Family PLEURODISCIDAE Wenz, 1923

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Introduction

Pleurodiscids generally live in scree in the central and eastern Mediterranean, Asia Minor and the Middle East. The single introduced species, Pleurodiscus balmei, is found in the Greater Sydney area and is generally associated with old stone walls of cemeteries and dry-packed stone walls of old gardens. The species has been introduced into other parts of the world including Britain and Ireland where it has been recorded from greenhouses. Pleurodiscus balmei, was first recorded in Australia in 1982 and was probably imported on cut stone from the Mediterranean region sometime prior to that date.

Diagnosis

Pleurodiscids have small to medium-sized (up to 15 mm diameter), discoidal shells. All are sculptured with regular radial ribs. The whorls vary from rounded to keeled and the sutures are impressed and well defined. The spire varies from slightly to moderately elevated and all have an open umbilicus. The lip is thin and unreflected. Shell colour is generally pale brown to yellow. Pleurodiscid animals are generally pale in colour and have slender ocular tentacles with lobed tips.

Diagnosis References

Stanisic, J., Shea, M., Potter, D. & Griffiths, O. 2010. Australian Land Snails. A field guide to eastern Australian species. Mauritius : Bioculture Press Vol. 1 595 pp. [111]

General References

Kerney, M.P. & Cameron, R.A.D. 1979. A Field Guide to the Land Snails of Britain and North-West Europe. London : Collins 288 pp.

Shea, M. 1982. First pleurodiscid snail in Australia. Australian Shell News 40: 6-7

Smith, B.J. 1998. Family Pleurodiscidae. p. 1084 in Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Wells, A. (eds). Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 5(Part B) pp. vi–viii, 565–1234.

Stanisic, J., Shea, M., Potter, D. & Griffiths, O. 2010. Australian Land Snails. A field guide to eastern Australian species. Mauritius : Bioculture Press Vol. 1 595 pp. [111]

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