Spermodea lamellata | |
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A group of shells of Spermodea lamellata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Family: | Valloniidae |
Genus: | Spermodea |
Species: | S. lamellata |
Binomial name | |
Spermodea lamellata Jeffreys, 1830 |
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Synonyms | |
Acanthinula lamellata |
Acanthinula lamellata
Spermodea lamellata is a species of minute European land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusc, or micromollusc, in the family Valloniidae.
For terms see gastropod shell.
The 2-2.2 mm x 2-2.2 mm shell has a characteristic semispherical shape like a bee skep basket. The shell has 6 convex whorls which increase gradually in size. The sutures are deep. The whorls are decorated with very fine, very regular, radial ribs. These ribs function as a diffraction grating, giving the yellow shell a silky appearance.The apertural margin is simple and breaks easily. There are no folds inside the aperture. The umbilicus is narrow. Juveniles are paler with weaker ribs at the lower side, and the umbilicus relatively wider.
This species occurs in areas which include:
This minute snail lives in ancient woodland.