Omphiscola Glabra

''Omphiscola glabra'' (Synonym: Stagnicola glaber (O. F. Müller, 1774)) is a species of small to medium-size, air-breathing, freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae.Glöer P. (2002). Überfamilie Lymnaeoidea Rafinesque 1815. Familie Lymnaeidae Lamarck 1812. In: Glöer P. (ed.) ''Die Süßwassergastropoden Nord-und Mitteleuropas''. Bestimmungschlüssel, Lebensweise, Verbreitung. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 73. Conchbooks, Hackenheim, pp. 200–232. ''Omphiscola glabra'' is the type species of the genus ''Omphiscola''."Species in genus ''Omphiscola''"
AnimalBase, accessed 31 July 2010.

Distribution

This European snail can be found from southern Scandinavia (61° N) to southern Spain.

* endangered in Germany. Critically endangered in Western Germany (Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen). Extinct in Bavaria.
* Netherlands
* one site in the south east of Ireland was found in 2009, but it is listed as extinct on the local Red List (2009).
* vulnerable in Great Britain

The distribution of ''Omphiscola glabra'' is very scattered and rare. It is seriously threatened, and has become locally extinct in many places. It is threatened by continuing habitat destruction because of drainage and intensive farming. Acriculturally induced eutrophication is also a threat. ''Omphiscola glabra'' has disappeared widely from urbanized areas such as London.

Shell description

The shell is strongly cylindrical, horny, often with a brownish or blackish surface, the apex is blunt, 7–8 moderately convex whorls, with last whorl being twice as high as the narrow aperture, and with aperture often with white lip.

The height of the shell is 9–12 mm, up to 15 mm or up to 20 mm. The width of the shell is 3–4 mm, up to 5.5 mm. Jackiewicz M. (2000). ''Blotniarky Europy (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae)''. Wydawnictwo Kontekst, Poznań. 115 pp.

Habitat

This snail lives in places such as swampy meadows and ditches.

''Omphiscola glabra'' is said to occur in small areas of standing water that have a lot of vegetation such as swamps, and also in standing forest waters with leaf litter, often in water with organic iron contents and low calcium contents.

In Central France, the populations of ''Omphiscola glabra'' are currently declining because its habitat is threatened by modern agricultural practices.

In Britain however, this species occurs in small standing waters that are low in nutrients, with poor aquatic flora, often in waters drying out periodically. They usually do not occur in habitats with high molluscan diversity, and usually in habitats on uncultivated land. They are calciphile and have a pH tolerance of 5.4–8.8.

Reproduction begins in May. Juveniles hatch after 15–25 days. ''Omphiscola glabra'' has two generations per year.

Parasites

''Omphiscola glabra'' can serve as an intermediate host for several digenean trematodes. In France, ''Omphiscola glabra'' is naturally infected with ''Fasciola hepatica'', ''Calicophoron daubneyi'', and '' Haplometra cylindracea''; in all, seven digenean species parasitize ''O. glabra'' in the Brenne Regional Natural Park, central France.
Moreover, a report suggests that the species is also susceptible to '' Fascioloides magna'' infection.

References

This article incorporates public domain text from the reference."Species summary for ''Omphiscola glabra''"
AnimalBase. Last modified 24-02-2009, accessed 31 July 2010.

External links

''Omphiscola glabra''
at Animalbase taxonomy,short description, distribution, biology,status (threats), images

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omphiscola Glabra
Lymnaeidae
Gastropods described in 1774
Gastropods of Europe
Taxa named by Otto Friedrich Müller