Glossy Pillar
Cochlicopa lubrica
The shell of the Glossy Pillar is so smooth and reflective that it appears permanently wet, even when the environment is dry.
- Scientific name
- Cochlicopa lubrica
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Mollusca › Gastropoda › Stylommatophora › Cochlicopidae › Cochlicopa
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Moist leaf litter, mossy banks, damp grasslands, and deciduous woodlands.
- Diet
- Detritivore, feeding on decaying plant matter, fungi, and biofilms of algae.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Northern Asia, North Africa
- Size
- 5-7mm shell height, 2.5mm width
- Lifespan
- 1-2 years
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to urbanization, pesticide use in gardens, and prolonged seasonal droughts.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These snails are safe to observe closely but are very fragile; avoid stepping on leaf litter in damp areas. If handled, wash hands afterwards as terrestrial mollusks can occasionally carry microscopic parasites.
Photo: Even Dankowicz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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