Cernuella virgata

Cernuella virgata, also known as Helicella virgata, common name, the "vineyard snail", is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Geomitridae.

This species of snail makes and uses love darts.

Shell description

The shell is from 6 to 19 mm in height and 8 to 25 mm in width.

The coloration of the shell is quite variable, but there is often a creamy-white background, with a variable number of pale to darker brown markings. Some shells are banded at the periphery and on the underside.

Technical description

For terms see gastropod shell

The 15 x 12Ã¢ÂÂ23 mm. shell has 4.5Ã¢ÂÂ5.5 convex whorls. The last whorl is initially angulated or rounded. The aperture is rounded with a whitish or reddish lip inside and margin is not reflected, The umbilicus is always open, 1/10-1/6 of shell diameter and sometimes slightly excentric. The colour of the periostracum is whitish or yellowish, sometimes with red hue and usually with two brown colour bands on the upper side and 3Ã¢ÂÂ4 narrower bands on the lower side, initially finely ribbed, weakly striated at lower whorls.

Distribution

This snail is endemic to Mediterranean and Western Europe, including the British Isles. This species has been recovered from the Roman occupation of Volubilis, an archaeological site in present-day Morocco.

Cernuella virgata is an invasive species and an agricultural pest in parts of Australia, where it arrived around 1920. In Australia it is known as the "common white snail".

Another land snail which is present as an invasive in Australia, and which is sometimes confused with C. virgata is the species Theba pisana. It is somewhat similar in appearance, and lives under similar circumstances. Theba pisana is however a larger species with a more inflated shell, lower spire and a nearly covered umbilicus.

Comparison between shells of C. virgata and T. pisana:

Behavior and human relevance

This species aestivates after climbing to the top of vegetation (or fences). This habit is problematic for farmers engaged in crop harvesting, because numerous snails are collected along with the crop.

Life cycle

The size of the egg is 1.5 mm.

Parasites

This species is an intermediate host for the terrestrial trematode parasite Brachylaima cribbi.

Gastronomy

Cernuella virgata, with T. pisana, is consumed in Spain as a "tapa" in the bars, especially in Andalusia, where snails are known as "Chichos" snails.

Synonyms

Cernuella (Cernuella) virgata (Da Costa, 1778) ÃÂ· alternate representation
Cochlea virgata Da Costa, 1778 ÃÂ· (original name)
Helicella (Heliomanes) lineata (Olivi, 1792) ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helicella (Jacosta) jentteri Lindholm, 1926 ÃÂ·
Helicella (Xerocincta) neglecta M. R. Alonso, 1975 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helicella (Xeromagna) submeridionalis M. R. Alonso, 1975 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helicella virgata (da Costa, 1778) ÃÂ· (superseded generic combination)
Helix (Helicella) lauta R. T. Lowe, 1831 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix (Xerophila) amblia Westerlund, 1893 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix (Xerophila) lineata Olivi, 1792 ÃÂ· (superseded combination)
Helix aglaometa J. Mabille, 1882 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix alluvionum Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix aradasii Pirajno, 1842 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix blasi Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix canovasiana Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix castroiana Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix edetanorum Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix finitimus Locard, 1899 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix grannonensis Bourguignat in Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix hamilcaris Kobelt, 1877 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix lineata Olivi, 1792
Helix lululenta Locard, 1899 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix luteata L. Pfeiffer, 1857 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix luteola var. minor Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix mendranoi Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix parva L. Pfeiffer, 1848 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix phryganophila J. Mabille, 1882 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix rufolabris L. Pfeiffer, 1856 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix solanoi Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix subluteata Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix tergestina RossmÃÂ¤ssler, 1837 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix terrosa Locard, 1899 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix uberta Locard, 1899 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Helix virgata (da Costa, 1778) ÃÂ· (superseded combination)
Helix virgata var. alba J. W. Taylor, 1883 ÃÂ· (invalid; name preoccupied)
Helix virgata var. leucozona J. W. Taylor, 1883 ÃÂ· (invalid; not C. Pfeiffer, 1828)
Helix virgata var. major J. W. Taylor, 1883 ÃÂ· (invalid; name preoccupied)
Helix virgata var. minor J. W. Taylor, 1883 ÃÂ· (invalid; name preoccupied)
Helix xalonica Servain, 1880 ÃÂ· (junior synonym)
Xerophila virgata (Da Costa, 1778)
Xerophila virgata croatiae Kormos, 1906 ÃÂ· (suspected synonym)

References

Provoost, S.; Bonte, D. (Ed.) (2004). Animated dunes: a view of biodiversity at the Flemish coast [Levende duinen: een overzicht van de biodiversiteit aan de Vlaamse kust]. Mededelingen van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud, 22. Instituut voor Natuurbehoud: Brussel, Belgium. . 416, ill., appendices pp
Sysoev, A. V. & Schileyko, A. A. (2009). Land snails and slugs of Russia and adjacent countries. Sofia/Moskva (Pensoft). 312 pp., 142 plates.

External links

Cernuella virgata at Animalbase taxonomy, short description, distribution, biology, status (threats), images
Cernuella virgata images at Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea Search Distribution