Description: A squatly conical little shell of 5 or so whorls. Smaller than E. cf. fulvus with a darker, more brownish and glossy shell. Spiral striae on the base are more distinct at high magnification. Animal invariable darker, almost black in some cases. Found in richer wetlands. 2.3-2.8 mm.

World Distribution: Probably very similar to that of E. cf. fulvus. Distribution type: Circumpolar Wide-temperate (66).

Irish Distribution: Widespread but rather sparsely recorded, in wet habitats.

Ecology:

• Widespread but rather sparsely recorded, in wet habitats.
• Found exclusively in wet, open habitats
• May be common in fens, rich marshes, callows, dune slacks and lakeshore floodplains
• Favours transition mires in northern counties

Key Identification Features:

• A small, top-shaped shell of 5 whorls
• Shell glossy and darker, more brownish than the closely related E. cf. fulvus
• Animal dark with dark mantle showing through the shell
• Base of shell with distinct spiral striae visible at X20 magnification or above

Taxonomy:

• Falkner et al. (2001), in what they describe as the preliminary phase of a revision of European Euconulus (Falkner et al. 2002), list three taxa for Britain and Ireland, E. fulvus; E. trochiformis (Montagu 1803), and E. praticola (Reinhardt 1883).
• Euconulus trochiformis is claimed as a senior synonym of E. alderi and therefore replaces that name, and E. praticola represents a third taxon probably equivalent to what we refer to here as E. cf. alderi.
• There are several problems with these proposals including what to make of E. trochiformis which is hard to recognise in British material. Because of this the familiar names are retained but with a conditional stance i.e. cf. fulvus and cf. alderi, until further clarification is forthcoming.

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

Distribution Map from NBN: Euconulus cf. alderi at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Euconulus cf. alderi at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Euconulidae, Euconulus

Thumbnails for genus Euconulus