Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Museums

Regional Maps

Family PLEURODISCIDAE Wenz, 1923

Disc Snails


Compiler and date details

March 2012 - Dr John Stanisic

1992 - Brian J. Smith, Museum Victoria, Melbourne

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.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
24-Jul-2012 24-Jul-2012 MODIFIED
27-Jun-2012 27-Jun-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)