The shell is most similar to that of Allogona townsendiana but smaller, with fewer malleations and more regular colabral riblets. In some, a weak callus or low, poorly developed denticle is occasionally present on the parietal.
Shell
Large, heliciform, light brown or yellow-brown, with lighter coloured irregular but ribs; periostracum never hairy; lip thickened and expanded, white; aperture without denticles, except very occasionally with a low parietal denticle or callus.
Biology
Carney (1966) noted that in Montana, and as seen along the Elk River in B.C. (Forsyth 2004), most snails position their shells with the apex directed downward during the winter hibernation. Carney found that mortality was greater when the shell was not positioned in this fashion and speculated that this orientation of the shell might be important for over-wintering survival.
Habitat
Interior Cedar-Hemlock forests; mesic wooded areas generally.
Distribution
Global Distribution
Western North America, from BC and Montana, west of the Continental Divide, south through Idaho, to Washington east of the Columbia River, and northeast Oregon (Pilsbry 1940). This species occurs east of the range of Allogona townsendiana, except for down the lower part of the Columbia River, where both have been found together (Pilsbry 1940).
BC Distribution
Throughout the southern Kootenay, Columbia, and Elk river drainages; north as far as the vicinity of Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, and Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake (Forsyth 2004; map data). Not on the coast and Vancouver Island [map data incorrect].
Ecozone
Montane Cordillera.
Notes
Etymology
Genus derived from the Greek "allos" meaning "other" or "different" + "gona", "genitalia"; the gender is feminine. Species epithet from the Greek, "ptychos", “fold” + "phoro", "to bear" or “carry”.
Recommended citation: Author, Date. Page title. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2021. E-Fauna BC:
Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [efauna.bc.ca]. Lab
for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed:
2024-09-07 2:12:19 PM]
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