List of non-marine molluscs of Costa Rica facts for kids

Location of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is home to many amazing animals, including tiny creatures called non-marine molluscs. These are snails, slugs, and clams that live on land or in freshwater, not in the ocean. Scientists have found 233 different types of these molluscs in Costa Rica. About 50 kinds live in freshwater, and 183 live on land. Experts believe there might be even more, possibly up to 300 or 400 species!

Most of the land snails and slugs found in Costa Rica belong to 25 different families and 59 groups (called genera). Some of these species are found in high-altitude grasslands (paramo) and oak forests. You can see samples of these creatures at the Museum of Zoology at the University of Costa Rica.

A special thing about Costa Rica's molluscs is that many are unique to the country. About 31% of the land species and 8% of the freshwater species are endemic. This means they are found nowhere else in the world! Sadly, these special creatures are at risk. Things like water pollution, cutting down forests (deforestation), and destroying their homes (especially places rich in calcium, which they need for their shells) can harm them.

Land Snails and Slugs (Gastropods)

Land snails and slugs are part of a group called Gastropoda. In Costa Rica, there are many different families of these fascinating creatures.

Helicinidae

This family includes 17 different types of snails. They are often found in tropical and subtropical areas.

• Helicina boeckeleri
• Helicina deppeana parvidens
• Helicina funcki funcki
• Helicina funcki costaricensis
• Helicina hojarasca
• Helicina oweniana coccinostoma
• Helicina oweniana anozona
• Helicina pitalensis
• Helicina tenuis tenuis
• Helicina tenuis pittieri
• Lucidella lirata
• Olygyra beatrix
• Olygyra beatrix confusa
• Olygyra chiquitica
• Olygyra fragilis
• Olygyra gemma
• Olygyra talamancensis

Cyclophoridae

There are 15 known types of snails from the Cyclophoridae family in Costa Rica.

• Barbacyclus boucardi
• Barbacyclus princeps
• Barbacyclus underwoodi
• Dicrista cooperi
• Neocyclotus bisinuatus
• Neocyclotus capscelius
• Neocyclotus carmioli
• Neocyclotus costarricense
• Neocyclotus dysoni dysoni
• Neocyclotus dysoni valerioi
• Neocyclotus dysoni nicaraguense
• Neocyclotus exiguum
• Neocyclotus irregulare
• Neocyclotus impressus
• Neocyclotus pittieri

Diplommatinidae

Only one species from this family has been found:

• Adelopoma costaricense

Carychiidae

Just one species from this family lives in Costa Rica:

• Carychium exiguum costaricanum

Achatinellidae

Two species from the Achatinellidae family are found here:

• Tornatellina biolleyi
• Tornatellina pittieri

Vertiginidae

This family has three species in Costa Rica:

• Gastrocopta gularis
• Nesopupa cocosensis
• Pupisoma dioscoricola

Orthalicidae

This is a large family with 30 different species found in Costa Rica.

• Bulimulus corneus
• Drymaeus alternans
• Drymaeus attenuatus attenuates
• Drymaeus attenuatus pittieri
• Drymaeus costaricensis
• Drymaeus discrepans
• Drymaeus gabbi
• Drymaeus hoffmanni
• Drymaeus inusitatus
• Drymaeus irazuensis
• Drymaeus jonasi
• Drymaeus josephus josephus
• Drymaeus josephus maculosus
• Drymaeus josephus concolor
• Drymaeus lineolatus
• Drymaeus megastomus
• Drymaeus pluvialis
• Drymaeus recluzianus recluzianus
• Drymaeus recluzianus martesianus
• Drymaeus semimaculatus
• Drymaeus semipellucidus
• Drymaeus sulphureus sulphureus
• Drymaeus sulphureus citronellus
• Drymaeus sulphureus obesus
• Drymaeus tripictus
• Drymaeus zhorquinensis
• Orthalicus ferussaci
• Orthalicus princeps
• Orthalicus tricinctus
• Orthalicus zoniferus crossei

Urocoptidae

One species from this family is found in Costa Rica:

• Microceramus concisus

Subulinidae

There are 23 species in the Subulinidae family in Costa Rica.

• Beckianum beckianum beckianum
• Beckianum beckianum gabbianum
• Beckianum sinistrum
• Lamellaxis gracilis
• Lamellaxis micra micra
• Lamellaxis micra subovale
• Leptinaria ambigua
• Leptinaria biolleyi
• Leptinaria convoluta
• Leptinaria costaricana
• Leptinaria crenulata
• Leptinaria guatemalensis majuscula
• Leptinaria hapaloides
• Leptinaria insignis
• Leptinaria interstriata
• Leptinaria pittieri pittieri
• Leptinaria pittieri obliquata
• Leptinaria solida
• Opeas bocourtianum bocourtianum
• Opeas bocourtianum pittieri
• Opeas guatemalense
• Opeas pumilum
• Subulina octona

Spiraxidae

This family has 33 species in Costa Rica.

• Euglandina aurata
• Euglandina aurantiaca
• Euglandina anomala
• Euglandina broctontomlini
• Euglandina cumingi cumingi
• Euglandina cumingi rubromarginata
• Euglandina cylindracea
• Euglandina gigantea
• Euglandina isabelline
• Euglandina mitriformis
• Euglandina monilifera pulcherrima
• Euglandina pittieri
• Pittieria bicolor
• Pittieria underwoodi
• Spiraxis nitidus pittieri
• Spiraxis paulisculpta
• Spiraxis scalella
• Streptostyla binneyana
• Streptostyla costaricensis
• Streptostyla cylindracea
• Streptostyla delibuta delibuta
• Streptostyla delibuta crassa
• Streptostyla flavescens boucardi
• Streptostyla gabbi
• Streptostyla labida
• Streptostyla lurida
• Streptostyla meridana
• Streptostyla mitraeformis
• Streptostyla sololensis
• Streptostyla turgidula
• Streptostyla valerioi
• Streptostyla viridula
• Salasiella pulchella

Systrophiidae

Five species from the Systrophiidae family are found here.

• Drepanostomella stolli
• Guesteria powisiana
• Miradiscops puncticipitis
• Occultator olssoni
• Systrophia costaricana

Helicodiscidae

Two species from the Helicodiscidae family are found in Costa Rica:

• Chanomphalus pilsbryi
• Radiodiscus millecostatus costaricanus

Charopidae

Only one species from this family has been identified:

• Rotadiscus pilsbryi

Succineidae

This family has five species in Costa Rica.

• Succinea costaricana
• Succinea globispira
• Succinea guatemalensis
• Succinea haustellum
• Succinea recisa

Helicarionidae

There are 15 species from the Helicarionidae family in Costa Rica.

• Euconulus pittieri
• Guppya angasi
• Guppya biolleyi
• Guppya calverti
• Guppya micans
• Guppya orosciana
• Habroconus costaricanus costaricanus
• Habroconus costaricanus elatior
• Habroconus championi
• Habroconus hopkinsi
• Habroconus pallidus
• Habroconus pacificus
• Habroconus trochulinus
• Ovachlamys fulgens
• Velifera gabbi

Zonitidae

Six species from the Zonitidae family live in Costa Rica.

• Glyphyalinia indentata
• Hawaiia minuscula
• Mesomphix modestus
• Zonitoides arboreus
• Zonitoides hoffmanni
• Zonitoides multivolvis

Limacidae

One species from the Limacidae family is found here:

• Deroceras laeve

Polygyridae

Only one species from this family has been identified:

• Praticolella griseola

Thysanophoridae

Two species from the Thysanophoridae family are found in Costa Rica:

• Microconus wilhelmi
• Thysanophora costaricensis

Camaenidae

This family has four species in Costa Rica.

• Labyrinthus quadridentatus quadridentatus
• Labyrinthus quadridentatus biolleyi
• Labyrinthus triplicatus
• Solaropsis tiloriensis

Helicidae

One species from the Helicidae family is found here:

• Cornu aspersum (also known as Helix aspersa)

Helminthoglyptidae

There are eight species from the Helminthoglyptidae family in Costa Rica.

• Averellia macneili
• Cryptostrakon corcovadensis
• Cryptostrakon gabbi
• Leptarionta adela
• Leptarionta costaricensis
• Leptarionta zhorquinensis
• Trichodiscina suturalis
• Trichodiscina pressula

Arionidae

One species from the Arionidae family is found here:

• Ariolimax costaricensis

Philomycidae

Only one species from this family has been identified:

• Pallifera costaricensis

Veronicellidae

Two species from the Veronicellidae family are found in Costa Rica:

• Diplosolenodes occidentalis
• Sarasinula plebeia

Incertae sedis

These are species whose exact family is still being determined:

• Hyalinia glomerula
• Hyalinia permodesta minor

Freshwater Clams (Bivalvia)

Besides snails and slugs, some types of clams, called bivalves, also live in Costa Rica's freshwater rivers and lakes. These creatures have two shells that hinge together.

See also

• List of amphibians of Costa Rica
• List of birds of Costa Rica
• List of mammals of Costa Rica
• List of non-marine molluscs of Nicaragua
• List of reptiles of Costa Rica