Home/Species/ Lyrate Mountainsnail

Oreohelix haydeni

(Gabb, 1869)

Lyrate Mountainsnail

G2Imperiled Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

HighThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.116891

Element CodeIMGASB5140

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryInvertebrate Animal

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumMollusca

ClassGastropoda

OrderStylommatophora

FamilyOreohelicidae

GenusOreohelix

Concept Reference

Turgeon, D. D., J. F. Quinn, Jr., A. E. Bogan, E. V. Coan, F. G. Hochberg, W. G. Lyons, P. M. Mikkelsen, R. J. Neves, C. F. E. Roper, G. Rosenberg, B. Roth, A. Scheltema, F. G. Thompson, M. Vecchione, and J. D. Williams. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks. 2nd Edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26, Bethesda, Maryland. 526 pp.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2017-12-19

Change Date2017-12-19

Edition Date2017-12-19

Edition Authorsrev. P. Hendricks (2017)

Threat ImpactHigh

Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences21 - 80

Rank Reasons

Species is restricted to relatively few sites, may be declining, and is facing a diversity of threats related to habitat change and loss.

Range Extent Comments

Occurs in scattered isolated regions over several states; occurrences contained within polygons of about 3500 sq km in Montana, about 200 sq km in Idaho, about 20,125 sq km in Utah, perhaps 200 sq km in Colorado. Total estimated range extent = about 25,000 sq km.

Occurrences Comments

Based on about 8 occurrences (8 occupied 4 sq. km. grid cells) in Montana, about 7 occurrences in Idaho, about 21 occurrences in Utah, about 3 occurrences in Colorado. Total = about 39-40 occurrences (occupied 4 sq km grid cells).

Threat Impact Comments

Threatened at many occurrences by past, recent, and current grazing, wildfire, limited logging, and warming and drier climate.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

A distinctive medium to large-sized shell, to 22 mm diameter and 13 mm in height but usually smaller; flattened-heliciform, depressed somewhat in profile, with up to 5 3/4 whorls. Late whorls have coarse irregular striae and prominent raised spiral cords or lirae on both upper and lower surfaces (up to 5 above and 11 below the periphery). The umbilicus is narrow and deep (contained about 5 times in the diameter). The aperture is oval, periphery with a keel. Shell opaque and chalky, color is brownish-gray (dead shells to pearly white); Montana shells lack reddish-brown spiral bands often present in most other species of Oreohelix. Head, neck and tentacles dull ashy gray, darker than the shell.

Habitat

Often associated with limestone talus and outcrops, sometimes with minimal tree canopy cover on steep south-facing slopes, although at least one site is north-facing. Primary canopy species include Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, mountain maple; secondary canopy cover may include aspen, ninebark, and serviceberry. Live animals mostly under rocks and in duff or soil accumulations under rocks, sun-bleached shells may be found on the surface (Hendricks 2012).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest - MixedBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Idaho	S1	Yes
Colorado	SNR	Yes
Utah	S2	Yes
Montana	S2	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
5 - Biological resource use	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
7 - Natural system modifications	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppression	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
11 - Climate change & severe weather	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
11.2 - Droughts	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
11.3 - Temperature extremes	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)

Roadless Areas (4)

Utah (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Mt. Logan North	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	18,930
Mt. Naomi	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	41,922
Right Hand Fork Logan	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	15,023

Wyoming (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Devils Canyon	Bighorn National Forest	37,416

References (9)

Bosworth, W. 2012. Terrestrial gastropods of USFS Northern Region: materials developed for Idaho field guide. Idaho Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho. 110 pages (unnumbered)
Burke, T.E. 2013. Land snails and slugs of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis. 352 pp
Clarke, A. H. 1993. Status survey of fifteen species and subspecies of aquatic and terrestrial mollusks from Utah, Colorado, and Montana. Unpublished report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by ECOSEARCH, Inc., Portland, Texas. 87 pp. + 102 unnumbered sheets.
Frest, T.J. and E.J. Johannes. 1995b. Land snail survey of the lower Salmon River drainage, Idaho. Idaho Bureau of Land Management Technical Bulletin 97-18. 142 pp. plus appendices
Frest, T.J. and E.J. Johannes. 1995c. Interior Columbia Basin mollusk species of special concern. Final Report (contract #43-0E00-4-9112) prepared for Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. Deixis Consultants, Seattle, Washington. 274 pp. + tabs., figs.
Henderson, J. 1936. Mollusca of Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, supplement. University of Colorado Studies, 23(2): 81-145.
Hendricks, P. 2012. A guide to the land snails and slugs of Montana. A report to the U.S. Forest Service – Region 1. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 187 pages + appendices.
Oliver, G.V. and W.R. Bosworth, III. 1999. Rare, imperiled, and recently extinct or extirpated mollusks of Utah. Report ot the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Publication Number 99-29, Salt Lake City, Utah. 231 pp.
Turgeon, D. D., J. F. Quinn, Jr., A. E. Bogan, E. V. Coan, F. G. Hochberg, W. G. Lyons, P. M. Mikkelsen, R. J. Neves, C. F. E. Roper, G. Rosenberg, B. Roth, A. Scheltema, F. G. Thompson, M. Vecchione, and J. D. Williams. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks. 2nd Edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26, Bethesda, Maryland. 526 pp.

Oreohelix haydeni

Description

Habitat

—