Spermodea lamellata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spermodea lamellata |
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| A group of shells of Spermodea lamellata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: |
Stylommatophora
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| Family: |
Valloniidae
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| Genus: |
Spermodea
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| Species: |
S. lamellata
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| Binomial name | |
| Spermodea lamellata Jeffreys, 1830
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| Synonyms | |
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Acanthinula lamellata |
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Spermodea lamellata is a tiny land snail found in Europe. It is a type of mollusc, which is a group of soft-bodied animals often with shells, like snails, slugs, and clams. Because it is so small, it is also called a micromollusc. This snail belongs to the family Valloniidae.
Contents
What Does Spermodea lamellata Look Like?
This snail has a very unique shell! It's super tiny, only about 2 to 2.2 millimeters wide and tall. That's about the size of a small bead or a grain of rice!
Shell Shape and Features
The shell of Spermodea lamellata looks like a small, round basket, similar to an old-fashioned bee skep. It has about 6 whorls, which are the turns or spirals of the shell. These whorls are curved outwards (convex) and get a little bigger as they spiral out. The lines where the whorls meet, called sutures, are quite deep.
The shell is usually yellow and has a special texture. It's covered with very fine, neat lines called radial ribs. These ribs are like tiny ridges that spread out from the center. They make the shell look shiny and silky, almost as if light is playing tricks on it.
Shell Opening
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is simple and can break easily. There are no special folds or teeth inside this opening. The small hole in the center of the shell's underside, called the umbilicus, is narrow. Young snails have lighter-colored shells with less noticeable ribs and a wider umbilicus.
Where Does Spermodea lamellata Live?
This tiny snail is found in many parts of Europe. It lives in places like:
- Denmark
- Great Britain
- Ireland
- The Czech Republic
- Northern Germany
- Norway
- Poland (in a few specific spots)
- Portugal (in isolated areas like the Serra de Bussaco mountains and Sintra)
- Sweden
- Ukraine
- And other areas
Sadly, it is no longer found in the Netherlands; it is extinct there.
What Kind of Home Does This Snail Like?
Spermodea lamellata prefers to live in ancient woodland. This means it likes old forests that have been around for a very long time. These woodlands provide the perfect damp and stable environment for this small snail to thrive.
