Succineidae

Family

Succineidae

Species

Succinea campestris Say, 1818

S. costaricana von Martens, 1898

S. horticola Reinhardt, 1877

S. putris (Linnaeus, 1758)

Indosuccinea tenella (Morelet, 1865)

Calcisuccinea luteola Gould, 1848

C. dominicensis (Pfeiffer)

Oxyloma elegans (Risso, 1826)

Common name

Ambersnails

Succinea campestris: Crinkled ambersnail

S. costaricana: None reported.

S. horticola: None reported.

S. putris: Large ambersnail

Indosuccinea tenella: None reported

Calcisuccinea luteola: Mexico ambersnail

C. dominicensis: Dominican ambersnail

Oxyloma elegans: Pfeiffer's ambersnail

Description

Ambersnails are very difficult to distinguish. Morphological and molecular techniques are usually required to separate the different species. A common species in this group is Succinea campestris. The shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
of this snail has a dull appearance due to the faint, irregular microscopic granulation present on the exterior surface. The heightHeight:
The height of the shell is a measure of the distance between the apex and the most basal part of the shell OR the measurement taken from the apex of the shell to the base, when measured parallel to the axis of the shell.
of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
ranges from 9.4 -17 mm and the widthWidth:
The width of the shell is the maximum distance across the shell (including the aperture).
6.8-11.5 mm totaling 3 1/3-3 1/2 whorlsWhorls:
Pleural of whorl. A whorl is a complete spiral turn/growth of the shell of a mollusc. The whorls are counted from the apex outwards.
. The shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
is very compact at the top as a result of a very short spireSpire:
All the coils (whorls) of a shell above the body whorl.
. The overall shape of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
is oval and the baseBase:
This is the lower or underside of the shell; opposite of apical.
of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
is wide as a result of the very large apertureAperture:
The major opening of a shell that the body of the animal may be retracted.
(mouth). The whitish shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
has gray streaks. In some cases the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
may be gray in color with light yellow streaks or tint. The wrinkles on the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
are low and wide. The sutures on the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
are deeply prominent. The interior surface of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
cream colored or white.

Calcisuccinea luteola: ShellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
succiniform, averaging a heightHeight:
The height of the shell is a measure of the distance between the apex and the most basal part of the shell OR the measurement taken from the apex of the shell to the base, when measured parallel to the axis of the shell.
of 12.5 mm and a widthWidth:
The width of the shell is the maximum distance across the shell (including the aperture).
of 6 mm, with 4 whorlsWhorls:
Pleural of whorl. A whorl is a complete spiral turn/growth of the shell of a mollusc. The whorls are counted from the apex outwards.
. The shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
of juveniles may be yellow-green to tan in color. In adults it is gray to white, with the inside of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
sometimes having a yellow color. ApertureAperture:
The major opening of a shell that the body of the animal may be retracted.
(mouth) ovate.

C. dominicensis: The succiniformSucciniform:
Shell shape: shell that is higher than wide with a very large aperture (mouth). The spire is generally brief and the body whorl very expanded.
shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
of this species can attain a heightHeight:
The height of the shell is a measure of the distance between the apex and the most basal part of the shell OR the measurement taken from the apex of the shell to the base, when measured parallel to the axis of the shell.
of 10 mm and a widthWidth:
The width of the shell is the maximum distance across the shell (including the aperture).
of 7 mm, with 3.25 whorlsWhorls:
Pleural of whorl. A whorl is a complete spiral turn/growth of the shell of a mollusc. The whorls are counted from the apex outwards.
. The shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
is generally tan to pale brown in color, smooth and glossy. This species has a thicker shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
than other species.

Oxyloma elegans: The shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
of this species may be 9-12 mm high, occasionally 18 mm, with 3 whorlsWhorls:
Pleural of whorl. A whorl is a complete spiral turn/growth of the shell of a mollusc. The whorls are counted from the apex outwards.
. The color of the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
varies from light brown to black. The pale morphs generally have a dark-colored markings on the shellShell:
A hard, inflexible, calcareous or chitinous structure that vary in size and may either completely encasing the animal, covering some part of it or be internal.
.

Native range

S. campestris: North America

S. putris: Europe and Siberia

O. elegans: Holarctic

Distribution

Succinea spp.:

North America:

• U.S.
• Canada

Pacific Islands: Hawaii

Europe

Calcisuccinea luteola:

North America:

• U.S.: from Louisiana west to Arizona

South and Central America

Caribbean: Haiti, Dominican Republic

C. dominicensis:

Caribbean: Haiti

Oxyloma elegans:

Europe: Britain, Ireland

Ecology

In general, Succinea spp. and Indosuccinea spp. consume algae and moss, and occasionally higher plants. Succinea costricana colonize leaf litter and other moist microhabitats. Additionally this species is attracted to lights, which is highly unusual for snails. This species has been noted as a quarantine pest of ornamentals (Dracaena species) because of its propensity to remain attached to leaves. It can reproduce by self-fertilizationSelf-fertilization:
This is an event where an organism is produced by the fertilization of an egg by sperm from the same organism. (See also hermaphrodite)
and lays few eggs; however, it lays year round.

Calcisuccinea spp. are considered significant pests of fruit and horticultural crops. They have been detected in greenhouse and nursery production of fruit and ornamental crops, on the other hand Indosuccinea spp. are typically found in wetlands (e.g., marshes). These species are prolific and can rapidly achieve pest status.

Synonyms

Succinea campestris:

• Succinea campestris Say 1817, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1:281 (Sea Islands of Georgia and Cumberland Island; Amelia Island, N.E. Florida; Binney, 1851, Terr. Moll., 2: 67, pl. 67b, fig. 1.
• Succinea inflata Linnaeus 1844, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., 9: 5; Obs. Genus Unio, 4: 5 (South Carolina)

S. putris:

• Helix putris Linnaeus, 1758
• Succinea amphibia Draparnaud, 1801

Calcisuccinea luteola:

• Succinea (Calcisuccinea) luteola luteola Gould, 1848
• Succinea luteola Gould, 1848
• Succinea texasiana Pfeiffer, 1848
• Succinea citrina Shuttleworth

References

Anderson 2005; Cowie et al. 2008; Cowie et al. 2009; Kantor et al. 2009; Villalobos et al. 1995; Perez and Cordeiro 2008; Pilsbry 1948