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• Vitrea crystallina (O. F. Müller 1774) Crystal snail

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© Dr Roy Anderson

A depressed, tightly coiled shell with last whorl broader than in the related V. contracta. Surface smooth, glossy, greenish-white to white in colour. Umbilicus very narrow and slightly excentric. Often has a whitish thickening set back from the shell aperture. The digestive gland is usually a uniform pale colour with few darker streaks, seen through the shell. Widespread in sheltered places.

Key characteristics

• A medium-small, glassy, depressed and tightly coiled shell
• Last whorl about 1.5X the width of the previous whorl
• Umbilicus very narrow and excentric (not evenly round)
• Often has a whitish thickening set back from the shell aperture
• The digestive gland is usually a uniform pale grey or brown without dark streaks, seen through the shell

Size

3-4 mm.

World Distribution

With a slightly more northerly range in Europe than V. contracta and not reaching the Mediterranean. Distribution type: European Temperate (73).

GBIF distribution map [open in new tab]

Irish Distribution

Widely distributed and common on all but deep peat soils.

Ecology

• Mainly in shaded habitats
• Also occasionally in fens and marshes
• Usually in deep leaf litter or moss, rarely in soil unlike V. contracta

Red List status

• Least concern (lc).

Wikipedia link

Wikipedia page for Vitrea crystallina