Andrew
In Australia, Austrosuccinea australis is also associated in Victoria with
dune communities just behind the beach but usually not close enough to be
inundated. I have also found this species around lakes frm water level up
and near but not close to rivers. I have also dead specimens of
Austrosuccinea spp from central australia and inland New south Wales that
were found no where near any obvious water source.
Succinea kuntziana from Vanuatu, I have collected under litter on low lying
coral islands in areas that may well have become inundated or well soaked.
Geoff


>From: "Harry G. Lee" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Conchologists List <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Succinea habitat
>Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:28:09 -0400
>
>Dear Aydin and Andrew,
>
>Succinea campestris Say, 1818,** the Crinkled Ambersnail, is an odd
>succineid with a behavior a little reminiscent of Aydin's colony
>reported below. To my amazement, after reviewing the literature, I've
>found no report on the ecology of this xeric halophile since its
>original description, in which Say wrote:
>
>"This shell is extremely common in many parts of the Southern States;
>it abounds in the sea islands of Georgia, in the low marshy grounds
>behind the sand-hills of the coast, where they are destroyed in great
>numbers by the annual conflagration of the old grass. On Amelia
>Island, East Florida, I found them in great plenty on the highest
>sandy ground of the island. On Cumberland Island, in Mr. Shaw's
>garden,** I obtained several specimens from leaves of radishes."
>
>In northeast Florida, I have found this species closely associated
>with the backbeach dune community, where it can be seen emerging from
>the duff under the Sea Oats and ascending the stalks of the plants in
>response to summer freshets. The snails make a hasty migration
>considering their proverbial vagility. Some individuals aestivate out
>in the open, and the white shell coloration, unusual for the family
>Succineidae, which, as the name implies are typically transparent
>amber, probably reflects the sun to forestall desiccation. I think
>there is much to be learned of their behavior, and they should be
>eminently available subjects.
>
>** the correct date of publication is 1818; not "1817" per many
>authors - recently Turgeon, Quinn, et. al. (1998). I'll post an
>explanation of the asterices a little later (unless I've exceeded my
>allotted rant ceiling).
>
>Binney, W. G.  1858.  The complete writings of Thomas Say on the
>conchology of the United States.  H. Bailliere Co., New York.  1-252
>+ 75 plates.
>
>Say, T., 1818. Descriptions of land and freshwater shells of the
>United States (cont'd). Journal of the Academy of Natural
>Sciences 1: 276. May. [not seen; see Binney]
>
>Turgeon, D. D., J. F. Quinn, Jr., A. E. Bogan, E. V. Coan, F. G.
>Hochberg, W. G. Lyons, P. M. Mikkelsen, R. J. Neves, C. F. E. Roper,
>G. Rosenberg, B. Roth, A. Scheltema, F. G. Thompson, M. Vecchione,
>and J. D. Williams, 1998.  Common and scientific names of aquatic
>invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks, 2nd
>edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 26,
>Bethesda, Maryland.
>
>
>At 11:22 AM 7/14/2007, you wrote:
>>When we were in Chincoteague, Virginia, several summers ago, there were
>>succineids stuck to the outside walls of the hotel we stayed at. During
>>the day the snails would be in the sun. And there was no water in the
>>vicinity, just grassy fields or parking lots. I took specimens but never
>>figured out the species.
>>
>>Aydin
>>snailstales.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>>On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:28:29 +1200, Andrew Grebneff
>><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> >While I was in Nova Scotia last month I collected 4 live specimens of
>> >a large species of Succinea, all in the Bay of Fundy town of
>> >Wolfville.
>> >
>> >Two were attached to shrub leaves about 1m away from & 1m above an
>> >artificial stream in the Acadia University grounds. One was lying on
>> >a sidewalk well away from any stream/pond (I assume it fell from a
>> >wading bird) and one was on an artichoke leaf in a garden hundreds of
>> >meters away from any water apart from a 2m artificial pond.
>> >
>> >Succinea is supposed to be fluvolittoral (ie living above "high tide"
>> >on freshwater bodies). I can't help wondering if at least some
>> >species are actually independent of water?

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