The Looping Snails - Family Truncatellidae

THE LOOPING SNAILS - FAMILY TRUNCATELLIDAE. Shell very small, elongated, truncated; aperture round; lip continuous. Animal with small foot and head; snout large, as long as the body. Amphibious mollusks, inhabiting salt marshes and stream borders, where they walk by looping along like measuring worms, using the foot and snout.

Genus TRUNCATELLA, Risso A tropical genus of world-wide range. Several species of these minute shells venture north into the States from Mexico and the West Indies. All are finely ridged across the whorls.

T. bilabiata,

Pfr., has a two-ridged lip. The surface is brownish, solid, elegantly carved. The apex is gone. Length,

4- inch.

Habitat.— Cuba, Florida.

T. pulchella,

Pfr., is more tapering, amber and shining, about the same size, with a single thick rim.

Habitat.— West Indies, Florida.

The California Looping Snail (T. Cali fornica, Pfr.) has a minute horny shell, whose smooth whorls, separated by a deep suture, form a slim cylinder a quarter of an inch long. Only practised eyes can find this little creature, looping along on sea weed or stones, or in salt meadows on grass stems.

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