Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Virginia Fringed Mountain snail (Polygyriscus virginianus)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Helicodiscidae

Listing Status:   

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

The Virginia fringed mountain snail was originally descibed in 1947 from weathered shells found in the soil and was presumed to be extinct. It was not until 1971 that live individuals were found. This snail is known only from six miles of bluffs along the New River in Pulaski County Virginia. The shell is a pale greenish color and has four promient raised spiral lines with less prominent spiral lines between them. The shell is 0.18 inches in diameter and 0.06 inches in height. The animal inside, is white and probably blind.

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)



This species is listed wherever it is found, but
    • States/US Territories in which the Virginia Fringed Mountain snail, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  Virginia
    • US Counties in which the Virginia Fringed Mountain snail, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
08/02/1978 Northeast Region (Region 5) Entire

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 4 of 4)
Date Citation Page Title
03/06/2012 77 FR 13251 13253 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.
01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
07/03/1978 43 FR 28932 28935 Final Determination that Seven Eastern U.S. Land Snails are Endangered or Threatened Species
04/28/1976 41 FR 17742 17747 Proposed Endangered or Threatened Status for 32 U.S. Snails [Proposed 15 as E/17 T]; 41 FR 17742 17747 (Amargosa snail, Fontellicella micrococcus; Ash Meadows turban snail, Fluminicola erythropoma; bad water snail, Assiminea infirma; banded dune snail, Helminthoglypta walkeriana; California Northern River snail, Monadenia setosa; Cheatum's snail, Tryonia cheatumi; Chittenango ovate amber snail, Succinea ovalis chittenangoensis; Clark's Nantahala middle-toothed land snail, Mesodon clarki nantahala; dented peninsula snail, Helminthoglypta arrosa miwoka; Diamond-Y pond snail, Physa virgata bottomeri; flat-spired three-toothed land snail, Triodopsis platysayoides; fraternal snail, Micrarionta feralis; Jone's middle-toothed land snail, Mesodon jonesianus; Karok Indian snail, Vestericola karokarum; MacClintock's discoid land snail, Discus macclintocki; Magazine Mountain middle-toothed land snail, Mesodon magacinenses; Muddy Valley turban snail, Fluminicola avernalis; Nicklin's Peninsula snail, Helminthoglypta nickiniana awania; Pahranagat Valley turban, Fluminicola merriami; painted snake coiled forest snail, Anguispira picta; Pilsbru's narrow apertured land snail, Stanotrema pilsbryi; Reeves County snail, Cochliopa texana; rocky coast snail, Monadenia fidelis pronotis; St. George snail, Amnicola deseria; slug snail, Binneya notabilis; Socorro snail, Amnicola neomexicana; Stock Island tree snail, Orthalicus reses reses; Strange many- whorled land snail, Polygyra peregrina; Tryon's snail, Micrarionta tryoni; Virginia fringed mountain snail, Polugriscus virginianus; White River snail, Tryonia clathraia; Zion canyon snail, Physa zioni)

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
05/09/1983 Virginia Fringed Mountain Snail View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 2 of 2)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
03/06/2012 77 FR 13251 13253 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • 01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    01/29/2008 VA fringed mountain snail completed 5-yr review

    » Critical Habitat

    No critical habitat rules have been published for the Virginia Fringed Mountain snail, Entire.

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Virginia Fringed Mountain snail, Entire

    » Petitions

    No petition findings have been published for the Virginia Fringed Mountain snail, Entire.

    » Life History

    Habitat Requirements

    This snail is usually in areas where limestone is mixed with clay soil. It is associated with permanently damp rock fragments and angular limestone pieces approximately 0.4 to 4.0 inches across. These areas are heavily shaded and may be overgrown with honeysuckle. Living individuals occur in the soil at depths of four to twenty-four inches. Live snails have never been observed on the soil surface. No other information is available on the life history of this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: June 18, 2013