Description: Very similar to C. lubrica but smaller and more slender with relatively flattened whorls and shallower sutures. Colour more often whitish, slightly duller and less glossy. 4.5-6.7 mm.

World Distribution: As for Cochlicopa lubrica. Distribution type: Circumpolar Wide Temperate (66).

Irish Distribution: Widespread and probably not uncommon, but much more associated with dry or base-rich habitats than C. lubrica. In northern and western areas mainly near or on the coast.

Ecology:

• This morphospecies (see comments on taxonomy) is more restricted to dry, warm habitats that C. lubrica
• Mainly in dry pastures in limestone areas and in sand dunes on the coast

Key Identification Features:

• A small, moderately shining, pale brown shell often with whitish patches
• Smooth but not so slippery as C. lubrica
• Shell relatively narrow with flatter whorls and shallower sutures than C. lubrica

Taxonomy:

• A very similar shell but narrower and smaller than C. lubrica with which it appears to intergrade morphologically in places. It is therefore interesting that it can exist in central Europe as two distinct morphotypes, one narrow and small, the other larger and more globular like C. lubrica. (Armbruster, 1997). This makes separation of the species uncertain for field malacologists, hence the use of the term 'cf.' in their names.

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

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

iNaturalist: Cochlicopa lubricella at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Cochlicopa lubricella | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Cochlicopidae, Cochlicopa

Thumbnails for genus Cochlicopa