Zonitoides nitidus | |
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Two shells of Zonitoides nitidus | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Superfamily: | Gastrodontoidea |
Family: | Gastrodontidae |
Genus: | Zonitoides |
Species: | Z. nitidus
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Binomial name | |
Zonitoides nitidus | |
Synonyms | |
|
Zonitoides nitidus (sometimes Zonitoides nitida), [2] also known as the shiny glass snail or black gloss, is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Gastrodontidae. [3]
Zonitoides nitidus is the type species of the genus Zonitoides.
The distribution of Zonitoides nitidus includes the Holarctic zone. It is found almost all over Europe except the southernmost regions: [4]
The non-indigenous distribution of this species includes:
The shell is reddish brown. [4] The umbilicus is large (almost 25% of shell diameter). [4] The shell is with radial growth lines. [4] The width of the shell is 6–7 mm. [4] The height of the shell is 3.5–4.0 mm. [4]
The animal is black with a characteristic orange dash: the ( mantle gland is visible under the shell's aperture). [4]
Juveniles are whitish grey with light brown translucent shells. [4]
Zonitoides nitidus occurs in wet meadows and river woods, usually near water bodies, swamps and swampy forests, in the zone of emergent vegetation. [4] Man-made habitats such as pools in old quarries are sometimes colonized after a few years. [4] In Switzerland it is found up to 2100m of altitude. [4]
Zonitoides nitidus is herbivorous. [4] These snails feed on disintegrating leaves, mushrooms, roots and fruit. [4] They do not eat dry leaves. [4] Humid leaves are preferred. [4] When consuming soft food such as mushrooms or soft fruits, Zonitoides nitidus penetrates perpendicularly inside, producing characteristic holes; the entire animal including its shell can penetrate inside the fruit. [4] Z. nitidus mainly eat decayed plant, algae, and fungus, and prey upon snails and bivalve species from June to August. [9]
In Germany up to three clutches of 2–9 eggs per individual are laid in all seasons, with some days or weeks spacing between egg-laying. [4] Egg diameter is 1.0–1.6 mm. [4] Eggs are laid loose into the soil. [4] Juveniles have 1.5 whorls (diameter 1–1.2 mm) after hatching. [4] They start feeding on disintegrating plant remains in the soil. [4] After 3 months the shell diameter reaches up to 3 mm under favourable conditions, after 10 months 6 mm, and full size after slightly more than one year. [4] Maximum age is 18 months under laboratory conditions. [4]
Parasites of Zonitoides nitidus include:
This article incorporates public domain text from the reference. [4]
Zonitoides nitidus | |
---|---|
| |
Two shells of Zonitoides nitidus | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Superfamily: | Gastrodontoidea |
Family: | Gastrodontidae |
Genus: | Zonitoides |
Species: | Z. nitidus
|
Binomial name | |
Zonitoides nitidus | |
Synonyms | |
|
Zonitoides nitidus (sometimes Zonitoides nitida), [2] also known as the shiny glass snail or black gloss, is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Gastrodontidae. [3]
Zonitoides nitidus is the type species of the genus Zonitoides.
The distribution of Zonitoides nitidus includes the Holarctic zone. It is found almost all over Europe except the southernmost regions: [4]
The non-indigenous distribution of this species includes:
The shell is reddish brown. [4] The umbilicus is large (almost 25% of shell diameter). [4] The shell is with radial growth lines. [4] The width of the shell is 6–7 mm. [4] The height of the shell is 3.5–4.0 mm. [4]
The animal is black with a characteristic orange dash: the ( mantle gland is visible under the shell's aperture). [4]
Juveniles are whitish grey with light brown translucent shells. [4]
Zonitoides nitidus occurs in wet meadows and river woods, usually near water bodies, swamps and swampy forests, in the zone of emergent vegetation. [4] Man-made habitats such as pools in old quarries are sometimes colonized after a few years. [4] In Switzerland it is found up to 2100m of altitude. [4]
Zonitoides nitidus is herbivorous. [4] These snails feed on disintegrating leaves, mushrooms, roots and fruit. [4] They do not eat dry leaves. [4] Humid leaves are preferred. [4] When consuming soft food such as mushrooms or soft fruits, Zonitoides nitidus penetrates perpendicularly inside, producing characteristic holes; the entire animal including its shell can penetrate inside the fruit. [4] Z. nitidus mainly eat decayed plant, algae, and fungus, and prey upon snails and bivalve species from June to August. [9]
In Germany up to three clutches of 2–9 eggs per individual are laid in all seasons, with some days or weeks spacing between egg-laying. [4] Egg diameter is 1.0–1.6 mm. [4] Eggs are laid loose into the soil. [4] Juveniles have 1.5 whorls (diameter 1–1.2 mm) after hatching. [4] They start feeding on disintegrating plant remains in the soil. [4] After 3 months the shell diameter reaches up to 3 mm under favourable conditions, after 10 months 6 mm, and full size after slightly more than one year. [4] Maximum age is 18 months under laboratory conditions. [4]
Parasites of Zonitoides nitidus include:
This article incorporates public domain text from the reference. [4]