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Home , Delos (gastropod), Euconulidae, Euconulus, Euconulus fulvus, Hyalina, Oxychilus

https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1972.33.14 7 February 1972

ZONITID SNAILS ( : ) INTRODUCED INTO VICTORIA

By David C. Long

68 Abbeygate St., Oakleigh, Victoria, 3166 Abstract

Five of European zonitid snails are listed as having been introduced into Victoria, one as early as 1850. Two species, contractu (Westerlund, 1873) and draparnaldi (Beck, 1837) are recorded from Australia for the first time. Three of the five species have become established.

Introduction Identifications in this paper are based on shell characters and the external features of This paper reviews knowledge of introduc- the when available. Where possible the tions of zonitid snails into Victoria and assists descriptions are based on Victorian specimens; field collectors to identify them. It is based otherwise they are taken from Taylor (1914), on an examination of the collections in the Janus (1965) or Kuiper (1964, V. contracta). National Museum of Victoria and on the Zilch (1959, p. 277) has placed in writer's field work from August 1969 to the the family , but its inclusion in end of 1970. the by Ellis (1951) is adopted. The Zonitidae is a widespread family of Distributions outside Australia are taken from pulmonate land snails, generally small to Ellis (1951) unless otherwise stated. The medium sized (2 to 20- diam.) with low- mm references given under each species cover (a) spired, thin, transparent to translucent shells, The original description and (b) The intro- hiding under stones and litter by day, and duction into the various States of Australia. eating non-green vegetable matter or small Abbreviations: such as other snails and . Several species have been introduced by European H. = height, W. = width (diameter), WH. man into America, Africa and Australasia == number of whorls, NMV = National Mu- (Ellis 1951, pp. 193-195). seum of Victoria. Five species of European Zonitidae have been identified as introductions: Euconulus Key to Field Identification of Zonitids fulvus (Miiller, 1774), (West- Introduced into Victoria erlund, 1873), and three species of Oxychilus This key separates the various species from each (Miiller, (Fitzinger, 1833), viz. O. cellarius other, and from other similar snails in the Victorian 1774), O. draparnaldi (Beck, 1837) and O. fauna. Land snails with glossy, semi-transparent or trans- alliarius (Miller, 1822). Vitrea contracta and lucent more or less smooth shell; animal with pedal Oxychilus draparnaldi are here recorded from groove defining the foot margin and capable of com- Australia for the first time. In addition, Zoni- plete withdrawal into shell. toides nitidus (Miiller, 1774) has been record- 1. Shell turbinate 2 ed (Musson 1890, p. 894 and Taylor 1914, p. 1. Shell depressed helicoid 3 150) but the records are probably in error 2. present, W. under 40 mm Laoma penoknsis for O. alliarius which was erroneously recorded 2. Umbilicus absent, W. under 3 mm Zealand (Taylor 1914, from N.S.W. and New p. 66). Z. nitidus is an obligate hygrophile 3. Umbilicus present 4 (Boycott 1934, p. 13) and therefore an un- 3. Umbilicus absent, W. under 40 mm likely candidate for successful introduction to Prolesophanta dyeti

Australia. 4. Shell W. under 4 mm 5

115 .

116 DAVID C. LONG

4. Shell W. over 40 mm . . Material Examined: Two shells in NMV 5. Shell whitish or colourless 6 collected at Cann River by J. Clark in March 5. Shell horn coloured .. 7 1928 (Gabriel 1928, p. 133). 6. Umbilicus regular spiral Vitrea contracta Notes: Not to be confused with Laoma 6. Umbilicus irregular spiral penolensis (Cox 1867), a native species, which 7. elongate ellipse, montane is not glossy, Delos nehonensis has an umbilicus, and is common in coastal 7. Aperture rounded ellipse, settled areas areas in Victoria. juvenile Oxychilus? Vitrea (Fitzinger, 8. Shell yellowish or 1833) horn . coloured . 9 8. Shell greenish white, hyaline Vitrea contracta (Westerlund, 1873) var. viridula. Figures 4-6 9. Shell polished with faint growth lines, colour paler below crystallina ] ] var. contracta Wester- 9. Shell striated above, smooth lund, 1873, Faun. below . 10 Moll. Suec. p. 56. 10. Regularly striated above to periphery Strangesta Description: Shell very small, semi-trans- 10. Irregular striae and close spiral lines above parent, milk-white Echotrida strangeoides (yellowish in life), 11. depressed umbilicus Shell horn coloured 12 small and regular, last whorl 0-3 11. Shell greyish yellow, animal with brown larger than the penultimate. Animal spots on mantle . edge . greyish white. 12. Shell W. 100-140 mm, animal deep blue H. 1 -25 mm, W. 2-52 mm, WH. 4-5 (Kuiper Sre y O. drapamaldi 1964, p. 278). Shell W. 4 0-7 mm, animal blue-black H. 10 mm, W.2 7 above, grey below, mm, WH. 4 5 (Geelong, odour. . . O. alliarius Vict.).

Distribution: Family Zonitidae Europe (Ellis 1951, p. 193). Introduced into Victoria and collected at Gee- Zonitids have a simple aperture to the long. spirally coiled shell. The animal has the foot Material Examined: Two shells in margin defined by a pedal groove which may NMV collected in garden, Geelong, 15 Oct. 1967 form a caudal mucus gland. The marginal by R. Burn, identified by Dr. M. P. Kernev teeth of the radula are aculeate, and the^jaw (in lit). is oxygnathous. The ovotestis is usually im- bedded in Notes: V. the liver (Taylor, 1914, p. 1). contracta is a new record for Australia, and is closely related to V. crystal- lina (Muller, Genus Euconulus (Reinhardt, 1883) 1774) which is recorded as introduced into 'S. Africa, New Zealand, Tas- Euconulus fulvus (Muller, mania, 1774) etc' (Ellis, 1951, p. 193). As V. Figures 1-3 contracta has been included in V. crystallina in the past (Taylor 1914, Helix fulva Muller, 1774, Verm Hist 2- p. 113, etc.) some of 249. these records may refer to V. contracta. V. crystallina is recorded as collected (Euconulus) fulva, Muller. Gabriel in gardens at Hobart by 1928, p. 133. W. F. Petterd (Petterd and Hedley, 1909, p. 303). Description: Shell very small, glossy, turbi- Genus Oxychilus (Fitzinger, nate, reddish brown, no umbilicus, semi- 1833) Description: transparent, last whorl with a blunt peripheral The three Oxychilus species identified keel. Animal grey-black. H. 20-2-3 mm, W. in Victoria are small to medium 5-3 sized snails with 2 mm, WH. 5-6 (Janus 1965, p. 112). depressed spired, polished semi-transparent shells of various shades of Distribution: Holarctic (Ellis 1951, p. horn colour, paler below than above, 193). Introduced, and with Cann River, Victoria. a wide umbilicus. —

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Figs. 1-3 Euconulus fulvus (Miiller), Cann River, Vict. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views. Figs. 4-6 Vitrea contracta (Westerlund) Geelong, Vict. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views.

Note: Live specimens are preferable for bluish grey tinge on the head and above the

identification. Empty shells (especially if not lateral line, mantle edge grey speckled with fresh) may present difficulties, and so may brown, spots vary from a stipple to well mark- preserved animals to a lesser extent, as some ed mottled but they may disappear in spirit

colours fade in alcohol and it is not always specimens, mantle edge slightly yellowish com- possible to get the animals fully relaxed. pared with the body. H. 50 mm, W. 10 mm, WH. 5-6 (Taylor Oxychilus cellarius (Miiller, 1774) 1914, pp. 31-32) but up to H. 4 mm, W. 4-5 (O. c. f. cellarius, Plate 10, figures 1-3) 9 mm, WH, in Victoria, (Mt. Dandenong, 18 Oct. 1970). Helix cellaria, Miiller, 1774, Verm. Hist.

28 : 230. Distribution: Britain, Central Europe, W. Helix sydneyensis, Cox, 1864, p. 37. Mediterranean; introduced to Scandinavia and Helix (Hyalina) sydneyensis, Cox. Legrand, Finland, N. America, S. Africa, Australia 1871: 63. (N.S.W., Vict., Tasm.), New Zealand, etc. Helix cellaria. Petterd, 1879, p. 96. (Ellis 1951, p. 194). Zonites cellarius, Miiller, 1774. Musson, Material Examined: In NMV seven empty 1890, p. 893. shells of O. cf. cellarius from S. Melbourne, Description: Shell medium sized, spire low, coll. C. J. Gabriel, no date. Six living speci- umbilicus 0-17-0 14 of shell diameter, colour mens from a garden, S. Camberwell, coll. Mrs. greyish yellow and paler below than above, M. Turnbull with one O. alliarius, 27 Aug. surface polished, growth lines faint, suture may 1970. One living specimen from a road verge, appear channelled, aperture elliptical. Animal coll. D. C. Long, 5 Sept. 1970. Six living pale grey, foot nearly white, darker with a specimens from the base of grass tufts, road 118 DAVID C. LONG

verge, Mt. Dandenong, coll. D. C. Long, 18 Introduced into Victoria; coll. various Mel- Oct. 1970. Four living specimens and one dead bourne suburbs out to Mt. Dandenong, and shell near Mansfield school, coll. Sacred Heart possibly Mansfield. College students, 9 Nov. 1970. Material Examined: In NMV 24 collec- Notes: Though there is no dated pre- 19 70 tions from 22 localities in the Melbourne area, Victorian material in NMV, Musson (1890 one possible coll. near Mansfield School by p. 893) gives it from Melbourne on the author- Sacred Heart College students, 9 Nov. 1970. ity of Kershaw, and Taylor verified specimens Notes: This species has not been previously collected from Port Melbourne in October recorded from Australia. Specimens in the 1896 by J. H. Gatliff (Taylor 1914, p. 44). NMV collected prior to 1970 were all identi- Helix Sydneyemis Cox, 1864 has been identi- fied as O. cellarius. O. draparnaldi seems to fied as a synonym for O. cellarius (Cox 1909, be especially frequent in the outer suburbs of p. 76), but following his original description Melbourne. The earliest dated NMV shell was Cox (1864, p. 37) remarked on differences of collected by 'J.D.' at Richmond in 1902. colouring and spire height between his speci- Three undated specimens were collected by mens and O. cellarius. It would be useful to C J. Gabriel in his glasshouse at Abbotsford re-examine Cox's type specimens. One of the and six undated specimens from his fernery. six O. cellarius collected at Mt. Dandenong on Four dead shells were found with two living 18 Oct. 1970, laid eggs in the NMV on 21 specimens (now in NMV) at Beaumaris on Oct. 1970 (per Dr. B. J. Smith). The maxi- 28 Mar. 1970 by the writer, and sent to Dr. mum shell size of these specimens is given M. P. Kerney who commented 'The above. Oxychilus you send look to me exactly like O. drapar- naldi' (in lit. 14 Apr. 1970). Taylor (1914, Oxychilus draparnaldi (Beck, 1837) p. 22) states that each row of the radula of PI. 10, figures 4-6 British specimens of O. draparnaldi typically has three tricuspid Helicella draparnaldi Beck, 1837, Index lateral denticles on either side Moll. 6. of the median tooth, though some conti- nental writers give the number as two to four. Description: Shell medium Dr. sized, polished B. J. Smith prepared the radulae of two with a slightly raised conical spire, last whorl snails, one from Ivanhoe (coll. Gunner, 11 slightly dilated at the aperture, twice as broad May 1970), and one from Greensborough as the penultimate whorl, aperture elliptical (coll. G. Robertson 4 July, 1970). Both these (more elongate than O. cellarius and O. radulae have two tricuspid lateral denticles per alliarius), whorls with irregular growth lines row. Some caution is therefore necessary about (more prominent than O. cellarius the and O. identity of this introduced snail, even though alliarius), colour pale to dark horn and paler its external features are in close agreement below, umbilicus about 013 of shell diameter. with O. draparnaldi. One possibility is that Animal blue-grey, including the foot of which there are regional variants of O. draparnaldi the central zone is paler, mantle edge and dark grey that the Victorian introductions are not and unspotted, appears dark through the from a shell. British source. More radulae need to H. 6 mm, W. 15 mm, WH. up to 7 be examined. (Taylor 1914, p. 20) up to H. 6 mm, W. Oxychilus 13 mm, WH. 6 in Victoria (Murrumbeena alliarius (Miller, 1822) 28 Apr. 1970). PI. 10, fig. 7-9 Helix alliaria Miller, 1822. Ann. Phil. NS 3- 379 Distribution: Europe /.writes (introduced in N.), nitidus Miiller, 1774. Musson 1890 p 893' /onitoides nitidus British Isles but mostly in S. and W., intro- Miiller, Gabriel 1930 p 187 z°nitoide.s nitidus (Miiller) 1774, Cotton' duced in N. America and S. Africa (Ellis 1951, 1954, p. p. 194), Morocco, Algeria, W. Asia (Taylor Oxychilus alliarius (Miller) 1822, Cotton 1954, p. 1914, p. 29). Oxychilus alliarius (Miller), Laws 1966, pp. 257-260. ZONITID SNAILS 119

Description: Shell similar in shape but cellarius and O. drapamaldi, hence the specific smaller than the preceding two species, horn name (Latin : = garlic) and the ver- coloured, slightly paler round the umbilicus, nacular Garlic Snail. A variety with a greenish glossy with regular week striations, convex white shell (var. viridula Jeffreys, 1862) has above, flattened below, umbilicus 017 of shell been found in a garden at Oakleigh by the width, aperture slightly elliptical (rounder in writer (Sept. 1969 -Apr. 1971). Laws (1966) outline than O. cellarius and O. drapamaldi), noted differences between the first and second spire slightly higher than O. cellarius. Animal radula teeth and the spermatheca of S. Aus- slaty blue-black on head and above lateral tralian O. alliarius and the material described groove, grey below groove, paling towards the by Taylor (1914) and commented that the foot which is grey, mantle edge grey, appears S. Australian introduction may be from a thinly edged dark grey through the shell. source outside the British Isles. The relative H. 2-5 mm, W. 50-60 mm, WH. 4-4-5 roundness of the shell aperture may be the (Taylor 1914, p. 59) up to H. 2-5 mm, W. cause of earlier mis-identifications of this 7-5 mm, WH. 5 in Victoria, waste ground, species in Australia as Z. nitidus. Oakleigh 5 July 1970). Discussion Distribution: Britain, Europe (Iceland, Scandinavia, Estonia to France and Poland), The identification of introduced Zonitidae, introduced into N. America, St. Helena, S. especially Oxychilus spp., requires caution. Africa, Juan Fernandez, Australia, and New Cox (1864) and Laws (1966) have remarked Zealand (Ellis 1951, p. 194). Introduced into on differences between the specimens they N.S.W., S. Australia, and Vict, where wide- examined and the descriptions available for spread. Common around Melbourne. Extremes European (mostly British) material. Externally are Hamilton (undated), Irymple (O. cf. the three Oxychilus spp. identified in Victoria alliarius, 1970), Bairnsdale (undated), and resemble specimens of those species encounter- Rutherglen (O. cf. alliarius, 1954). ed by the writer in the course of local recording for the Conchological Society of Gt. Britain Material Examined: In NMV numerous and Ireland's Census of Non-marine dead shells and preserved animals from 26 in Britain from 1966 to 1969, but the apparent localities in Victoria. radula difference in O. drapamaldi has already been noted, and the maximum size of O. Notes: O. alliarius has not been formally alliarius exceeds that published elsewhere recorded from Victoria before, though it is (Taylor 1914, Janus 1965). Whether this is the most widespread introduced zonitid in Vic- because the species encounters optimum con- toria and apparently the earliest introduced. ditions here or because the published dimen- Seven shells of this species from the R. A. sions are taken from a small sample is un- Bastow Collection in NMV are labelled known. Evidence exists for suspecting that 'Zonites alliarius Mull. 1850 Fitzroy Gardens' some of the Victorian introductions of Oxychi- an ascription apparently overlooked for the lus are not from Britain but from mainland last 120 years. The snail has been found mainly Europe, possibly the Mediterranean, though in gardens, under dwellings, and in cleared little is known of regional variation of Oxychi- land, but there are two records of it in open lus spp. in Europe. sclerophyll forest with a mixed native and Field observations have so far indicated that introduced mollusc fauna at Linton, 23 Nov. the habits of Oxychilus in Victoria are similar 1969 (Long 1970, p. 171). and "under stones to those of the genus in Britain. Most collec- in open forest," N. Ringwood, coll. B. Fuhrer tions of Oxychilus in Victoria have been of 22 June, 1970. one species, but all three were found by the O. alliarius emits a smell of garlic on with- writer within 200 m of each other at Mt. drawing into its shell when alarmed, and when Dandenong on 18 Oct. 1970. Fifteen of the crushed alive, a feature not shared by O. 72 collections of Oxychilus examined were not —

120 DAVID C. LONG

fully identifiable, mostly because of poor or Cox, J. C, 1909. An alphabetical list of Australian insufficient material, but in at least two cases land shells. Sydney 84 pp. species other than the three identified may be Ellis, A. E., 1951. Census of the distribution of British non-marine mollusca. involved. Three living /. Conch. Lond., specimens were collected 23: 171-244. at Redcliffs on 1 Jan. 1970 by A. Borlace, and Gabriel, C. J., 1928. Report on land shells from one dead shell, Mt. Buffalo Chalet, altitude Cann River, Victoria. Vict. Naturalist 46(6): 130-134. 1,370 m, 14 Feb. 1970, coll. writer. Gabriel, Little can be said about the introductions C. J., 1930. Catalogue of the land shells of Victoria. of E. Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 23 (1): 62-88. julvus and V. contracta. They do not Janus, H., 1965. Molluscs. London, 180 pp. appear to be widespread, though both being Kuiper, J. G., 1964. On Vitrea contracta (Wester- small could easily be overlooked. The dimen- lund). J. Conch., Lond. 25: 276-278. sions of the Victorian V. contracta are larger Laws, H. M., 1966. The cytology and anatomy of than Oxychilus alliarius (Miller) (Mollusca, those given by Kuiper (1964, p. 278). Zoni- tidae), a new introduction to S. Australia Rec. In Feb. 1971 a brief search of the strawberry S. Aust. Mus. 15(2): 257-260. bed where V. contracta had been found in Legrand, W., 1871. Collections for a monograph of 1967 failed to produce any specimens. Tasmanian land shells. Hobart. Long, D. C, 1970. Arion intermedins Normand, an Acknowledgements introduced in Victoria. Vict. Naturalist 87: 170-172. The writer thanks Dr. B. J. Smith for access Musson, C. T„ 1890. On the naturalized forms of to the collections of the National Museum of land and freshwater molluscs in Australia. Proc Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 5: 883-896. Victoria and for helpful suggestions, Dr. M. (2) Petterd, W. F., 1879. Colonising P. Kerney (Conchological Society of Great land shells. J. Conch. Lond. 2: 96. Britain and Ireland) for the examination of Petterd, W. F. and Hedley, C, 1909. A revised specimens, and the numerous collectors who census of the terrestrial mollusca of Tasmania have sent specimens to the National Museum; Rec. Aust. Mus. 7 (4): 284-304. Taylor, Miss R. Plant for drawing the Figures, Mr. E. J. W., 1914. Monograph of the land and freshwater mollusca of the British Isles, Vol Rotherham for photographs, and the Science 2 Leeds, 522 pp. and Industry Endowment Fund for a micro- Zilch, A., 1959-60. In Schindewolf Handbuch der scope. Palaozoologie Bd. 6, Gastropoda T. 2, Euthy- neura. Berlin. 834 pp. References Explanation of Plate 10 Boycott, A. E., 1934. The habitats of land Figs. 1-3 mollusca Oxychilus cf. cellarius (Miiller), S. Mel- in Britain. /. Ecol. 22: 1-38. bourne, Vict. The spire is higher than COTTON, B. C, 1954. A Catalogue of introduced typical O. cellarius. snails and slugs in Australia. Rec. S. Aust. Mus Figs. 4-6—O. draparnaldi (Beck), Abbotsford, Vict, 11 (2): 177-187. from C. J. Gabriel's glasshouse. Note Cox, J. C, 1864. Catalogue of the specimens of typical dilation of last whorl. Australian land shells in the collection of James Figs. 7-9—0. alliarius (Miller), Kew, C. Cox, Vict. 10 June M.D., F.R.C.S., Edin. Sydney, 46 pp. 1941. MEM. NAT. MUS. VICT. 33 PLATE 10