Cochlostoma


Cochlostoma is a genus of land snails with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Cochlostomatidae.

Distribution

Calcareous terrains of South Europe and North Africa.

Description and Anatomy

Mantle caves serve as pulmones. Operculum corneous and multispiral. Penis is oriented above the right tentacle. Sexual dimorphism is often recognisable in external morphology.

Ecology

All species are confined to limestone habitats, feeding on dead plants and microflora. Females lays large eggs, hatching after three to six weeks.

Species

The genus Cochlostoma contains at least 140 species and subspecies, including:
subgenus Auritus
subgenus Cochlostoma
subgenus Holcopoma
subgenus Obscurella
subgenus Turritus