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The
Poweshiek Skipper Project
Terrestrial Snails |
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Discus whitneyi (Newcomb, 1864) Forest disc |
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The nomenclature of snails can be pretty frustrating to deal with. I used the keys in the books I have to identify this snail--it keys out to Discus cronkhitei (Newomb, 1865) in books by Baker, Taft, and Pilsbry. D. whitney is apparently the currently recognized valid name. Other names for this species included Helix stiatella Anthony, Patula striatella Anthony, Pyramidual striatella Anthony, and Pyramidula cronkhitei anthony Pilsbry, and Helix Cronkhitei Newcomb.
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Hubricht shows records for most of the counties in Iowa
that have snail records (listed as cronckitei). Distribution
of the snail nationally is in the northern and Midwestern states, from
Maine south to North Carolina, and west as far as North and South
Dakota. There are extant records as far south as the Ohio River corridor
The genus Discus is a group of small, (around 3-4 mm) brownish colored snails that have a conspicuous rib-like sculpturing to the shell. Note the very wide aperture and the rib-like sculpturing on the bottom of the shell. |
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I have found this snail underneath decaying wood--wood that has not decayed will usually not have this snail. It can be quite common under the very old stuff, however. I have also found empty shells of this snail on mound building ant nests. In Iowa, at least in my yard, I find this snail to be fairly common, but one which requires a little bit of extra searching to find. |
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