Group C Key
Group C. Beehive or domed shape
There are five genera in this group - Euconulus, Strobilops, Ventridens, and two from the Helicinidae (Oligyra orbiculata and Hendersonia occulta). The first two are small (less than 3 mm) while Ventridens is larger - from 7 to 11 mm in diameter. The shape of the shell, looked at toward the aperture, spire up, is a good clue. The two Helicinidae are very round, the Drop snails.
Euconulus (Hive snails) – bee-hived shape, lip not reflected, 2.5-3 mm, umbilicus perforate.
Go to the Euconulus Page for more information.
Stobilopsis (Pinecone snails) – domed-shape, reflected lip, obvious raised radial ridges, toothed ridge in aperture, 2.5-3 mm, umbilicus mostly open.
Go to the Strobilops Page for more information.
Drop snails (Oligyra and Hendersonia) – globular, reflected lip, 5-8 mm, umbilicus closed. These snails are different from most land snails. If alive, they have an operculum (covers/seals the apertural opening), only one pair of sensory tentacles rather than the usual two and look for the eyes at the base of the tentacles rather than at the tips! What you can't see with the snail in hand is that these snails have separate male and female animals, rather than the usual hermaphroditic adaptation of land snails. If you find one, it'll be a treasure.
Go to the Helicinidae Page for more information.
Ventridens (Domed snails) – compact domed shell (varies in height from higher to lower), lip not reflected, 7-11 mm, umbilicus perforate; many whorls of relatively uniform size; calluses may be seen within or through the shell.
Go to Ventridens Page for more information.