Punctum minutissimum

Punctum minutissimum is a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Punctidae, the dot snails.

Punctum minutissimum
video of Punctum minutissimum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
Superfamily:
Punctoidea
Family:
Punctidae
Genus:
Punctum
Species:
P. minutissimum
Binomial name
Punctum minutissimum
I. Lea, 1841

Shell description

The shell of Punctum minutissimum is slightly translucent and pale brown in color. It is 1.1 to 1.3 mm wide, and has 3.5 to 4.5 whorls. The outer shell surface has a sculpture of radial striae, which are obvious under magnification. The underside of the shell has a very wide umbilicus, almost 25% of the shell's width.[1]

apical view
apertural view.
umbilical view

Distribution

This species occurs in North America, from Maine to Florida, and west to Oregon and New Mexico.[2]

Habitat

This small snail lives in damp leaf litter and decaying fallen beech logs. It is often found around polypore and bolete fungi.[3]

References
  1. Burch J. B. (1962). How to Know the Eastern Land Snails. WM. C Brown Co., Dubuque, IA.
  2. Burch J. B. & Jung Y. (1988). "Land Snails of the University of Michigan Biological Station Area". Society for Experimental and Descriptive Malacology, Walkerana 9.
  3. Pilsbry H. A. (1948). Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Monographs, 3, vol. 2 part 2: 521-1113.
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