''Polygyriscus'' is a
genus of minute air-breathing
land snail
A land snail is any of the numerous species of snail that live on land, as opposed to the sea snails and freshwater snails. ''Land snail'' is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells (those without shells are known as ...
s,
terrestrial pulmonate
Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an order, and before that a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includ ...
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
mollusks in the family
Polygyridae. This is a
monotypic genus[USFWS]
''Polygyriscus virginianus'' Five-year Review.
January 2008. of
snails containing the single species ''Polygyriscus virginianus'', known commonly as the Virginia fringed mountain snail or the Virginia coil.
[''Polygyriscus virginianus''.]
The Nature Conservancy. That species is
endemic to the State of
Virginia in the
United States.
The Virginia coil was listed as federally
endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
on 2 August 1978.
[ U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]
"Species Profile: Virginia fringed mountain snail (''Polygyriscus virginianus'')"
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Accessed 4 October 2011.
This snail was described in 1947. It is very rare; the snail has only been seen on bluffs along the
New River in
Pulaski County, Virginia. Only four adult specimens have been observed since 1978, and no juveniles have been seen since 1971. The snail is, however, difficult to find because it is only 3/20 in. long and may burrow up to 6 feet into the soil.
[
]
References
External links
Polygyridae
Natural history of Virginia
Pulaski County, Virginia
Monotypic mollusc genera
Gastropods described in 1947
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
ESA endangered species
{{Polygyridae-stub
pt:Polygyriscus