Daedalochila auriculata (Say, 1818) Ocala Liptooth In Flagler County, Florida

    Preliminary surveys conducted through 4/2/2010 suggest that Flagler County, like St. Johns County to the north, has numerous populations of Daedalochila auriculata. During one such survey conducted on 3/31/2010 by this reporter and Harry G. Lee, three D. auriculata populations were discovered on State Road 11 (SR-11) just southwest of Bunnell (the county seat). At the first of the three locations, empty D. auriculata shells were found on the southeastern and northeastern bridge approaches to Black Branch (GPS: 29.26468N 081.16328W  - WGS-84 Datum). A single empty Daedalochila avara (Say, 1818) Florida Liptooth shell was also found at this station. An additional D. auriculata population (including several live specimens) was then discovered on spoil piles on the east side of SR-11 about 1.1 miles north of the first station (GPS: 29.27326N 081.15505W - WGS-84 Datum, or about 0.55 miles southwest of the intersection of US-1 and SR-11 in downtown Bunnell). This feature extended for a distance of about 0.5 miles along the road and Daedalochila auriculata specimens were also found on the south end of the spoil piles (GPS: 29.27105N 081.16103W - WGS-84 Datum). Earlier fieldwork had identified a D. auriculata population on the west side of US-1 0.9 miles southeast of the SR-11/US-1 intersection in Bunnell, and a single empty adult shell was taken on this survey as well. A follow-up survey by Harry Lee and Henry McCullagh on 4/2/2010 found a further D. auriculata population on County Road 305 1.5 miles northwest of Haw Creek on the east side of the road (GPS: 29.24980N 081.22260W). As the crow flies, this location is about 7.5 miles southwest of Bunnell.

    During an earlier exploratory visit to Flagler County by Brian Marshall on 2/7/2010, D. auriculata were also found on SR-11 3.9 miles north of Little Haw Creek on the west side of the road (a location just north of the Volusia/Flagler County line) and the bridge approach to Middle Haw Creek (a location several miles north of the Little Haw Creek site). Further north and several miles west of downtown Bunnell, Brian also found D. auriculata specimens on the south side of County Road 100 near a large concrete box culvert (GPS: 29.28057N 081.18393W - WGS-84 Datum) located between Black Point and the intersection of County Road 302.

Cumulatively to date, Daedalochila auriculata have been found at eight locations within Flagler County but it appears likely that other populations await discovery.

Northern end of the spoil piles where the Daedalochila auriculata were found