shell yellow-brown to dark red-brown with yellow and black stripes. - Monadenia columbianus, Pacific sideband.

Picture
umbilicus open
Picture
Monadenia columbianus, Pacific sideband

Shell of one color (no bands or stripes)

1. Spiral grooves on at least inner whorls of shell (results in a “beaded” appearance)-Ancotrema and Haplotrema, lancetooth snails 

  

Picture
Ancotrema and Haplotrema, lancetooth snails
2. No spiral grooves on whorls of shell and...

...shell shiny and smooth and never with “hairs.” Lip of shell convex- Oxychilus sp., glass snails 

Picture
Oxychilus, glass snails
...shell usually with “hairs.” Edge of shell of adults with upturned lip - Vespericola sp., hesperian snails.

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Vespericola sp., hesperian snails
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