Gastropoda (snails)

Caves have both aquatic and terrestrial species of snails. "Cavesnails"

are generally aquatic, tiny, and live under rocks on stream bottoms.

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033a.JPG: Fontigens aldrichi (Call and Beecher), SB: This tiny cavesnail (<2 mm) probably is overlooked in many caves and springs, where it is found under submerged rocks or rotting leaves and wood. Usually there is little organic detritus in streams where these snails are found. Snails in Blue Spring were found at a depth of 28 meters. Four stygobitic hydrobiid snails are found in Missouri: Three Fontigens and Antrobia culveri; the latter is unique to Tumbling Creek Cave. By David C. Ashley.
033a.JPG		 033b.jpg: Antrobia culveri, the Tumbling Creek cavesnail, is an aquatic species known only from Tumbling Creek Cave, Taney Co., Missouri. This species seems to be declining. By David C. Ashley.
033b.jpg		 034a.JPG: Mesodon inflectus (Say), TP: A terrestrial, polygyrid snail, about 5 mm, known from a wide variety of habitats in all cave zones. It is most often found in leaf litter and is also known from Illinois, Kentucky, and Alabama. By James E. Gardner.
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034b.jpg: Triodopsis sp., a terrestrial, polygyrid snail, often found in cave entrances. TX or TP, about 20 mm diameter. Bear Cave, Crawford County, Missouri.
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