Terrestrial Gastropods
of Canada

Lamellaxis micra (d'Orbigny, 1835)

Superfamily Achatinoidea
Family Subulinidae L

Status: greenhouse invasive.

AKS 'introduced ms' figure: Lamellaxis micra (d'Orbigny, 1835)

Description: Shell small (3 - 5 mm long, 1.5 - 2.0 mm wide), slender, solid, thin, with 6 whitish-cream coloured gently curved whorls; sculptured with evenly spaced growth lines. Lip simple, sharp. No umbilicus. Columella gently curved.

Animal: Pale dull yellow.

Habits and Habitat: Disturbed ground and greenhouses. Feeds upon soils, algae, decayed vegetation, and tender seedlings.

Native Range: Uncertain; it is likely that this species, which is widely distributed in the tropics, originated in Africa.

Introduced Range: Found on disturbed ground in southern Florida and the West Indies; common (in 1959) in the greenhouse of the National Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.; frequently intercepted in soils on plants from many tropical or warm-temperature areas of the world. On flowerpots in a greenhouse in Stoney Creek, Ontario in 1976.

Similar Species: Most small Subulinids, which are more voluminous. Subulina octona is larger and its whorls more rounded. Opeas pyrgula has nearly flat-sided whorls, is more slender, and has a more pointed outline. Opeas pumilum is more slender with a more pointed apex. Lamellaxis clavulinum is more voluminous. See the illustrations; the differences between Subulinid shells are difficult to express verbally.

References:

Account: F. Wayne Grimm ‘Introduced' ms, revised... FWS, 18 October 2005.

Stage: fairly complete Draft, unreviewed.

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Terrestrial Gastropods of Canada: Introduction