Punctum pygmaeum is a species of very small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Punctidae, the dot snails.
| Punctum pygmaeum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Five views of a shell of Punctum pygmaeum | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Punctidae |
| Genus: | Punctum |
| Species: | P. pygmaeum
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| Binomial name | |
| Punctum pygmaeum (Draparnaud, 1801)[1]
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| Synonyms | |
|
Helix pygmæa Draparnaud, 1801 | |
Shell description
editFor terms see gastropod shell. The shell is very small, 1.2-1.6 mm in width.[2]
The 0.6-0.8 x 1.2-1.6 mm shell is almost flat, extremely densely and regularly striated, appearing silky shiny light horny brown. There are 3-3.5 moderately convex whorls, the aperture is rounded, with a thin margin which is not reflected and without a lip. The umbilicus is wide (25% of shell diameter).[3]
Habitat
editThese gastropods are commonly found in damp, dim, and undisturbed areas[4] including the margins or wetlands, wet woodland, and leaf-littered forests.[5] They may also live in mossy suburban gardens. They commonly lay their eggs underneath damp soil or rocks.[6]
Distribution
editThis species occurs in countries and islands including:
References
edit- ^ Draparnaud J. P. R. 1801. Tableau des mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de la France. pp. [1-2], 1-116. Montpellier, Paris. (Renaud; Bossange, Masson & Besson).
- ^ (Welter-Schultes)
- ^ Animalbase (Welter-Schultes)
- ^ Species Summary for Punctum Pygmaeum
- ^ Anderson, R., (2016). Punctum (Punctum) pygmaeum (Draparnaud 1801). [In] MolluscIreland. Dwarf snail [1]
- ^ Bard, Bruno, (1989). GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE MINUTE LAND SNAIL PUNCTUM PYGMAEUM [2]
- ^ Balashov I. & Gural-Sverlova N. 2012. An annotated checklist of the terrestrial molluscs of Ukraine. Journal of Conchology. 41 (1): 91-109.
External links
edit
- Punctum pygmaeum at Animalbase taxonomy,short description, distribution, biology,status (threats), images
- Punctum pygmaeum images at Encyclopedia of Life