I agree with Alex. Most of the varietal names given to Cornu aspersum have
been enumerated by J.W. Taylor: Monograph of the land and freshwater
Mollusca of the British Isles. Unfortunately that work was never finished.
The figured shells fall in his category of the variety exalbida
Moquin-Tandon, 1855: shell pale yellowish or whitish, without darker
banding. He used this classification in its widest sense and it embraced not
only the whitish shells but also those various shades of yellow, including
the specimens which display a tinge of green.
Other varietal names given to such shells are:
virescens Maquin-Tandon, 1855 greenish
lutescens Grateloup, 1855 yellow
luteola Bourguignat, 1863 pale chrome yellow, semi-transparent, the lip and
interior pure white
alba Locard, 1881 white
lutea Baudon, 1881 yellow
flavescens Kregler, 1870 pale yellow
additional varieties without bands:
unicolor Moquin-Tandon, 1855 uniform fawn colour
immaculata Kregler, 1870
grisea Moquin-Tandon, 1855 fulvous or greyish
etc., etc., etc.
Henk K. Mienis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Menez" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 7:04 AM
Subject: Re: UK Helix
>
> These are Cornu aspersum (Muller, 1774) aka Cantareus aspersus or Helix
> aspersa. They are more variable in shell colour (and size and shape) than
> some people think. I have specimens very similar to the ones in the photo
> from sites in Iberia. To completely satisfy taxonomic curiosity, you would
> need to sacrifice and dissect one of the specimens you have. However,
> conchological features, as well as external body features (both
> sufficiently
> well visible in the photo), clearly (I think) clinches the ID.
> Alex
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> Leslie Allen
> Sent: 26 May 2006 04:35
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: UK Helix
>
>
>> http://www.manandmollusc.net/Mystery_shell_pages/alan-mystery.html
>>
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