Grove snail 1830643 224227653 2008-07-07T22:04:19Z ZooFari 6419994 /* Coloration */ {{Taxobox | name = Grove snail | image = Cepaea nemoralis active pair on tree trunk.jpg | image_width = 200px | status = NE | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Mollusca]] | classis = [[Gastropoda]] | subclassis = [[Orthogastropoda]] | superordo = [[Heterobranchia]] | ordo = [[Pulmonata]] | familia = [[Helicidae]] | genus = ''[[Cepaea]]'' | species = '''''C. nemoralis''''' | binomial = ''Cepaea nemoralis'' | binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]]) }} The '''grove snail''' or brown-lipped snail (''Cepaea nemoralis'') is one of the most common species of land [[snail]] in Europe. It is a relatively small snail, growing to a height of about 20&nbsp;[[millimetre|mm]] and a width of 25&nbsp;mm. Their semi-glossy [[Animal shell|shell]] has from 4½ to 5½ [[whorl (mollusc)|whorls]]. ''C. nemoralis'' is closely related to the [[white-lipped snail]], ''Cepaea hortensis'', and shares much the same habitat. The grove snail is usually the larger of the two species when mature, but the principal difference is that the grove snail has a dark brown lip to its shell, whilst ''Cepaea hortensis'' has a white lip. However, this distinguishing feature is not entirely reliable as there is at least one morph of the grove snail which also has a white lip. ==Coloration== [[Image:Cepaea_nemoralis_pair_banded_shells.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Two grove snails showing variations in the number of bands and their colouring.]] Apart from the band at the lip of the shell, grove snails are highly [[Polymorphism (biology)|polymorphic]] in their shell colour and banding. They range from almost white, through yellow and pink to dark brown, with a range of light and dark bandings. The bandings vary both in colour and number (but never more than five bands). These polymorphisms have been highly studied as part research in [[heredity]] and [[evolution]]. They are thought to act as [[camouflage]] to avoid predation from, for example, the [[Song Thrush]], but also have implications for the body heat of the animal: darker shells heat up more quickly, with consequences for rates of metabolism and loss of moisture (crucial in snail locomotion). In particular, grove snails with dark brown appear to preferentially be found in dark woodlands, whilst snails with light yellow shells and thin banding are more commonly found in grassland. ==Distribution and habitat== The grove snail can be found in a range of habitats most commonly, [[grassland]], [[hedgerow]]s and [[woodland]]. It is natively distributed from northern and western Europe to central Europe (the Czech Republic<ref>Dvořák L., Honěk A. & Martínková Z., 2003: [http://mollusca.cz/malakologie/Cepaea-nemoralis.jpg The spread of ''Cepaea nemoralis'' (L.) populations in the Czech Republic]. 2003 BCPC Symposiumproceedings No. 80: Slugs & snails: agricultural, veterinary & environmental perspectives, pp. 99–102.</ref> and others). In eastern Europe it occurs urban areas. More recently, the grove snail has been introduced into North America. The white-lipped snail has a similar range, but extends further north to border the [[Arctic]]. == Conservation status== * Not listed in [[IUCN red list]] - not evaluated (NE)<ref>2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Cited 18 July 2007.</ref> * [[List of molluscs recorded in the Czech Republic|Czech Republic]] - [[least concern]] (LC)<ref>Juřičková L., Horsák M. & Beran L., 2001: Check-list of the molluscs (Mollusca) of the Czech Republic. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem., 65: 25-40.</ref> ==See also== {{commons|Cepaea nemoralis}} *[[White-lipped snail]] ==References== *http://www.arnobrosi.com/cepaea.html *http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/bioref/Animalia_inverts/Cepaea.html {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://biolib.cz/en/taxon/id2977 photos of ''Cepaea nemoralis'' on BioLib] *[http://www.petsnails.co.uk/ Cepaea in captivity] *[http://www.evolutionmegalab.org Evolution MegaLab is an online survey of ''Cepaea'' polymorphism] [[Category:Helicidae]] [[ar:حلزون الأيكة]] [[da:Lundsnegl]] [[de:Hain-Bänderschnecke]] [[fr:Escargot des bois]] [[lt:Miškinė juostasraigė]] [[nl:Gewone tuinslak]] [[no:Stor hagesnegl]] [[pl:Wstężyk gajowy]] [[fi:Mustahuulitarhakotilo]]