introduced species of land snails or slugs.Numerous land snails were identified as SGCN priorities and are listed in Table 3.9.2. Table 3.9.2 Conservation Concern SGCN priority land snail species.Family Scientific Name Common Name (Population) Federal/ StateORDER: Basommatophora Appalachian Thorn Listing* Obese Thorn Carychium clappi File Thorn - /SC - /SCCarychiidae Carychium exiguum Rotund Disc Spiral Coil - /T Carychium nannodes Fringed Coil - /T Talus CoilORDER: Stylommatophora Mountain Pillsnail - /T Ocoee Covert - /SCDiscidae Discus rotundatus Roan Covert Big-Tooth Covert - /SC Helicodiscus bonamicus Talus Covert T/T Engraved Covert - /SCHelicodiscidae Helicodiscus fimbriatus Rock-Loving Covert FSC/T Cinnamon Covert Helicodiscus triodus Clingman Covert Dwarf Globelet Euchemotrema fasciatum Smoky Mountain Covert Velvet Covert Fumonelix archeri A Snail Wandering Globe Fumonelix cherohalaensis Balsam Globe Sealed Globelet Fumonelix jonesiana Dwarf Proud Globe Noonday Globe Fumonelix langdoni Appalachian Shrubsnail Great Smoky Slitmouth Fumonelix orestes Pygmy Slitmouth Cape Fear Threetooth Fumonelix roanensis Blunt Wedge Slim Snaggletooth Fumonelix wheatleyi Delicate Vertigo Smallmouth Vertigo Fumonelix wheatleyi clingmanicus A New Vertigo Inflectarius downieanus Inflectarius ferrissiPolygyridae Inflectarius subpalliatus Inflectarius verus Mesodon altivagus Mesodon andrewsae Mesodon mitchellianus Patera clarki clarki Patera clarki nantahala Praticolella lawae Stenotrema depilatum Stenotrema pilula Triodopsis soelneri Xolotrema caroliniense Gastrocopta pellucidaPupillidae Vertigo bollesiana Vertigo parvula Vertigo sp. 3 Family Scientific Name Common Name (Population) Federal/Succineidae Catinella hubrichti Snowhill Ambersnail StateValloniidae Catinella pugilator Weedpatch Ambersnail Listing* Catinella waccamawensis Waccamaw AmbersnailZonitidae Oxyloma effusum Coastal-Plain Ambersnail - /T Succinea campestris Crinkled Ambersnailsee Table 3.9.1. Succinea unicolor Squatty Ambersnail FSC/E Succinea wilsonii Golden Ambersnail - /SC Vallonia excentrica Iroquois Vallonia Glyphyalinia clingmani Fragile Glyph - /SC Glyphyalinia junaluskana Dark Glyph Glyphyalinia luticola Furrowed Glyph - /SC Glyphyalinia ocoae Blue-Gray Glyph - /SC Glyphyalinia pentadelphia Pink Glyph - /SC Hawaiia alachuana Southeastern Gem FSC/T Mesomphix capnodes Dusky Button - /SC Mesomphix latior Broad Button FSC/T Mesomphix pilsbryi Striate Button - /SC Paravitrea clappi Mirey Ridge Supercoil Paravitrea lacteodens Ramp Cove Supercoil - /SC Paravitrea placentula Glossy Supercoil Paravitrea reesei Round Supercoil Paravitrea ternaria Sculpted Supercoil Paravitrea umbilicaris Open Supercoil Paravitrea varidens Roan Supercoil Pilsbryna nodopalma Oar Tooth Bud Pilsbryna vanattai Honey Glyph Ventridens arcellus Golden Dome Ventridens lasmodon Hollow Dome Ventridens suppressus Flat Dome Zonitoides patuloides Appalachian Gloss3.9.1 Comparison of 2005 - 2015 Priority SpeciesThe 2005 WAP listed 10 snail species as SGCN priority species but did not consider separatecategories for knowledge gaps or management concern priorities. In comparison, the 2015 evaluation identified species as SGCN, knowledge gap priorities and management concernpriorities.Table 3.9.3 provides a list of species from the 2005 priority species list that are no longerconsidered a SGCN priority.Table 3.9.3 2005 priority species that are no longer a SGCN priority.Family Scientific Name Common NamePlanorbidae Ferrissia hendersoni Blackwater AncylidPleuroceridae Leptoxis dilatata Seep MudaliaViviparidae Viviparus intertextus Rotund Mysterysnail3.9.2 Conservation ConcernEfforts to conserve freshwater gastropods have lagged behind efforts to conserve freshwatermussels (Lysne et al. 2008). Very little research has addressed gastropods found in large riversystems but freshwater prosobranch snails (e.g., have gills and separate sexes) in these systemsare subject to the same threats in regulated waters as protected mussel species (Brown et al. 1998;Haynes et al. 1999; Brown 2001; Greenwood and Thorp 2001).Published research on freshwater stream gastropods has focused on their effects on algae insmall-order streams or have focused on pulmonate snails (e.g., have a lung and arehermaphroditic) which are rare in large river systems (Greenwood and Thorp 2001). Since prosobranchspecies do not disperse over land, river regulation has the potential to isolate populationswhich increases the risk for local extirpation or, in the case of endemic species, extinction(Greenwood and Thorp 2001).3.9.3 Knowledge GapsWe have extremely low knowledge levels and understanding of all snails in the state. A primarylimitation is species expertise, resource agency staff time, and resources to devote to thesespecies. The first step in a successful gastropod conservation program is to gain anunderstanding of the diversity of taxa that exist (Perez and Minton 2008; Lysne et al. 2008). The need foradequate inventories of extant taxa and an understanding of distributional trends of those taxais urgent (Lydeard et al. 2004, Wilson 2005; Lysne et al. 2008). Dispersal abilities, life histories, and habitatrequirements are not well understood for most species in North Carolina which will impedeconservation efforts especially where landscapes are changing rapidly.Field identification can be difficult and lack of uniform and comparable data contributes toinconsistent taxonomy. Many of the land snails in the family Zonitidae (glass snails) have notbeen taxonomically described and very little has been published about their ecology, reproductive biology, or egg laying behavior. It is important that inventory programs berepeatable (and then actually repeated) in subsequent years to document species persistence,increases and decreases in spatial distribution, and changes in habitat condition (Lysne et al. 2008).As new data are gathered and new species are described taxonomic knowledge databases needto be updated. Consider using molecular studies for establishing taxonomy and documentingand reporting element occurrences. Simultaneously providing a description of communitycomposition will provide ecological context that will benefit conservation planning (Lysne et al.2008).Numerous pollutants have been found in North Carolina’s aquatic systems but there isuncertainty regarding the effects of these pollutants on populations of freshwater snails.Research is needed in order to understand within an ecological context the effect contaminantshave on snails (Clark and Maret 1998, Wong et al. 2000, Clark et al. 2004, Rattray et al. 2005; Lysne et al. 2008).3.9.4 Management NeedsCaptive propagation and reintroduction of imperiled snails should be investigated as aconservation measure. Techniques might include rearing snails in captivity for subsequentrelease into known historic range. Other techniques include relocation or translocation of eggs,juveniles or adults from viable populations to augment extant populations or establish newpopulations in suitable habitats. Risks include reduction of genetic material and inbreeding,introduction of disease from individuals released into the wild, and loss of species held captivefrom human error or equipment failure (Snyder et al. 1996, USFWS 2000; Lysne et al. 2008).3.9.5 Threats and ProblemsAcid deposition from air pollution can affect soil calcium levels which in turn may affect snails.An association has been made between snail abundance and diversity and availability ofcalcium (from soil cations, detritus, plants) for regulation of bodily processes, reproduction, andshell building (Burch 1962; Fournie et al. 1984; Nekola 1999; Kalisz and Powell 2003; Hickman et al. 2003; Dourson 2013).Snails play a critical role in concentrating calcium (in shells) which then becomes available tospecies in higher trophic levels, especially birds that need calcium for egg shells (Skeldon et al. 2007).Some research suggests that snail abundance and diversity can serve as an indicator for theeffects of acid deposition (Hamburg et al. 2003; Skeldon et al. 2007); however, other studies have foundmultiple variables (pH, soil moisture, populations of predators, herbaceous cover) influencesnail abundance at various spatial scales (Skeldon et al. 2007).Contamination of freshwater habitats by chemicals, sediments, heavy metals and othersubstances has been recognized as a serious ecological impact to wildlife. Some of the samechemicals that interact with and affect hormonal activities (endocrine disrupting chemicals) invertebrates can also affect freshwater snails (Fox 2005; Iguchi and Katsu 2008). There is also growingconcern for salinization of freshwater systems from man-made sources such as road de-icing, wastewater and mining effluents, oil and gas extraction methods, and agricultural practices(Suski et al. 2012).Species invasions have a demonstrated detrimental effect on the biodiversity of molluscs(Lydeard et al. 2004; Lysne et al. 2008) directly through competition for resources, such as food andspace, and indirectly through changes in ecosystem function (Hall et al. 2003, Richards 2004, Kerans et al.2005; Lysne et al. 2008).Flamed Tigersnail (H. Zell) Many species of terrestrial gastropod,Via Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org) including those found throughout North Carolina, are known to be a vector for common parasites. For instance, the Flamed Tigersnail is known to be an intermediary host for Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, a common meningeal nematode parasite of white-tailed deer and other ungulate species (Lankester and Anderson 1968; Anderson and Prestwood 1981; Garvon and Bird 2005).3.9.7 Additional InformationIn 2013 the American Fisheries Society (AFS) Endangered Species Committee on freshwatergastropods developed a list of snails in Canada and the United States found in freshwaterhabitats. Their assessment indicates about 64% of freshwater snails are in some level ofimperilment, including 53 species found in North Carolina, and another 10% are consideredextinct. More information is available on the U.S. Geological Survey web sitehttp://fl.biology.usgs.gov/afs_snail/index.html.Collections on land snails can be found at a number of museums around the country. Review ofthose collections will be critical to better verifying species identifications and distributions forrecords pertaining to North Carolina. Collections are available at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL. The collections of L. Hubricht are available on the web. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA. The collections of H. A. Pilsbry are housed here, which form the basis for the monograph of land snails of North America (see key references). Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL. John Slapcinsky is conducting work on the zonitidae of western North Carolina; computerized collections. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA. Tim Pearce has a very large land snail collection which should be reviewed for North Carolina records. Ohio State Museum of Zoology. Tom Watters has a computerized collection of land snails that may contain information on western North Carolina species. The Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (http://molluskconservation.org) is dedicated tothe conservation of and advocacy of freshwater mollusks, North America's most imperiledanimals. Membership in the society is open to anyone interested in freshwater mollusks whosupports the Society’s mission. The organization publishes Walkerana: The Journal of theFreshwater Mollusk Conservation Society, newsletters, and reports.A recent publication by Dourson (2013) provides an inventory of the land snails found in theGreat Smoky Mountains National Park and Southern Appalachians. Other published resourcesinclude older materials such as: How to know the eastern land snails. Picture-keys for determining the land snails of the United States occurring east of the Rocky Mountain Divide. John Bayard Burch, 1962. William. C. Brown Co., Publishers, Dubuque, IA. Identification of eastern North American land snails. The Prosobranchia, Opisthobranchia and Pulmonata (Actophila). John Bayard Burch and Amy Shrader Van Devender. 1980. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 50 pp. Freshwater snails (Lollusca: Gastropoda) of North America. John Bayard Burch. 1982. EPA-600/3-82-026. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory. Cincinnati, Ohio. 301 pp. The distributions of the native land mollusks of the eastern United States. Leslie Hubricht, 1985. Fieldiana (Field Museum of Natural History) No. 24. Available online http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/3329#/summary.3.9.8 Recommendations In general, protection and restoration of natural community composition and function andprotection of surrounding natural areas under current conditions are the best ways to ensuresuitable habitats are available for this species. Measures that protect a large and diverse pool ofpopulations is the best way to ensure that species are able to survive future stresses and adaptto changing climate conditions.Distributional and status surveys. Priorities for conducting distributional and status surveysneed to focus on species believed to be declining or mainly dependent on at-risk naturalcommunities. Needs include: A thorough state-wide survey to confirm species distributions beyond county inventories. Continue species distribution surveys for SGCN and priority species.Monitoring. Long-term monitoring is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health and ingauging resiliency of organisms to a changing climate. These efforts will inform future decisionson how to manage species and their habitats. Long-term monitoring is needed to identify population trends and to assess performance of conservation actions. Monitoring plans shouldbe coordinated with other existing monitoring programs where feasible. Long-term monitoring is needed to identify population trends.Research. Research to facilitate appropriate conservation actions includes habitatuse/preferences, spawning location and timing, fecundity, population dynamics, populationgenetics, feeding, competition, and predation. Research must also be conducted to determinevulnerability of SGCN and other priority species to specific threats, and studies should providerecommendations for mitigation and restoration. Review existing collections to verify North Carolina species records. Basic systematics work on most snails is needed, especially those in Family Zonitidae. Research should focus on life history studies of priority species. Specific questions to be addressed include habitat use/preferences, spawning location and timing, fecundity, population dynamics, feeding, competition, and predation. Investigate captive-propagation and reintroduction techniques for rare snail species (Lysne et al 2008). Investigate species considered a host or vector for pathogens or parasites, their prevalence, and pathways for infection of white-tailed deer and other ungulate species. Studies may include collection and testing of fecal samples, brain tissue, or vertebral canal tissue (Slomke et al. 1995).Table 3.9.4 lists the species for which there are research priorities because of knowledge gaps.Table 3.9.4 Knowledge Gap priority snail species.Family Scientific Name Common Name StatusAquatic Snails Japanese Mysterysnail Exotic Slender WalkerViviparidae Cipangopaludina japonica Exotic Brown-banded Arion ExoticPomatiopsidae Pomatiopsis lapidaria Orange-banded Arion Exotic Dusky Arion ExoticLand Snails A Terrestrial Snail Exotic A Terrestrial Snail Arion circumscriptus Glossy Pillar - /SC Blue-footed LancetoothArionidae Arion fasciatus Sterki's Granule Tight Coil Arion subfuscus Compound Coil Oldfield CoilBulimulidae Bulimulus tennuissimus Bulimulus tennuissimus puellarisCionellidae Cochlicopa lubricaHaplotrematidae Haplotrema kendeighi Guppya sterkiiHelicarionidae Helicodiscus notius Helicodiscus parallelus Lucilla scintilla Family Scientific Name Common Name Status Allogona profunda Broad-banded Forestsnail - /SCPolygyridae Appalachina chilhoweensis Queen Crater Appalachina sayanus Spike-lip Crater - / SCPunctidae Daedalochila postelliana Coastal LiptoothPupillidae Euchemotrema fraternum Upland Pillsnail Fumonelix jonesiana Big-tooth Covert Inflectarius kalmianus Brown Globelet Lobosculum pustuloides Tiny Liptooth Mesodon clausus Yellow Globelet Mesodon elevatus Proud Globe Mesodon normalis Grand Globe Mesodon thyroidus White-lip Globe Mesodon zaletus Toothed Globe Neohelix albolabris Whitelip Neohelix dentifera Big-tooth Whitelip Neohelix major Southeastern Whitelip Neohelix solemi Coastal Whitelip Patera appressa Flat Bladetooth Patera laevior Smooth Bladetooth Patera perigrapta Engraved Bladetooth Polygyra cereolus Southern Flatcoil Stenotrema altispira Highland Slitmouth Stenotrema barbatum Bristled Slitmouth Stenotrema barbigerum Fringed Slitmouth Stenotrema hirsutum Hairy Slitmouth Stenotrema magnafumosum Appalachian Slitmouth Stenotrema stenotrema Inland Slitmouth Triodopsis affinis A Pinhole Threetooth Triodopsis burchi Pittsylvania Threetooth Triodopsis fallax Mimic Threetooth Triodopsis fulciden Dwarf Threetooth Triodopsis hopetonensis Magnolia Threetooth Triodopsis juxtidens Atlantic Threetooth Triodopsis messana Pinhole Threetooth Triodopsis obsoleta Nubbin Threetooth Triodopsis pendula Hanging Rock Threetooth Triodopsis tridentata Northern Threetooth Xolotrema denotatum Velvet Wedge Punctum blandianum Brown Spot Punctum minutissimum Small Spot Punctum smithi Lamellate Spot Punctum vitreum Glass Spot Columella simplex A Column Gastrocopta armifera Armed Snaggletooth Gastrocopta contracta Bottleneck Snaggletooth Family Scientific Name Common Name Status Gastrocopta corticaria Bark SnaggletoothSpiraxidae Gastrocopta pentodon Comb Snaggletooth ExoticStrobilopsidae Gastrocopta procera Wing SnaggletoothSubulinidae Gastrocopta riparia Gulf Coast Snaggletooth ExoticSuccineidae Gastrocopta rupicola Tapered Snaggletooth - /SCValloniidae Gastrocopta tappaniana White Snaggletooth - /SC Pupoides albilabris White-lip DaggerZonitidae Vertigo alabamensis Alabama Vertigo Vertigo gouldii Variable Vertigo Vertigo malleata Malleated Vertigo Vertigo milium Blade Vertigo Vertigo oralis Palmetto Vertigo Vertigo oscariana Capital Vertigo Vertigo ovata Ovate Vertigo Vertigo teskeyae Swamp Vertigo Euglandina rosea Rosy Wolfsnail Strobilops aeneus Bronze Pinecone Strobilops labyrinthicus Maze Pinecone Strobilops texasianus Southern Pinecone Allopeas clavulinum Spike Awlsnail Catinella oklahomarum Detritus Ambersnail Catinella vermeta Suboval Ambersnail Novisuccinea ovalis Oval Ambersnail Succinea forsheyi Spotted Ambersnail Succinea indiana Xeric Ambersnail Vallonia pulchella Lovely Vallonia Gastrodonta interna Brown Bellytooth Glyphyalinia carolinensis Spiral Mountain Glyph Glyphyalinia cumberlandiana Hill Glyph Glyphyalinia indentata Carved Glyph Glyphyalinia praecox Brilliant Glyph Glyphyalinia rhoadsi Sculpted Glyph Glyphyalinia sculptilis Suborb Glyph Glyphyalinia solida Solid Glyph Glyphyalinia umbilicata Texas Glyph Glyphyalinia wheatleyi Bright Glyph Mesomphix andrewsae Mountain Button Mesomphix cupreus Copper Button Mesomphix perlaevis Fragile Button Mesomphix rugeli Wrinkled Button Mesomphix subplanus Flat Button Oxychilus alliarius Garlic Glass-snail Paravitrea andrewsae High Mountain Supercoil Paravitrea capsella Dimple Supercoil Paravitrea lamellidens Lamellate Supercoil Family Scientific Name Common Name Status Paravitrea multidentata Dentate Supercoil - /SC Striatura ferrea Black Striate Striatura meridionalis Median Striate Ventridens acerra Glossy Dome Ventridens cerinoideus Wax Dome Ventridens coelaxis Bidentate Dome Ventridens collisella Sculptured Dome Ventridens decussatus Crossed Dome Ventridens demissus Perforate Dome Ventridens gularis Throaty Dome Ventridens intertextus Pyramid Dome Ventridens lawae Rounded Dome Ventridens ligera Globose Dome Ventridens pilsbryi Yellow Dome Ventridens theloides Copper Dome Vitrinizonites latissimus Glassy Grapeskin Zonitoides arboreus Quick Gloss Zonitoides elliotti Green DomeManagement Practices and Conservation Programs. Management practices that reduceimpacts and work synergistically with other conservation actions are needed to enhance theresilience of natural resources. Particular needs include preserving biodiversity, protectingnative populations and their habitats, and improving degraded habitats.Cooperative Efforts and Partnerships. Conservation programs and incentives and partnershipsshould be utilized to the extent possible to preserve high quality resources and protectimportant natural communities. Protection measures that utilize existing regulatoryframeworks to protect habitats and species should be incorporated where applicable. Landconservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climatechange but overall, promotes ecosystem resilience.
