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Fisherola nuttalli (Haldeman, 1841)
Shortface Lanx
Family: Lymnaeidae
Introduction to the Molluscs of BC

Photograph

© Ian Gardiner     (Photo ID #85005)

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Distribution of Fisherola nuttalli in British Columbia in British Columbia

Species Information


Fisherola nuttalli, the Shortface Lanx, was formerly widespread in the lower Columbia River, Snake River, and a few major tributaries within western North America. In recent years, the species has been extirpated from many former sites due to habitat alteration (Frest & Johannes, 1995). The current global conservation status rank is G2 - critically imperilled, at high risk of extinction (NatureServe, 2015).

This species was first reported from British Columbia as Ancylus kootaniensis by Baird (1863), based on collections made by Lord from the Kootenay River in southeast British Columbia (Natural History Museum Collections). The species was not documented in the province again until Clarke (1981) reported its presumed occurrence in the Columbia River at Trail based on the finding of a broken shell. It was not until 2009 that live specimens were collected at Trail (Royal BC Museum Collections).

This species is generally found in unpolluted, swift-flowing, highly oxygenated water on boulder-gravel substrate, often in the vicinity of rapids, in small to large rivers (Frest & Johannes, 1993).

Note Author: Ian Gardiner

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)		COSEWIC
NativeS1S2RedE (Apr 2016)



BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

Additional Range and Status Information Links

NatureServe Explorer

Species References

Baird, W. 1863. Descriptions of Some New Species of Shells, Collected at Vancouver Island and in British Columbia, by J.K. Lord, Esq., Naturalist to the British North-American Boundary Commission, in the Years 1858-1862. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 31: 66-70.

Clarke, A.H. 1981. The freshwater molluscs of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario: 446pp.

Frest, T.J. & E.J. Johannes. 1993. Mollusc species of special concern within the range of the northern spotted owl. Final Report: Forest Ecosystem Management Working Group, USDA Forest Service, Portland, Oregon: 98 pp.

Frest, T.J. & E.J. Johannes. 1995. Interior Columbia Basin mollusk species of special concern. Final report: Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, Walla Walla, WA: 274pp.

Natural History Museum Collections. Available online: http://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/collection-specimens (Accessed 26 Dec 2015).

NatureServe. 2015. NatureServe Explorer. Available online: http://explorer.natureserve.org/ (Accessed 26 Dec 2015).

Royal BC Museum Collections. Available online: http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Invertebratezoology (Accessed 26 Dec 2015).

General References

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