Living Landscapes

Terrestrial Gastropods of the Columbia Basin, British Columbia

Glossary
Specialised terminology is necessarily used in malacology. In this report, terminology is utilised in the descriptions of animals, their shells, natural history, habitat and nomenclature. Terms are standardised and adapted several sources. Shell terminology is adapted from Pilsbry (1936-1948), Cox (1960), Arnold (1966) and Keen & Coan (1974). Anatomical terminology is adapted from Pilsbry (1936-1948), Ellis (1969a, b), Kerney & Cameron (1979), South (1992) and other sources.

adult a shell that is fully grown, having all the characteristics of adult individuals; a sexually mature animal

angulate having an angulation

angulation an angular formation, ridge, keel or edge where two surfaces meet

anterior in front, near the head

apertural of or in the aperture

aperture the opening in a spirally coiled shell through which the animal extends and into which the animal can retract (in most)

apex the tip of the spire; that part of the shell (often pointed) that is first formed

apical of or at the apex

atrium the chamber to which the oviduct, penis (or epiphallus) and spermathecal duct are connected to, and which itself is connected to the outside by way of the genital pore

auctt. auctorum, of authors: indicating a misuse of a name by several authors

axial in the same direction as the axis of the coiling of a shell

axial striae fine lines (usually incised) on the surface of the shell indicating growth by increments

axis imaginary line around which the whorls of a coiled shell are formed

basal of or at the base

basal lip that part of the lip from the end of the columella to the future suture

base the rounded lower part of the last whorl of a coiled shell

last whorl the last (and usually largest) whorl of a coiled shell (=body whorl); compare to spire

callus a smooth, shelly deposit, usually within the aperture; especially that on the parietal area

caudal of the tail or tail-like appendage

caudal mucus plug a dried `plug' of mucus in the caudal mucus pore

caudal mucus pore a gland at the end of the tail in some slugs that secretes mucus

coalesce fuse together

columella the central pillar formed by the inner walls of the whorls, through which the axis of the shell passes; either hollow (shell umbilicate) or solid (shell not umbilicate)

columellar of or at the columella

columellar lip that part of the lip next to the columella

common duct a part of the reproductive tract proximal to its division into male and female tubes: the vas deferens and oviduct. (=spermoviduct)

concentric arranged in rings around a common centre

conic same as conical

conical (approximately) cone-shaped

convex curving outward, bulging out

corneous hornlike in colour or texture

coronated more or less shaped like a crown, especially, when having a series of processes making a crownlike form

crenate same as crenulate

crenulate toothed, scalloped or with a series of notches

crest a raised, axial ridge on the last whorl behind (and parallelling) the outer lip, typically set off from the outer lip by a constriction; present in some Pupillidae and Polygyridae

cylindrical (approximately) shaped like a cylinder

dentate having dentation

dentation toothlike processes, as in the aperture of some shells

denticle a small toothlike projection within the aperture of some shells (=tooth, apertural tooth)

depressed-heliciform heliciform but with the spire lower; see also heliciform

dextral coiled in a right-handed spiral; the aperture is on the right side of the shell when viewed with the apex up; see also sinistral

dorsal the back

elevated raised up above something else; said of the spire when it is raised above the plane of the last whorl

elliptic shaped like an ellipse

elongate lengthened or stretched out

embryonic shell shell formed before hatching; see also protoconch

epiphallus the dilated distal portion of the vas deferens in which the spermatophore is secreted (not present in all groups)

fauna the animals living within a given region, environment or time period

flared spread outward at the edge

fold a ridgelike tooth; cf. lamella

foot the muscular organ of gastropod locomotion; see also sole

foot fringe the edge of the foot, when set off from the rest of the foot by a conspicuous constriction (=skirt)

genital pore the hole on the anterior right side of the body leading into the reproductive system (=genital aperture)

glassy having a resemblance to glass: clear, smooth and shiny

globose (approximately) sphere-shaped or rounded

granular bearing granules

granule a small raised surface feature somewhat like a large grain of sand

growth lines fine lines of axial sculpture on the surface of a shell created by the gradual addition of shell material as a result of growth (=incremental striae)

head the head (front end) of a gastropod, bearing mouth, tentacles

height see shell height

heliciform having a Helixlike shell form; see also globose-heliciform, depressed-heliciform

hirsute covered with hairlike processes, as in the periostracum of some members of the Polygyridae

indented notched, pressed inward

juvenile an immature individual or shell; see also adult

keel the longitudinal ridge present on the tail of some slugs; sometimes called the carina

lamella (pl. lamellae) thin platelike element

lamellar like a lamella

last whorl the final whorl of a coiled shell (at any given age or size); the shell, exclusive of the spire whorls (=body whorl)

lateral of or at the side

lateral bands in some slugs, the dark longitudinal bands on either side of the animal

length the maximum measurement taken from head to tip of tail of sluglike gastropods

lip the edge of the aperture; see also basal lip, columellar lip, outer lip, parietal lip

malleated appearing as though beaten with a hammer

malleations small, shallow irregular indentations

mantle a fold of the body wall lining and secreting the shell in shell-bearing molluscs; exposed in slugs

margin an edge

medial in, at or near the middle

microscopic very small, visible only with magnification

mor forest humus in which the layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil merge abruptly into the mineral soil beneath; see also mul.

mouth the opening on the underside-front of the head by which food enters the body; not the aperture of the shell to which this term is sometimes applied

MS (pl. MSS) manuscript: an unpublished work

mull granular forest humus with the layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil merging gradually into the mineral soil beneath; see also mor.

multispiral with many whorls, especially when whorls are slowing enlarging in size and tightly wound

mucus a slippery or sticky secretion, often called slime

obsolete obscure, not very distinct, atrophied

ocular of the eye

opaque not transparent or translucent

outer lip the edge of the aperture from suture to the base; see also basal lip

ovate egg-shaped, oval

ovate-conic ovate but with a somewhat conic apex

oviduct the female duct through which eggs past from the common duct to the atrium

palatal that part of the lip or inner surface of the shell from the suture to the base

parietal of the parietal area

parietal area that part of the inner surface of the shell between columella and the suture formed by the preceding whorl uniting with the lip

paucispiral with few (usually rapidly enlarging) whorls

penial appendage an outgrowth from the proximal part of the penis (in Deroceras), either simple or branched

penis the eversible organ (not present in all groups)

penultimate whorl the whorl preceding the last whorl, which is also the last whorl of the spire

periostracum a thin, horny covering on the exterior of many shells, often with hairs or wrinkles

periphery that part of the whorl furthest from the axis of a spiral shell

pilose covered with hairs

plica (pl. plicae) a fold or foldlike denticle

pneumostome a hole on the right side of the mantle of a slug through which the animal respires (=breathing pore)

posterior end opposite to the head

protoconch the apical whorls of a shell usually characterised by sculptural differences from the rest of the shell or teleoconch; the protoconch is formed while the individual is in the egg

punctate having punctations

punctations small pin-pricklike pits in the surface of a shell

radula a chitinous band bearing numerous minute teeth that when drawn back and forth within the mouth of most molluscs, serves to break up food

recurved curved or bent back

reflected curved or bent outwards at the edge, as in the lip of some shells

rib a long, narrow ridgelike element of surface sculpture

riblet a small rib

rugose wrinkled

scalariform a deformity in spirally coiled shells in which the whorls are loosely coiled and the spire drawn out

sculpture the raised or indented pattern of markings or ornamentation on the surface of a shell

sensu lato in the broad sense

sensu stricto in the strict sense

shagreened resembling shagreen; having a rough, granular surface

shell a hard, calcified or chitinous structure, either external and able to encase all or part of the withdrawn animal, or internal

shell height the maximum measurement taken along the line of the axis from the apex to the base or basal lip; equivalent to length of some authors

shell width maximum measurement taken perpendicular to the axial of a coiled shell; equivalent to diameter of some authors

shoulder that part of the whorl directly below the suture and above the periphery, either angulate or rounded

sinistral opposite of dextral; coiled in a left-handed spiral; the aperture is on the left side of the shell when viewed with the apex up

sinulus an identation of the outer lip in some species of Vertigo and Gastrocopta

s.l. see 'sensu lato'

sole the flat, muscular undersurface of the foot of a gastropod

species the basic category of biological classification, ranking below the genus; a species consists of related organisms or populations potentially capable of interbreeding; a species is designated by a two part name consisting of its genus and a specific epithet; see also subspecies

spermatheca a saclike part of the genital system for storing spermatozoa received from another individual; (=seminal receptacle, bursa copulatrix)

spermathecal duct a tube leading from the spermatheca to the atrium (=seminal duct)

spiral in the direction of the coiling of the shell

spire the whorls of a coiled shell except for the last whorl

s.s. see 'sensu stricto'

striae very fine lines or furrows in the shell surface; usually considered only to be incised, but here both incised and raised lines are considered striae

striate sculptured with striae

sub- below, under; rather, somewhat, almost, nearly

subspecies a division of a species, based upon a isolation (either geographically or ecologically) from the main species' stock

suture the continuous seam between two adjacent whorls of a coiled shell (the form "sutures" is incorrect, as there is only one suture in a coiled shell)

sympatric occurring together in the same area or region

synonym one of two or more names given to a singe species (or genus, family, etc.); the name not considered valid is often referred to as a synonym of the valid name, but more correctly, both are synonyms of each other

taxon (pl. taxa) any unit of classification

teleoconch the entire gastropod shell except for the protoconch

tentacles more or less slender, contractile or retractile, sensory organs on the head of gastropods; see also occular tentacles and sensory tentacles

terrestrial living on land

thread a long, raised sculptural element

translucent allowing the passage of light, but not transparent

tripartite said of the sole of the foot when it appears to be divided into three longitudinal bands

tubercle a swelling, hump or knob

tubercular shaped like tubercle

type locality the locality from where the holotype specimen of a species originated

umbilicate having the umbilicus open

umbilicus in some coiled shells, the basal opening through which passes the central axis of the shell around which the whorls are formed

vas deferens the narrow duct connecting the prostrate (section of the common duct) with either the penis or epiphallus.

ventral on or of the lower plane of the body; opposite to dorsal

viviparous producing live young, rather than eggs

whorl one complete revolution of a coiled shell; see also last whorl, penultimate whorl

width see shell width

wrinkles irregular furrows and/or ridges

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Living Landscapes

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adult	a shell that is fully grown, having all the characteristics of adult individuals; a sexually mature animal
angulate	having an angulation
angulation	an angular formation, ridge, keel or edge where two surfaces meet
anterior	in front, near the head
apertural	of or in the aperture
aperture	the opening in a spirally coiled shell through which the animal extends and into which the animal can retract (in most)
apex	the tip of the spire; that part of the shell (often pointed) that is first formed
apical	of or at the apex
atrium	the chamber to which the oviduct, penis (or epiphallus) and spermathecal duct are connected to, and which itself is connected to the outside by way of the genital pore
auctt.	auctorum, of authors: indicating a misuse of a name by several authors
axial	in the same direction as the axis of the coiling of a shell
axial striae	fine lines (usually incised) on the surface of the shell indicating growth by increments
axis	imaginary line around which the whorls of a coiled shell are formed
basal	of or at the base
basal lip	that part of the lip from the end of the columella to the future suture
base	the rounded lower part of the last whorl of a coiled shell
last whorl	the last (and usually largest) whorl of a coiled shell (=body whorl); compare to spire
callus	a smooth, shelly deposit, usually within the aperture; especially that on the parietal area
caudal	of the tail or tail-like appendage
caudal mucus plug	a dried `plug' of mucus in the caudal mucus pore
caudal mucus pore	a gland at the end of the tail in some slugs that secretes mucus
coalesce	fuse together
columella	the central pillar formed by the inner walls of the whorls, through which the axis of the shell passes; either hollow (shell umbilicate) or solid (shell not umbilicate)
columellar	of or at the columella
columellar lip	that part of the lip next to the columella
common duct	a part of the reproductive tract proximal to its division into male and female tubes: the vas deferens and oviduct. (=spermoviduct)
concentric	arranged in rings around a common centre
conic	same as conical
conical	(approximately) cone-shaped
convex	curving outward, bulging out
corneous	hornlike in colour or texture
coronated	more or less shaped like a crown, especially, when having a series of processes making a crownlike form
crenate	same as crenulate
crenulate	toothed, scalloped or with a series of notches
crest	a raised, axial ridge on the last whorl behind (and parallelling) the outer lip, typically set off from the outer lip by a constriction; present in some Pupillidae and Polygyridae
cylindrical	(approximately) shaped like a cylinder
dentate	having dentation
dentation	toothlike processes, as in the aperture of some shells
denticle	a small toothlike projection within the aperture of some shells (=tooth, apertural tooth)
depressed-heliciform	heliciform but with the spire lower; see also heliciform
dextral	coiled in a right-handed spiral; the aperture is on the right side of the shell when viewed with the apex up; see also sinistral
dorsal	the back
elevated	raised up above something else; said of the spire when it is raised above the plane of the last whorl
elliptic	shaped like an ellipse
elongate	lengthened or stretched out
embryonic	shell shell formed before hatching; see also protoconch
epiphallus	the dilated distal portion of the vas deferens in which the spermatophore is secreted (not present in all groups)
fauna	the animals living within a given region, environment or time period
flared	spread outward at the edge
fold	a ridgelike tooth; cf. lamella
foot	the muscular organ of gastropod locomotion; see also sole
foot fringe	the edge of the foot, when set off from the rest of the foot by a conspicuous constriction (=skirt)
genital pore	the hole on the anterior right side of the body leading into the reproductive system (=genital aperture)
glassy	having a resemblance to glass: clear, smooth and shiny
globose	(approximately) sphere-shaped or rounded
granular	bearing granules
granule	a small raised surface feature somewhat like a large grain of sand
growth lines	fine lines of axial sculpture on the surface of a shell created by the gradual addition of shell material as a result of growth (=incremental striae)
head	the head (front end) of a gastropod, bearing mouth, tentacles
height	see shell height
heliciform	having a Helixlike shell form; see also globose-heliciform, depressed-heliciform
hirsute	covered with hairlike processes, as in the periostracum of some members of the Polygyridae
indented	notched, pressed inward
juvenile	an immature individual or shell; see also adult
keel	the longitudinal ridge present on the tail of some slugs; sometimes called the carina
lamella (pl. lamellae)	thin platelike element
lamellar	like a lamella
last whorl	the final whorl of a coiled shell (at any given age or size); the shell, exclusive of the spire whorls (=body whorl)
lateral	of or at the side
lateral bands	in some slugs, the dark longitudinal bands on either side of the animal
length	the maximum measurement taken from head to tip of tail of sluglike gastropods
lip	the edge of the aperture; see also basal lip, columellar lip, outer lip, parietal lip
malleated	appearing as though beaten with a hammer
malleations	small, shallow irregular indentations
mantle	a fold of the body wall lining and secreting the shell in shell-bearing molluscs; exposed in slugs
margin	an edge
medial	in, at or near the middle
microscopic	very small, visible only with magnification
mor	forest humus in which the layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil merge abruptly into the mineral soil beneath; see also mul.
mouth	the opening on the underside-front of the head by which food enters the body; not the aperture of the shell to which this term is sometimes applied
MS (pl. MSS)	manuscript: an unpublished work
mull	granular forest humus with the layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil merging gradually into the mineral soil beneath; see also mor.
multispiral	with many whorls, especially when whorls are slowing enlarging in size and tightly wound
mucus	a slippery or sticky secretion, often called slime
obsolete	obscure, not very distinct, atrophied
ocular	of the eye
opaque	not transparent or translucent
outer lip	the edge of the aperture from suture to the base; see also basal lip
ovate	egg-shaped, oval
ovate-conic	ovate but with a somewhat conic apex
oviduct	the female duct through which eggs past from the common duct to the atrium
palatal	that part of the lip or inner surface of the shell from the suture to the base
parietal	of the parietal area
parietal area	that part of the inner surface of the shell between columella and the suture formed by the preceding whorl uniting with the lip
paucispiral	with few (usually rapidly enlarging) whorls
penial appendage	an outgrowth from the proximal part of the penis (in Deroceras), either simple or branched
penis	the eversible organ (not present in all groups)
penultimate whorl	the whorl preceding the last whorl, which is also the last whorl of the spire
periostracum	a thin, horny covering on the exterior of many shells, often with hairs or wrinkles
periphery	that part of the whorl furthest from the axis of a spiral shell
pilose	covered with hairs
plica (pl. plicae)	a fold or foldlike denticle
pneumostome	a hole on the right side of the mantle of a slug through which the animal respires (=breathing pore)
posterior	end opposite to the head
protoconch	the apical whorls of a shell usually characterised by sculptural differences from the rest of the shell or teleoconch; the protoconch is formed while the individual is in the egg
punctate	having punctations
punctations	small pin-pricklike pits in the surface of a shell
radula	a chitinous band bearing numerous minute teeth that when drawn back and forth within the mouth of most molluscs, serves to break up food
recurved	curved or bent back
reflected	curved or bent outwards at the edge, as in the lip of some shells
rib	a long, narrow ridgelike element of surface sculpture
riblet	a small rib
rugose	wrinkled
scalariform	a deformity in spirally coiled shells in which the whorls are loosely coiled and the spire drawn out
sculpture	the raised or indented pattern of markings or ornamentation on the surface of a shell
sensu lato	in the broad sense
sensu stricto	in the strict sense
shagreened	resembling shagreen; having a rough, granular surface
shell	a hard, calcified or chitinous structure, either external and able to encase all or part of the withdrawn animal, or internal
shell height	the maximum measurement taken along the line of the axis from the apex to the base or basal lip; equivalent to length of some authors
shell width	maximum measurement taken perpendicular to the axial of a coiled shell; equivalent to diameter of some authors
shoulder	that part of the whorl directly below the suture and above the periphery, either angulate or rounded
sinistral	opposite of dextral; coiled in a left-handed spiral; the aperture is on the left side of the shell when viewed with the apex up
sinulus	an identation of the outer lip in some species of Vertigo and Gastrocopta
s.l.	see 'sensu lato'
sole	the flat, muscular undersurface of the foot of a gastropod
species	the basic category of biological classification, ranking below the genus; a species consists of related organisms or populations potentially capable of interbreeding; a species is designated by a two part name consisting of its genus and a specific epithet; see also subspecies
spermatheca	a saclike part of the genital system for storing spermatozoa received from another individual; (=seminal receptacle, bursa copulatrix)
spermathecal duct	a tube leading from the spermatheca to the atrium (=seminal duct)
spiral	in the direction of the coiling of the shell
spire	the whorls of a coiled shell except for the last whorl
s.s.	see 'sensu stricto'
striae	very fine lines or furrows in the shell surface; usually considered only to be incised, but here both incised and raised lines are considered striae
striate	sculptured with striae
sub-	below, under; rather, somewhat, almost, nearly
subspecies	a division of a species, based upon a isolation (either geographically or ecologically) from the main species' stock
suture	the continuous seam between two adjacent whorls of a coiled shell (the form "sutures" is incorrect, as there is only one suture in a coiled shell)
sympatric	occurring together in the same area or region
synonym	one of two or more names given to a singe species (or genus, family, etc.); the name not considered valid is often referred to as a synonym of the valid name, but more correctly, both are synonyms of each other
taxon (pl. taxa)	any unit of classification
teleoconch	the entire gastropod shell except for the protoconch
tentacles	more or less slender, contractile or retractile, sensory organs on the head of gastropods; see also occular tentacles and sensory tentacles
terrestrial	living on land
thread	a long, raised sculptural element
translucent	allowing the passage of light, but not transparent
tripartite	said of the sole of the foot when it appears to be divided into three longitudinal bands
tubercle	a swelling, hump or knob
tubercular	shaped like tubercle
type locality	the locality from where the holotype specimen of a species originated
umbilicate	having the umbilicus open
umbilicus	in some coiled shells, the basal opening through which passes the central axis of the shell around which the whorls are formed
vas deferens	the narrow duct connecting the prostrate (section of the common duct) with either the penis or epiphallus.
ventral	on or of the lower plane of the body; opposite to dorsal
viviparous	producing live young, rather than eggs
whorl	one complete revolution of a coiled shell; see also last whorl, penultimate whorl
width	see shell width
wrinkles	irregular furrows and/or ridges