List of non-marine molluscs of Great Britain facts for kids

This article lists 239 types of non-marine molluscs found in Great Britain. Molluscs are soft-bodied animals, often with a shell. "Non-marine" means they don't live in the open sea. This list includes land snails and slugs, plus snails and clams that live in freshwater or slightly salty (brackish water) areas. It does not include species found only in special heated places like greenhouses or aquariums.

Great Britain is a large island in Europe, located in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It includes the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales. (It's important to remember that Great Britain is different from the United Kingdom, which also includes Northern Ireland.) The molluscs of Ireland (which includes the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) are listed in a separate article: List of non-marine molluscs of Ireland.

Some species on this list can also be found in marine (sea) environments. For example, two types of pulmonate snails (snails that breathe air) called Onchidella and Otina live in the sea. But they are special because they breathe air when the tide is low, unlike most sea creatures that use gills. Other molluscs on this list live in places that are a mix of land and saltwater, or in brackish water, which is a mix of fresh and salty water.

Scientists are still discovering new species of non-marine molluscs in Great Britain! For example:

• Papillifera papillaris was first noted in 1993. It probably arrived a long time ago with Italian statues.
• Selenochlamys ysbryda was a brand new species discovered in 2004.
• Candidula olisippensis was found on a cliff in Cornwall in 2011.
• Monacha ocellata was found near Tilbury docks in 2017.

Sometimes, new species are added to the list because scientists learn more about them. For instance, in 2009, it was found that snails once known as Pupilla muscorum were actually two very similar species, Pupilla muscorum and Pupilla alpicola, living in different places in Britain. A big study on slugs in 2014, using genetic tests, showed there were 20% more slug species than thought before! Some of these new species haven't even been officially named yet.

Besides the species that live naturally outdoors in Great Britain, there are about 15 other types of snails that live as "uninvited guests" in heated places like greenhouses and aquaria. These are called "hothouse aliens." They are listed separately and are not counted as part of Great Britain's natural wildlife because they can't survive outside. Also, some species like Eobania vermiculata and Milax nigricans have been found outdoors only once and haven't created lasting populations.

Here's a quick look at the numbers of different mollusc species:

Non-marine molluscs of Great Britain	Number of Species
Land snails (Gastropods)	152
Aquatic snails (Gastropods)	55 (includes 2 sea snails that breathe air)
Total Snails (Gastropods):	207
Freshwater clams (Bivalves)	32
Total Molluscs:	239
Introduced snails (in natural places):	about 31 (+16?) land + about 8 aquatic
Introduced clams (in natural places):	4
Total Introduced Molluscs (in natural places):	43–59
Snails living as "hothouse aliens"	15 (11 land + 4 freshwater) (not counted in total wildlife numbers)
Clams living as "hothouse aliens"	0

Conservation

Some mollusc species in Great Britain are considered endangered. This means they are at risk of disappearing forever. These species are marked with an E after their name. You can find more information about them in the List of endangered species in the British Isles.

The United Kingdom protects some species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This law helps keep them safe:

• Catinella arenaria and Myxas glutinosa have been fully protected since 1981.
• Margaritifera margaritifera was partly protected starting in 1991 and fully protected since 1998.
• Helix pomatia has been partly protected since 2008.
• Monacha cartusiana was fully protected from 1981 to 1988.

Sadly, two types of land snails on this list, Fruticicola fruticum and Cernuella neglecta, are now locally extinct in Great Britain. This means they no longer live there, but they can still be found in other parts of Europe.

Systematic List

This list organizes the molluscs by their biological family, which groups similar animals together. It's not in alphabetical order.

Sometimes, a species might have different subspecies. These are like different "versions" of the same species that live in various parts of Europe. Also, a synonym (another name) might be given if a species is better known by that name.

We've tried to label each family as living in water (aquatic), on land (terrestrial), or in between (intermediate). We also note if a species is thought to be introduced. Introduced species are those that were brought to Great Britain by people, sometimes a very long time ago, even during Roman times. Slugs and other species without shells don't leave behind old remains, so it's sometimes hard to know if they are native (originally from Great Britain) or introduced. Unless stated otherwise, species are considered native.

Note: The pictures used in this list are mostly of molluscs found in other countries.

Gastropods (Snails and Slugs)

Neritidae – Aquatic (can live in slightly salty water)

• Theodoxus fluviatilis fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Aciculidae – Terrestrial

• Acicula fusca (Montagu, 1803)

Viviparidae – Aquatic

• Viviparus contectus (Millet, 1813)
• Viviparus viviparus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Cipangopaludina chinensis (Gray in Griffith & Pidgeon, 1833) – Introduced

Assimineidae – Terrestrial (can live near the sea)

• Assiminea grayana J. Fleming, 1828
• Paludinella globularis (Hanley in Thorpe, 1844) – also known as P. littorina

Amnicolidae – Aquatic

• Marstoniopsis insubrica (Küster, 1853) – also known as Bithynella scholtzi – might be introduced, might be extinct

Truncatellidae – Terrestrial (can live near the sea)

• Truncatella subcylindrica (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bithyniidae – Aquatic

• Bithynia leachii (Sheppard, 1823)
• Bithynia tentaculata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cochliopidae – Aquatic

• Semisalsa stagnorum (Gmelin, 1791) – also known as Heleobia stagnorum – not sure if native

Potamopyrgidae – Aquatic

• Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) – Introduced

Hydrobiidae – Aquatic (some live in the sea)

• Hydrobia acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) – subspecies: Hydrobia acuta neglecta Muus, 1963
• Ecrobia ventrosa (Montagu, 1803) – also known as Ventrosia ventrosa
• Peringia ulvae (Pennant, 1777)
• Mercuria anatina (Poiret, 1801) – also known as M. confusa or M. similis

Valvatidae – Aquatic

• Valvata cristata O.F. Müller, 1774
• Valvata macrostoma Mörch, 1864
• Valvata piscinalis (O.F. Müller, 1774)

Pomatiidae – Terrestrial

• Pomatias elegans (O.F Müller, 1774)

The following gastropods are pulmonates (they breathe air):

Ellobiidae – Terrestrial

• Carychium minimum O.F Müller, 1774
• Carychium tridentatum (Risso, 1826)
• Leucophytia bidentata (Montagu, 1808)
• Myosotella denticulata (Montagu, 1803)
• Myosotella myosotis (Draparnaud, 1801)

Onchidiidae – Aquatic (lives in the sea, but breathes air at low tide)

• Onchidella celtica (Cuvier, 1817)

Otinidae – Aquatic (lives in the sea, but breathes air at low tide)

• Otina ovata (Brown, 1827)

Lymnaeidae – Aquatic

• Ampullaceana balthica (Linnaeus, 1758) – also known as Radix balthica or Radix peregra
• Galba truncatula (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Ladislavella catascopium (Say, 1817) – Introduced, believed extinct
• Lymnaea stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Myxas glutinosa (O.F. Müller, 1774) E
• Omphiscola glabra (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Stagnicola fuscus (C. Pfeiffer, 1821) – also known as Lymnaea fusca
• Stagnicola palustris (O.F. Müller, 1774) – also known as Lymnaea palustris

Physidae – Aquatic

• Aplexa hypnorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Physa fontinalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) – also known as Physella heterostropha – Introduced
• Physella gyrina (Say, 1821) – Introduced

Planorbidae – Aquatic

• Ancylus fluviatilis (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Anisus leucostoma (Millet, 1813)
• Anisus spirorbis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Anisus vortex (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Anisus vorticulus (Troschel, 1834) E
• Bathyomphalus contortus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Ferrissia californica (Rowell, 1863) – also known as F. wautieri, F. fragilis – Introduced
• Gyraulus acronicus (A. Férussac, 1807)
• Gyraulus albus (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Gyraulus crista (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Gyraulus laevis (Alder, 1838)
• Hippeutis complanatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841) – Introduced
• Planorbarius corneus corneus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Planorbis carinatus O.F. Müller, 1774
• Planorbis planorbis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Segmentina nitida (O.F. Müller, 1774) E

Acroloxidae – Aquatic

• Acroloxus lacustris (Linnaeus, 1758)

Succineidae – Terrestrial (some can live near water)

• Quickella arenaria (Potiez & Michaud, 1838) – also known as Catinella arenaria
• Succinella oblonga Draparnaud, 1801
• Succinea putris Linnaeus, 1758
• Oxyloma elegans elegans (Risso, 1826) – also known as Oxyloma pfeifferi
• Oxyloma sarsii (Esmark, 1886)

Cochlicopidae – Terrestrial

• Azeca goodalli (A. Férrusac, 1821)
• Cochlicopa cf. lubrica – also known as Cochlicopa lubrica (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Cochlicopa cf. lubricella – also known as Cochlicopa lubricella (Porro, 1838)

Pyramidulidae – Terrestrial

• Pyramidula pusilla (Vallot, 1801)

Vertiginidae – Terrestrial

• Columella edentula (Draparnaud, 1805)
• Columella aspera Walden, 1966
• Truncatellina cylindrica (Férussac, 1807)
• Truncatellina callicratis (Scacchi, 1833) – probably native
• Vertigo pusilla O.F. Müller, 1774
• Vertigo alpestris Alder, 1838
• Vertigo antivertigo (Draparnaud, 1801)
• Vertigo genesii (Gredler, 1856)
• Vertigo geyeri Lindholm, 1925
• Vertigo lilljeborgi (Westerlund, 1871)
• Vertigo modesta arctica (Say, 1824)
• Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849)
• Vertigo pusilla O.F. Müller, 1774
• Vertigo pygmaea (Draparnaud, 1801)
• Vertigo substriata (Jeffreys, 1833)
• Vertigo angustior Jeffreys, 1830

Chondrinidae – Terrestrial

• Abida secale secale (Draparnaud, 1801)

Pupillidae – Terrestrial

• Pupilla muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Pupilla alpicola (Charpentier, 1837)

Lauriidae – Terrestrial

• Leiostyla anglica (Wood, 1828)
• Lauria cylindracea (da Costa, 1778)
• Lauria sempronii (Charpentier, 1837) – probably native

Valloniidae – Terrestrial

• Vallonia costata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Vallonia pulchella (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Vallonia cf. excentrica – also known as Vallonia excentrica Sterke, 1892
• Acanthinula aculeata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Spermodea lamellata (Jeffreys, 1830)

Enidae – Terrestrial

• Ena montana (Draparnaud, 1801)
• Merdigera obscura (O.F. Müller, 1774) – also known as Ena obscura

Punctidae – Terrestrial

• Punctum pygmaeum (Draparnaud, 1801)
• Paralaoma servilis (Shuttleworth, 1852) – Introduced

Helicodiscidae – Terrestrial

• Lucilla singleyana – also known as Helicodiscus singleyanus Pilsbry, 1890 – Introduced

Discidae – Terrestrial

• Discus rotundatus rotundatus (O.F. Müller, 1774)

Arionidae – Terrestrial

• Arion ater (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Arion rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Arion flagellus Collinge, 1893 – Introduced?
• Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 – also known as Arion lusitanicus – Introduced
• Arion sp. "Davies" – Introduced?
• Arion subfuscus Draparnaud, 1805
• Arion fuscus O.F. Müller, 1774 – Introduced?
• Arion cf. iratii Garrido, Castillejo & Iglesias, 1995 – Introduced?
• Arion circumscriptus Johnston, 1828
• Arion silvaticus Lohmander, 1937
• Arion fasciatus (Nilsson, 1823) – Introduced?
• Arion hortensis A. Férussac, 1819
• Arion distinctus J. Mabille, 1868
• Arion owenii Davies, 1979
• Arion cf. fagophilus de Winter, 1986 – Introduced?
• Arion intermedius (Normand, 1852)

Pristilomatidae – Terrestrial

• Vitrea contracta (Westerlund, 1871)
• Vitrea crystallina (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Vitrea subrimata (Reinhardt, 1871)

Euconulidae – Terrestrial

• Euconulus fulvus (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Euconulus alderi (J.E. Gray, 1840)

Gastrodontidae – Terrestrial

• Zonitoides nitidus (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Zonitoides excavatus (Alder, 1830)

Oxychilidae – Terrestrial

• Oxychilus alliarius (Miller, 1822)
• Oxychilus cellarius (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Oxychilus draparnaudi draparnaudi (Beck, 1837) – Introduced
• Oxychilus navarricus helveticus (Blum, 1881) – Introduced?
• Aegopinella nitidula (Draparnaud, 1805)
• Aegopinella pura (Alder, 1830)
• Nesovitrea hammonis (Ström, 1765) – also known as Perpolita hammonis
• Daudebardia rufa (Draparnaud, 1805) – Introduced

Milacidae – Terrestrial

• Milax gagates (Draparnaud, 1801) – Introduced?
• Tandonia rustica (Millet, 1843) – Introduced?
• Tandonia budapestensis (Hazay, 1881) – Introduced
• Tandonia cf. cristata (Kaleniczenko, 1851) – Introduced
• Tandonia sowerbyi (A. Férussac, 1823) – Introduced?

Vitrinidae – Terrestrial

• Vitrina pellucida (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Phenacolimax major (A. Férussac, 1807) – probably native

Boettgerillidae – Terrestrial

• Boettgerilla pallens Simroth, 1912 – Introduced

Trigonochlamydidae – Terrestrial

• Selenochlamys ysbryda Rowson & Symondson, 2008 – Introduced

Limacidae – Terrestrial

• Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758
• Limax cinereoniger Wolf, 1803
• Limax cf. dacampi Menegazzi, 1854 – Introduced
• Limacus flavus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Introduced?
• Limacus maculatus (Kaleniczenko, 1851) – also known as Limax ecarinatus – Introduced
• Malacolimax tenellus (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Lehmannia marginata (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Ambigolimax parvipenis Hutchinson, Reise & Schlitt, 2022 – Introduced
• Ambigolimax valentianus (A. Férussac, 1822) – Introduced

Agriolimacidae – Terrestrial

• Deroceras laeve (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Deroceras agreste (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Deroceras reticulatum (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Deroceras panormitanum (Lessona & Pollonera, 1882) – also known as Deroceras caruanae – Introduced
• Deroceras invadens Reise, Hutchinson, Schunack & Schlitt, 2011 – Introduced

Ferussaciidae – Terrestrial

• Cecilioides acicula (O.F. Müller, 1774) – probably introduced

Clausiliidae – Terrestrial

• Alinda biplicata biplicata (Montagu, 1803) – Introduced?
• Balea perversa (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Balea sarsii Pfeiffer, 1847
• Clausilia bidentata bidentata (Ström, 1765)
• Clausilia dubia dubia Draparnaud, 1805 – probably native
• Cochlodina laminata (Montagu, 1803)
• Macrogastra rolphii (Turton, 1826)
• Papillifera papillaris (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced

Testacellidae – Terrestrial

• Testacella maugei A. Férussac, 1822 – Introduced?
• Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801 – Introduced?
• Testacella scutulum Sowerby, 1821 – Introduced?
• Testacella sp. "tenuipenis" – Introduced?

Helicodontidae – Terrestrial

• Helicodonta obvoluta obvoluta (O.F. Müller, 1774) – probably native

Cochlicellidae – Terrestrial

• Cochlicella acuta (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced?
• Cochlicella barbara (Linnaeus, 1758) – Introduced

Hygromiidae – Terrestrial

• Ashfordia granulata (Alder, 1830) – also known as Monacha granulata
• Candidula gigaxii (L. Pfeiffer, 1850) – Introduced?
• Candidula intersecta (Poiret, 1801) – probably introduced
• Candidula olisippensis (Servain, 1880) – Introduced
• Cernuella aginnica (Locard, 1894) – Introduced
• Cernuella neglecta (Draparnaud, 1805) – Introduced, now extinct in G.B.
• Cernuella virgata (Da Costa, 1778) – probably introduced
• Helicella itala itala (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801) – Introduced
• Hygromia limbata limbata (Draparnaud, 1805) – Introduced
• Monacha cantiana (Montagu, 1803) – Introduced
• Monacha cartusiana (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced?
• Monacha ocellata (Roth, 1839) – Introduced
• Ponentina subvirescens (Bellamy, 1839) – probably native
• Pseudotrichia rubiginosa (Rossmässler, 1838) – probably native
• Trochoidea elegans (Gmelin, 1791) – Introduced
• Trochulus hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Trochulus sericeus (Draparnaud, 1801)
• Trochulus striolatus (Pfeiffer, 1828)
• Zenobiella subrufescens (Miller, 1822)

Bradybaenidae – Terrestrial

• Fruticicola fruticum (O.F. Müller, 1774) – probably introduced, now extinct in G.B.

Helicidae – Terrestrial

• Arianta arbustorum arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Helicigona lapicida lapicida (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Theba pisana pisana (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced
• Cepaea nemoralis nemoralis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Cepaea hortensis (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Cornu aspersum aspersum – also known as Helix aspersa (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced
• Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758 – Introduced
• Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758 – Introduced?

Bivalves (Clams and Mussels)

Margaritiferidae – Aquatic

• Margaritifera margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) E

Unionidae – Aquatic

• Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Unio tumidus Philipsson, 1788
• Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Anodonta cygnea (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Pseudanodonta complanata (Rossmässler, 1835) E

Sphaeriidae – Aquatic

• Sphaerium corneum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Sphaerium rivicola (Lamarck, 1818)
• Sphaerium nucleus (Studer, 1820)
• Sphaerium solidum (Normand, 1844)
• Musculium lacustre (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Musculium transversum (Say, 1829)
• Pisidium amnicum (O.F. Müller, 1774)
• Pisidium casertanum (Poli, 1791)
• Pisidium conventus (Clessin, 1877)
• Pisidium henslowanum (Sheppard, 1823)
• Pisidium hibernicum Westerlund, 1894
• Pisidium lilljeborgii (Clessin, 1886)
• Pisidium milium Held, 1836
• Pisidium moitessierianum Paladilhe, 1866
• Pisidium nitidum Jenyns, 1832
• Pisidium obtusale (Lamarck, 1818)

• Pisidium personatum Malm, 1855
• Pisidium pulchellum (Jenyns, 1832)
• Pisidium pseudosphaerium Favre, 1927
• Pisidium subtruncatum Malm, 1855
• Pisidium supinum A. Schmidt, 1851
• Pisidium tenuilineatum Stelfox, 1918 E

Dreissenidae – Aquatic

• Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) – Introduced
• Dreissena bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) – Introduced
• Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Conrad, 1831) – Introduced

Corbiculidae – Aquatic

• Corbicula fluminea (O.F. Müller, 1774) – Introduced

List of "Hothouse Alien" Species

These are types of snails and slugs that are not truly part of Great Britain's natural wildlife. They usually come from warmer climates and can't survive outdoors in Great Britain. Instead, they live in heated places like greenhouses or aquaria inside greenhouses.

Thiaridae – Aquatic

• Melanoides tuberculata (O.F. Müller, 1774)

Gastrodontidae – Terrestrial

• Zonitoides arboreus (Say, 1816)

Lymnaeidae – Aquatic

• Radix rubiginosa (Michelin, 1831), originally from Indo-China and Indonesia

Planorbidae – Aquatic

• Gyraulis cf. chinensis (Dunker, 1848)
• Planorbella duryi (Wetherby, 1879)

Pleurodiscidae – Terrestrial

• Pleurodiscus balmei (Potiez & Michaud, 1835)

Pristilomatidae – Terrestrial

• Hawaiia minuscula (Binney, 1841)

Helicodiscidae – Terrestrial

• Helicodiscus parallelus (Say, 1821)

Streptaxidae – Terrestrial

• Gulella io Verdcourt, 1974

Subulinidae – Terrestrial

• Allopeas clavulinum (Potiez & Michaud, 1838)
• Opeas hannense (Rang, 1831)
• Rumina decollata (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Striosubulina sp.
• Subulina octona (Bruguière, 1789)

Limacidae – Terrestrial

• Ambigolimax waterstoni Hutchinson, Reise & Schlitt, 2022 – not seen since the 1930s

See also

• List of endangered species in the British Isles
• Biota of the Isle of Man#Mollusca (molluscs)
• List of non-marine molluscs of Ireland
• List of non-marine molluscs of the Netherlands
• Arthur Erskine Ellis, an important author on non-marine molluscs of the UK in the 20th century