|
 Readers may recall Kentuckian/Jacksonville Shell Club member
Lori Schroeder's amusing narrative of her earliest days as a
landsnailer (Schroeder, 2005). The writer claims some responsibility
for this initiation, which was met with no little reluctance on
Lori's part. Well, before long, the ends justified the means (and
once-daunting rigors), and a nice Nelson Co., Kentucky collection
eventuated. The 22 species are discussed in her article, and most
are illustrated.
Not entirely sure Lori had yet reached the status of consummate
landsnailer, the writer entreated her on a few occasions to
amplify her project and become a "saturation" collector. This means
supplementing the traditional method of collecting by visual
surveillance (including deep in grasses, leaf mold, under logs and
rock piles) with sampling of "duff," which means gathering up dirt,
grass, leaf litter, etc. without particular regard to its visible
contents, stowing it in bags, and, after suitable processing,
examining the contents systematically under high magnification. This
method has been put to use and consistently has approximately
doubled the land snail species diversity in a variety of habitats
and geographic areas (Lee, 1990; 2006).
Late last summer, Lori, with assistance from her hubby, Jeff,
revisited the collecting area and did the field work. Eleven Ziploc
bags - each containing a pint-sized duff sample - were presented to
the writer later that month during the North Carolina Shell Show.
The analysis of the contents of this raw material will allow
some discussion. First the basic data:
Sample 1. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) small outcropping along road, E
side spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 (same
station as sample 2):
[macrosnails lacking + 9]
1 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905 File Thorn*
1 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
1 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo*
2 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone*
3 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
1
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G. Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph*
1 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906)
Southern Striate*
Sample 2. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) small outcropping
along road, E side spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15
Sept., 2007 (same station as sample 1):
[macrosnails lacking + 7]
3 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
2 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot**
2 Euconulus dentatus (Sterki, 1893) Toothed Hive**
4 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
4
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia
indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Hawaiia alachuana (Dall, 1885) Southeast Gem**
Samples 1 and 2. (E of pond; ~ 1000 mL) microsnails combined:
1 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn*
4 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
1 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo*
2 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone*
2 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot**
2 Euconulus dentatus (Sterki, 1893) Toothed Hive**
7 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
5
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
2 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph*
1 Hawaiia alachuana (Dall, 1885) Southeast Gem**
1 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906)
Southern Striate*
12 species: * sample 1 only; ** sample 2 only (7 from one sample
only)
Sample 3. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) exposed rocks,
hillside S of spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept.,
2007 (same station as samples 4 and 5):
[macrosnails lacking + 9]
1 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
1 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
2 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
3 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
2 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
2 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
1
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
3 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Sample 4. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) exposed rocks,
hillside S of spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept.,
2007 (same station as samples 3 and 5) [4 + 4]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Anguispira kochi (Pfeiffer, 1845) Banded Tiger
Inflectarius inflectus (Say, 1821) Shagreen
Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney, 1837) Toothed Globe
1 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
3 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
2 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
2 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Sample 5. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) exposed rocks,
hillside S of spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept.,
2007 (same station as samples 3 and 4) [2 + 9]:
Inflectarius inflectus (Say, 1821) Shagreen
Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney, 1837) Toothed Globe
Triodopsis hopetonensis (Shuttleworth, 1852) Magnolia
Threetooth
1 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
1 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
1 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
1 Discus patulus (Deshayes, 1832) Domed Disc
1 Lucilla species
1 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
2
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph
Samples 3, 4, and 5. (Hillside S of pond;
~ 1500 mL) microsnails combined:
1 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
2 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn**
2 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck
Snaggletooth*
1 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth***
4 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
3 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
3 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot***
1 Discus patulus (Deshayes, 1832) Domed Disc***
1 Lucilla species**
4 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
3
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
3 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph***
1 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
5 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
15 species: * sample 3 only; ** sample 4 only; *** sample 5 only
(eight from one sample only)
Sample 6. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown,
Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL)
"Anguispira Rock," hillside, small valley W of spring-fed
pond. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 (same station as
samples 7 and 8) [4 + 21]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Discus patulus (Deshayes, 1832) Domed Disc
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney, 1837) Toothed Globe
3 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
4 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
1 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
1 Gastrocopta corticaria (Say, 1817) Bark Snaggletooth
3 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
1 Gastrocopta procera (Gould, 1840) Wing Snaggletooth
5 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Vallonia perspectiva Sterki, 1893 Thin-lip Vallonia
2 Punctum blandianum Pilsbry, 1900 Brown Spot
15 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
1
Lucilla
cf. jacksoni (Hubricht, 1962)
2 Lucilla cf. singleyana (Pilsbry, 1889) cf.
Smooth Coil
1 Lucilla species
5 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
3
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
3 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph
1 Hawaiia alachuana (Dall, 1885) Southeast Gem
2 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
6 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Sample 7. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) "Anguispira
Rock," hillside, small valley W of spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff
Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 (same station as samples 6 and 8) [3 +
13]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
Xolotrema obstrictum (Say, 1821) Sharp Wedge
6 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
7 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
14 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
1 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
5 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Punctum blandianum Pilsbry, 1900 Brown Spot
11 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
4 Helicodiscus notius notius Hubricht, 1962 Tight Coil
3 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
3 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
4 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
2 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
1 Zonitoides arboreus (Say, 1817) Quick Gloss
Sample 8. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) "Anguispira
Rock," hillside, small valley W of spring-fed pond. Lori and Jeff
Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 (same station as samples 6 and 7) [8 +11]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
Ventridens collisella (Pilsbry, 1896) Sculptured Dome
Inflectarius inflectus (Say, 1821) Shagreen
Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney, 1837) Toothed Globe
Neohelix albolabris (Say, 1817) Whitelip
Xolotrema obstrictum (Say, 1821) Sharp Wedge
Triodopsis vulgata Pilsbry, 1940 Dished Threetooth
4 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
4 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
2 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
3 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
6 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
3 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
2
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
3 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
3 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Samples 6, 7, and 8 ("Anguispira Rock;" ~ 1500 mL) microsnails combined:
9 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
15 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
19 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
1 Gastrocopta corticaria (Say, 1817) Bark
Snaggletooth*
3 Gastrocopta pentodon (Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
1 Gastrocopta procera (Gould, 1840) Wing Snaggletooth*
10 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone***
1 Vallonia perspectiva Sterki, 1893 Thin-lip Vallonia*
3 Punctum blandianum Pilsbry, 1900 Brown Spot
32 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
4 Helicodiscus notius notius Hubricht, 1962 Tight Coil**
1
Lucilla
cf. jacksoni (Hubricht, 1962)*
2 Lucilla cf. singleyana (Pilsbry, 1889) cf.
Smooth Coil*
1 Lucilla species*
11 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
5
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
9 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia lewisiana (G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph
1 Hawaiia alachuana (Dall, 1885) Southeast Gem
7 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) Minute Gem
11 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
1 Zonitoides arboreus (Say, 1817 ) Quick Gloss**
23 species: *sample 6 only; **sample 7 only; ***sample 8 only (nine
from one sample only)
Sample 9. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) base of exposed
rock, "Creek-North." Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 [8 +
9]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
Ventridens pilsbryi Hubricht, 1964 Yellow Dome
Euchemotrema fraternum (Say, 1824) Upland Pillsnail
Inflectarius inflectus (Say, 1821) Shagreen
Mesodon thyroidus (Say, 1817) White-lip Globe
Triodopsis hopetonensis (Shuttleworth, 1852) Magnolia
Threetooth
Triodopsis vulgata Pilsbry, 1940 Dished Threetooth
1 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
2 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
1 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
1
Lucilla
cf. jacksoni (Hubricht, 1962)
1
Euconulus
trochulus (Reinhardt, 1883) Silk Hive
1 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
1
Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
1 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
1 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Sample 10. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) base of exposed
rock, "Creek-South." Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007 [2 +
12]:
Anguispira alternata (Say, 1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
1 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959 Appalachian Thorn
3 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905. File Thorn
1 Columella simplex (Gould, 1841) Toothless Column
1 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822) Bottleneck Snaggletooth
3 Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
1 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817) Maze Pinecone
1 Punctum minutissimum (I. Lea, 1841) Small Spot
1 Euconulus dentatus (Sterki, 1893) Toothed Hive
1
Euconulus
trochulus (Reinhardt, 1883) Silk Hive
3 Guppya sterkii (Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule
3 Glyphyalinia indentata (Say, 1822) Carved Glyph
2 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry and Ferriss, 1906) Southern
Striate
Sample 11. USA, Kentucky, Nelson Co., Bardstown, Chumbley-Stauble
Properties. Soil sample (~ 500 mL) Chumbley fence
row. Lori and Jeff Schroeder! 15 Sept., 2007:
[2 + microsnails lacking]
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B. Baker, 1933 Common Button
Xolotrema obstrictum (Say, 1821) Sharp Wedge
Consolidated list of microspecies (excluding the Domed Disc,
an intermediate-sized species which was also collected by visual
reconnaissance on this occasion) taken from the eleven soil samples
(5.5 L; nos. 1 - 10; no. 11 lacked microsnails) from the five productive
stations):
11 Carychium clappi Hubricht, 1959
Appalachian Thorn
species image
21 Carychium nannodes G. Clapp, 1905.
File Thorn species image
1 Columella simplex (Gould, 1841)
Toothless Column [10]* species image
24 Gastrocopta contracta (Say, 1822)
Bottleneck Snaggletooth
species image
1 Gastrocopta corticaria (Say,
1817) Bark Snaggletooth
4 Gastrocopta pentodon
(Say, 1822) Comb Snaggletooth
species image
1 Gastrocopta procera (Gould, 1840) Wing
Snaggletooth [6]*
species image
18
Vertigo gouldii (A. Binney, 1843) Variable Vertigo
species image
1 Vallonia perspectiva Sterki, 1893
Thin-lip Vallonia [6]*
species image
9 Strobilops labyrinthicus (Say, 1817)
Maze Pinecone
species image
3 Punctum blandianum Pilsbry, 1900 Brown
Spot [6, 7]**
species image
39 Punctum minutissimum (I.
Lea, 1841) Small Spot
species image
4 Helicodiscus
notius notius Hubricht, 1962 Tight Coil [7]*
species image
2 Lucilla
cf. jacksoni (Hubricht, 1962)
species image
2 Lucilla cf. singleyana (Pilsbry,
1889) cf. Smooth Coil [6]* species image
1 Lucilla
species [6]*
3 Euconulus dentatus (Sterki, 1893)
Toothed Hive species image
2 Euconulus
trochulus (Reinhardt, 1883) Silk Hive
species image
26 Guppya sterkii
(Dall, 1888) Tiny Granule species image
9 Glyphyalinia
cumberlandiana
(G.
Clapp, 1919) Hill Glyph
species image
18 Glyphyalinia indentata
(Say, 1822) Carved Glyph species image
3 Glyphyalinia lewisiana
(G. Clapp, 1908) Pale Glyph species image
2 Hawaiia alachuana (Dall, 1885)
Southeast Gem
species image
8 Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841)
Minute Gem
species image
20 Striatura meridionalis (Pilsbry
and Ferriss, 1906) Southern Striate species image
1 Zonitoides arboreus
(Say, 1817) Quick Gloss [7]* species image
235 specimens of 26 species ranging from one to six mm in size, of which
seven were found in only one
sample (*) [sample no.]; and one (**) was found in more than one
sample but only at one station ["Anguispira Rock"].
The macrosnails, including the mid-sized
(eight mm)
Domed Disc, taken as "bycatch"
with the soil sample constituted 13 species. They amount to about
two-thirds of the originally-reported 22 species, which were then
the product of visual surveillance exclusively. The full list of
"macro's" follows; those taken incidentally
on this "micro" campaign are indented:
Helicina (Olygyra) orbiculata (Say, 1818)
Globular Drop
Gastrocopta armifera (Say, 1821) Armed Snaggletooth
Haplotrema concavum (Say, 1821) Gray Lancetooth
Anguispira alternata (Say,
1817) Flamed Tigersnail
Anguispira kochi (Pfeiffer,
1846) Banded Tiger
Discus patulus (Deshayes,
1832) Domed Disc
Mesomphix vulgatus H. B.
Baker, 1933 Common Button
Ventridens collisella (Pilsbry,
1896) Sculptured Dome
Ventridens demissus (A. Binney, 1843) Perforate Dome
Ventridens pilsbryi Hubricht,
1964 Yellow Dome
Euchemotrema fraternum (Say,
1824) Upland Pillsnail
Euchemotrema leai (A. Binney, 1841) Lowland Pillsnail
Inflectarius inflectus (Say,
1821) Shagreen
Mesodon clausus (Say, 1821) Yellow Globelet
Mesodon elevatus (Say, 1821) Proud Globe
Mesodon thyroidus (Say, 1817)
White-lip Globe
Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney,
1837) Toothed Globe
Neohelix albolabris (Say,
1817) Whitelip
Patera appressa (Say, 1821) Flat Bladetooth
Xolotrema obstrictum (Say,
1821) Sharp Wedge
Triodopsis hopetonensis (Shuttleworth,
1852) Magnolia Threetooth
Triodopsis vulgata Pilsbry,
1940 Dished Threetooth
Cumulatively there are 48 species found by Lori and Jeff in
Nelson Co. Over half of these (27) were exclusive to the soil
samples. The total catch on the soil sample field trip was 40
species, and that from "Anguispira Rock," so named
because the ground is often strewn with the shells of that snail, was 32 species (23 of 26
micro's and nine of 22 macrospecies). In the experience of the
writer, a collection of that many species at a single station (one
place at one time) is spectacular.
 Beyond the marked diversity of species, what can we learn from
the distribution of shells among various samples? (1) Some species
are consistently more common and “widespread” than others – no
surprise here. (2) Certain stations were much more productive than
others, and this seems to be a consistent finding across the
“duplicate” samples. (3) A significant number of taxa are
represented by very few specimens and/or a single locus and would
have been missed if six (five productive) stations were not tested
and repetitive samples (stations 1-2; 3-5; 6-8) were not made. Two
factors come to mind to explain this inhomogeneity – differences in
(micro)habitat and undersampling (sheer volume). The relative
contributions of these two factors to the collection results could
be experimentally tested if there were sufficient time and manpower;
however, there is a simpler empirical lesson. It appears certain
that a more generous and microhabitat-diverse sampling at “Anguispira
Rock” will very likely produce even more diversity – perhaps
exceeding the much-heralded “35 species ceiling” informally held as
gospel by many land snail specialists in the eastern USA. This
asymptote can be put to the test by an all-out single-visit campaign
next spring or summer. Who knows; maybe Lori and Jeff
can do it – and maybe they’ll ask for some human resources
assistance from other Jacksonville Shell Club members? The writer,
having demonstrated the aptness of the sobriquet “Dirty Harry,”
bestowed by Lori, is the first to volunteer – officially, and in
print!
It is painfully clear that Nelson Co., KY has been undercollected
historically. Hubricht (1985) recorded only three species of native
land snails from Nelson Co., KY: Zonitoides arboreus (Say,
1817) Quick Gloss, Mesodon zaletus (A. Binney, 1837)
Toothed Globe, and Triodopsis tennesseensis (Walker and Pilsbry,
1902) Budded Threetooth. Thus 46 of the 48 species are "new county
records vs. Hubricht (1985). All
species are "new county records" vs Branson (1973) as he did not
report any land snail from Nelson Co. Lori and Jeff have increased
the known biodiversity of this jurisdiction fifteen-fold!
In fact, other than the region of Mammoth Cave, it is now arguably
the best-known Kentucky precinct for land snails.
Acknowledgements: Besides her
obvious contributions made in the field, Lori Schroeder is due my
gratitude for improving the accuracy and clarity of an earlier draft
as is Lynn Scheu of Louisville, KY, who spared me embarrassment by
identifying some grammatical gaffes. Jeff Schroeder contributed
several photographs of the collecting stations, David Kirsh took did
all the snail photography,
Bill Frank digitally edited the images used in this report, and Jeff
Nekola made corrections to my species identifications. To these
gentlemen I am also indebted.
Branson, B. A., 1973. Kentucky land Mollusca. Checklist,
distribution, and keys for identification. Kentucky Dept. Fish
and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort. pp 1-67 incl. distributional
maps.
Hubricht, L., 1985. The
distributions of the native land mollusks of the Eastern United
States. Fieldiana 24(1359): pp. 1-191 + viii. June 28.
Lee, H. G., 1990. Toward an improved strategy for landsnail
collecting. Shell-O-Gram 31(1): 3, 6-8. Jan.-Feb.
Lee, H. G., 2006. The urban shelling experience: wrack up a new
method - if you get my drift. Shell-O-Gram 47(1): 3,-4.
Jan.-Feb.
Schroeder, L., 2005.
The reluctant explorer. Shell-O-Gram
46(1):1, 3-4. Jan. Feb. |
