Tag Archives: Zonitidae

Glyphyalinia floridana (Morrison)

Ocala Glossy Snail (Glyphyalinia floridana)

The Ocala Glossy Snail, described in 1937, is only known from subfossil shells that had been found in crevices of limestone rock near the town of Ocala in Marion County, Florida.

“The many specimens in the original lot … are all dead shells, weathered to a chalky appearance. It appears unlikely that this species is Pleistocene as doubtfully noted by the collector. It may, however, be extinct at the present time.” [1]

The shells reach sizes of about 0.45 cm in diameter; they were described as follows: 

“Shell of five whorls, possessing the characteristic sculpture of the subgenus, with regularly and closely spaced major growth wrinkles, of about the size of R. roemeri, but with the base of the body whorl more deeply rounded near the umbilicus, which has consequently steeper walls. The spire is regularly depressed-conic, but constantly higher, as is the body whorl, than in the specimens of roemeri seen. The aperture is roundly lunate, widest below the middle; peristome more sharply rounded at the periphery and in the columellar region. Umbilicus deep, steep-walled; contained about four times in the major diameter of the shell.” [1]

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syn. Retinella floridana Morrison

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Photo from: ‘J. P. E. Morrison: Five new North American Zonitids. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 50: 55-60. 1937’

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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References:

[1] J. P. E. Morrison: Five new North American Zonitids. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 50: 55-60. 1937

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edited: 11.02.2024

Zonites santoriniensis Riedel & Norris

Santorini Glass Snail (Zonites santoriniensis)

The Santorini Glass Snail was described in 1987 based on subfossil shells that were found in the volcanic deposits of the island of Thira, also known as Santorini, in the southern Cyclades Islands, Greece. [1]

The species seems to have been wiped out by a volcanic eruption that happened at 1450 BC., the same eruption that may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km to the south of Thira, through a gigantic tsunami.

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References:

[1] A. Riedel; A. Norris: An undescribed species of Zonites from the Island of Santorini, Greece. Journal of Conchology 32(6): 377-378. 1987

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edited: 01.10.2020

Zonites embolium ssp. elevatus Riedel & Mylonas

Elevated Glass Snail (Zonites embolium ssp. elevatus)

The subspecies discussed here, was described in 1997 based on subfossil remains, it inhabited at least the two islands of Dyo Adelfoi and Sirna in the Dodecanese Islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea of Greece.

The ‘nominate’ form of this species appears to be nearly extinct as well, it seems to survive only on the island of Megali Zafrano. These island forms, however, most likely represent(ed) distinct subspecies as well. 

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Unfortunately, it is apparently impossible to find a good map of Greece’s islands or a actual source for binding official island names ….


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edited: 01.10.2020

Zonites siphnicus Fuchs & Käufel

Sifnos Glass Snail (Zonites siphnicus)

This species, which was described in 1936, is apparently only known by subfossil remains which apparently were recovered from three of the Cyclades Islands, Folegandros, Sifnos as well as Sikinos; each island might have had its own endemic subspecies. [1]

It is, however, surprisingly difficult to find more information about this species. 

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References:

[1] Adolf Riedel: Revision der Gattung Zonites Montfort (Gastropoda, Zonitidae): türkische Arten. Nebst Ergänzungen und Verzeichnis aller Zonites-Arten. Annales Zoologici 41(1): 1-51. 1987

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edited: 01.10.2020