Description: A small shell of 4-4½ slightly convex whorls with moderately deep sutures. Surface glossy and translucent, pale brown or greenish. Animal dark blue-grey, rarely pale grey, with mantle edge of the same colour. When gently disturbed the animal produces a strong odour of garlic. Very common. 5.5-7 mm.

World Distribution: Mainly western Europe from the British Isles across the Low Countries to north Germany and Scandinavia. Coastal in Scandinavia northwards to the Arctic Circle. Distribution type: Suboceanic Temperate (72).

Irish Distribution: Widespread and abundant.

Ecology:

• Common in a great variety of woodland types including conifer plantings, in litter and under bark of dead wood
• Frequent in birch wood margins (lagg) of raised peat - also on upland heath
• Very waterlogged soils tend to be avoided.

Key Identification Features:

• A small, glossy, depressed shell with a striking odour of garlic when disturbed
• Whorls more convex than those of similarly sized O. cellarius
• Colour pale brown or greenish translucent
• Animal dark blue-grey (common) or pale grey (rare) with mantle edge of a similar shade

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

Distribution Map from NBN: Oxychilus alliarius at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Oxychilus alliarius at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Oxychilus alliarius | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Oxychilidae, Oxychilus

Thumbnails for genus Oxychilus