Description: A slightly top-shaped, depressed-globular shell with a moderate conical spire and flattened whorls with very shallow sutures. Strongly keeled at the periphery. Mouth elliptical, lacking internal rib. Umbilicus minute. Surface slightly glossy, whitish to brown, with fine, regular growth lines and a white spiral band on the keel. Recent introduction. 10-12 mm.

World Distribution: A Mediterranean species, introduced to a few places in north-west Europe including sites in England, France, Switzerland and Austria. In England, mostly in the coastal south-west but spreading rapidly.

Irish Distribution: Accidentally introduced with garden plants from a site near Bristol to a garden at Hilden near Lisburn, where it appears to be persistent. Also known from waste ground west of Cork City.

Ecology:

• In Britain it is recorded from a variety of dry disturbed places including gardens, walls and roadsides

Key Identification Features:

• A medium-sized, slightly globular, top-shaped shell
• Whorls flattened with very shallow sutures
• Strongly keeled on the periphery
• Mouth elliptical, lacking internal rib
• Umbilicus minute
• Slightly glossy, whitish to mid brown, with fine, regular growth lines and with a white spiral band on the keel

Red list status:

• Not applicable.

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

iNaturalist: Hygromia cinctella at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Hygromia cinctella | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Hygromiidae, Hygromia

Thumbnails for genus Hygromia