Description: A small, fairly glossy shell which is narrowly but evenly conical. Aperture oval, lacking teeth or lamellae. Outer lip simple. Surface relatively smooth but crossed by coarse radial growth lines. Colour varies from a translucent mid brown to yellowish or greenish-brown. Mainly on trees but also walls. 6-8 mm.

World Distribution: Uncertain at present but probably confined to the extreme western seaboard of Europe and the Atlantic isles. Distribution type: Oceanic Temperate (71).

Irish Distribution: Distributed across Ireland in suitable habitats and common or abundant in wooded areas.

Ecology:

• Primarily a tree species found under bark of both living and dead broadleaf species
• Also on Sitka spruce and other conifers in high rainfall areas, feeding on epiphytic lichens
• On the coast found on rocks above high water mark feeding on lichens, mainly species of Xanthoria alkaloids from which it retains parietin as an antifeedant to fend off predators (Baur et al. 1998)

Key Identification Features:

• A medium-spired narrowly conical shell
• Surface glossy but crossed with coarse radial growth lines
• Colour mid to dark brown or with a strong greenish or yellowish cast
• Aperture a rounded oval without teeth or lamellae
• Lip simple, not re-inforced

Taxonomy:

• Previously known as Balea heydenii, this name has now been superseded as the species was described from Norway at an earlier date than von Maltzan, under the name sarsii Pfeiffer.

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

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

iNaturalist: Balea sarsii at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Balea sarsii | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Clausiliidae, Balea

Thumbnails for genus Balea