| Cochlicella acuta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Geomitridae |
| Genus: | Cochlicella |
| Species: | C. acuta |
| Binomial name | |
| Cochlicella acuta (O. F. Müller, 1774) [1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Cochlicella acuta, common name the pointed snail, is a species of small but very high-spired, air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Geomitridae. [2]
This species is native to parts of Europe. It inhabits south-western Europe including Spain, Portugal, Italy, and western Europe including France, Belgium, Netherlands [3] and the British Isles. [4]
In the British Isles it lives in dunes, sandhills, and grassy downs close to the sea, chiefly in the south and west of England, Wales, on islands off the west coast of Scotland, and along the Irish coast. It is extremely abundant in some areas. [5]
The species has been introduced in the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece, [6] Israel and Egypt. [7]
It has also been introduced to Australia, [8] [9] where it has become a problematic invasive, or pest species. [10]
This species does well on sandy calcareous soils, and often prefers a coastal setting such as sand dunes. It aestivates by attaching itself to vertical surfaces such as fence posts, tall weeds and so on.
The shell of this species is an unusual shape for a helicid, elongatedly conical, 10 to 20 mm high, with a width of only 4 to 7 mm. The spire tapers regularly, but ends in a blunt tip. The oval aperture has a thin lip, and the narrow umbilicus is almost covered. [5]
The shell is very variable in color and markings, often having a cream or off-white background with many pale brown blotches, which are sometimes organized into spiral bands. The shell is often streaked across the whorls with brown. There are sometimes two spiral bands of dark brown or black, which are frequently reduced to only one band, restricted to the body-whorl. Sometimes there are no bands at all. [5]
Welter-Schultes description. For terms see gastropod shell The 9-15 x 4-7 mm shell has 8-11 whorls, in juvenile specimens with a sharp edge. It is evenly white or with brown spots. The shell is less brownish, more slender and higher than the shell of Cochlicella barbara and upper whorls are slightly more rounded in C. acuta (juveniles have a much sharper edge at the periphery of the lowest whorl). The animal is very light yellowish, dorsum with blackish brown pigments, one dark medial line on dorsum, two dark lines (= retractor muscles) from the sides to the upper tentacles. [11]
Cochlicella acuta is an intermediate host for the terrestrial trematode parasite Brachylaima cribbi . [12]
Fruticicola fruticum is a species of medium-sized, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Camaenidae.
Myxas glutinosa is a species of small air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Oxychilus cellarius, common name cellar glass-snail, is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Oxychilidae, the glass snails.
Peregriana peregra is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Valvata cristata is a species of minute freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Valvatidae, the valve snails.
Acanthinula aculeata is a species of minute, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Valloniidae.
Monachoides incarnatus is a species of air-breathing land snail in the terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies.
Cecilioides acicula, common name the "blind snail" or "blind awlsnail", is a species of very small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Ferussaciidae.
Vertigo pusilla is a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Vertiginidae, the whorl snails.
Cochlicopa lubrica is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Cochlicopidae.
Carychium minimum is a species of very small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Ellobiidae.
Monachoides vicinus is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies.
Helicodonta obvoluta is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicodontidae.
Vitrina pellucida is species of small land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Vitrinidae, the glass snails.
Vallonia costata is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Valloniidae.
Chondrula tridens is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Enidae.
Vitrea crystallina is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Pristilomatidae.
Carychium is a genus of very small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.
Rhynchomesostoma rostratum is a species of rhabdocoel flatworms in the family Typhloplanidae.
Xerosecta explanata is a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Geomitridae, the hairy snails and their allies.
