Stenotrema barbigerum

Stenotrema barbigerum
A mature fringed slitmouth found in Tennessee
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Polygyridae
Genus:	Stenotrema
Species:	S. barbigerum
Binomial name
Stenotrema barbigerum (Redfield, 1856)
Synonyms
Helix barbigera Redfield, 1856

Stenotrema barbigerum, also known as the fringed slitmouth, is a species of pulmonate land snail in the family Polygridae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States. ^[1]

Physical appearance

Fringed slitmouths have domed brown shells with 5+ whorls, dark blotches, and coarse hairs characteristic of the Stenotrema genus. The aperture is narrow with a defined, pale lip.

Ecology

Fringed slitmouth populations have been located in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. It is listed as vulnerable both globally and in the state of Tennessee. ^[1]

Apical and umbilical views of a fringed slitmouth individual collected in Tennessee

This species is most commonly found in mixed hardwood forest on or around rotting logs in advanced stages of decay. They may be found in ravines or along wooded hillsides. ^[2] They typically live in colonies of up to 12 individuals. ^[3]

References

1. "Stenotrema barbigerum". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
2. Hubricht, Leslie (1985). The distributions of the native land mollusks of the Eastern United States. Field Museum of Natural History.
3. Dourson, D.C. 2013. Land snails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and southern Appalachians. Goatslug Publications, Bakersville, NC. 336 pp.