Zonitoides nitidus

The distribution of Zonitoides nitidus includes the Holarctic zone. It is found almost all over Europe except the southernmost regions:[3]

• Czech Republic - least concern (LC)[4]
• Netherlands[5]
• Russia - Sverdlovsk oblast[6]
• Ukraine[7]
• Slovakia
• Great Britain - north British highland zones and not in north Scotland.[3] In some regions in Britain the species has declined due to drainage.[3]
• Ireland
• Hebrides[3]
• Orkney[3]
• Shetland[3]
• rare in northern Greece[3]
• Canada

The non-indigenous distribution of this species includes:

• introduced to Menorca[3]

Photo of the shell.

The shell is reddish brown.[3] The umbilicus is large (almost 25% of shell diameter).[3] The shell is with radial growth lines.[3] The width of the shell is 6–7 mm.[3] The height of the shell is 3.5-4.0 mm.[3]

The animal is black with a characteristic orange dash: the (mantle gland is visible under the shell's aperture).[3]

Juveniles are whitish grey with light brown translucent shells.[3]

Zonitoides nitidus occurs in wet meadows and river woods, usually near water bodies, swamps and swampy forests, in the zone of emergent vegetation.[3] Man-made habitats such as pools in old quarries are sometimes colonized after a few years.[3] In Switzerland it is found up to 2100m of altitude.[3]

Zonitoides nitidus is herbivorous.[3] These snails feed on disintegrating leaves, mushrooms, roots and fruit.[3] They do not eat dry leaves.[3] Humid leaves are preferred.[3] When consuming soft food such as mushrooms or soft fruits, Zonitoides nitidus penetrates perpendicularly inside, producing characteristic holes; the entire animal including its shell can penetrate inside the fruit.[3]

In Germany up to three clutches of 2-9 eggs per individual are laid in all seasons, with some days or weeks spacing between egg-laying.[3] Egg diameter is 1.0-1.6 mm.[3] Eggs are laid loose into the soil.[3] Juveniles have 1.5 whorls (diameter 1-1.2 mm) after hatching.[3] They start feeding on disintegrating plant remains in the soil.[3] After 3 months the shell diameter reaches up to 3 mm under favourable conditions, after 10 months 6 mm, and full size after slightly more than one year.[3] Maximum age is 18 months under laboratory conditions.[3]

Parasites of Zonitoides nitidus include:

• Elaphostrongylus spp.[8]
• Parelaphostrongylus tenuis[9]

This article incorporates public domain text from the reference.[3]

• Media related to Zonitoides nitidus at Wikimedia Commons
• image of Zonitoides nitidus