This list of the non-marine molluscs of Ireland comprises 165 species of non-marine molluscs which have been recorded as part of the fauna of Ireland. These are terrestrial and aquatic gastropods, and bivalves; the list does not include species of molluscs which are considered to be fully marine.
In other words: this list includes land snails and slugs, and freshwater and brackish water snails. It also includes freshwater mussels and freshwater clams, including some that can tolerate brackish water. Molluscs that are fully adapted to live in the sea are not included here.
Ireland is an island in the northeastern Atlantic. It consists of the Republic of Ireland, also known simply as Ireland (or in the Irish language Éire), and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
The mollusc fauna of the island of Ireland has not been as thoroughly researched as that of the island of Great Britain, and therefore it is possible that some uncommon and local species (whether native or introduced) may, as yet, have been overlooked. Even so, it seems that the non-marine molluscan fauna of Ireland is a smaller fauna than that of Great Britain.
This list is of land and freshwater molluscs only. Some species of gastropods listed here (for example Peringia ulvae) live in habitats that are intermediate between freshwater and saltwater. Others live in habitats that are intermediate between land and saltwater. Both of these kinds of species are often also included in marine faunal lists.
In addition to the species that live naturally outdoors in Ireland, there are at least 2 aquatic gastropod species which live only in artificially-heated indoor environments such as aquaria in greenhouses. These are known as "hothouse aliens", and in this list they are not counted as part of the total fauna.
A number of species are listed with subspecies, in cases where there are recognized subspecies in different parts of Europe. In some cases a synonym is given, where the species may be perhaps better known under an older name.
The list is arranged by presumed biological affinity, rather than being alphabetical by family.
The following table shows a summary of species numbers. It is not always easy to define which species are aquatic and which are terrestrial, as some species such as Galba truncatula are virtually amphibious. It also can be difficult to determine which species are introduced, as some introductions are quite ancient, for example from the Paleolithic. Those species that do not have a shell usually do not leave an archeological or fossil record, and therefore it is not always possible to determine whether they are native or introduced.
Species protected by EU Habitats Directive include: Geomalacus maculosus (annex II and IV), Vertigo angustior, Vertigo geyeri, Vertigo moulinsiana (annex II) and Margaritifera margaritifera (annex II and V).
Two species have been protected by the Wildlife Act of 1976 since 1990: Geomalacus maculosus and Margaritifera margaritifera. They were added by regulation SI 112/1990.
A recent regional red list has been published of the non-marine molluscs of Ireland by Byrne et al. (2009). In this publication, the threat status of 150 native species was evaluated using IUCN regional guidelines. Of these species, two are considered to be regionally extinct, five critically endangered, fourteen endangered, twenty-six vulnerable, six near threatened, and the rest of least concern, or data deficient. This publication has sparked some media discussion about molluscan conservation in Ireland, including articles written in the Irish Times and the Irish Daily Mail.
The following species have been assigned threat categories or were considered regionally extinct on the island of Ireland in 2009:
Regionally extinct (RE) Helicigona lapicida (Linnaeus, 1758); Omphiscola glabra (O.F. Müller, 1774) - listed as extinct in the red list, but rediscovered in 2009.
Critically Endangered (CR) Pisidium conventus Clessin, 1877 Pomatias elegans (O.F. Müller, 1774) Margaritifera margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) Truncatella subcylindrica (Linnaeus, 1767) Margaritifera durrovensis Philips, 1928
Endangered (EN) Gyraulus laevis (Alder, 1838) Pisidium pulchellum Jenyns, 1832 Hydrobia acuta neglecta (Muus, 1963) Pupilla muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758) Mercuria cf. similis (Draparnaud, 1805) Quickella arenaria (Potiez & Michaud, 1835) Merdigera obscura (O.F. Müller, 1774) Spermodea lamellata (Jeffreys, 1830) Myxas glutinosa (O.F. Müller, 1774) Succinella oblonga Draparnaud, 1801 Pisidium moitessierianum Paladilhe, 1866 Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849) Pisidium pseudosphaerium Schlesch, 1947 Vertigo pusilla Müller, 1774
Vulnerable (VU) Acicula fusca (Montagu, 1803) Pisidium lilljeborgii Clessin, 1866 Anisus vortex (Linnaeus, 1758) Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758) Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus, 1758) Sphaerium nucleus (Studer, 1820) Anodonta cygnea (Linnaeus, 1758) Tandonia rustica (Millet, 1843) Aplexa hypnorum (Linnaeus, 1758) Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801 Arianta arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758) Vallonia pulchella (O.F. Müller, 1774) Balea perversa (Linnaeus, 1758) Ventrosia ventrosa (Montagu, 1803) Cecilioides acicula (Müller, 1774) Vertigo angustior Jeffreys, 1830 Cochlodina laminata (Montagu, 1803) Vertigo antivertigo (Draparnaud, 1801) Helicella itala (Linnaeus, 1758) Vertigo geyeri Lindholm, 1925 Leiostyla anglica (A. Férussac, 1821) Vertigo lilljeborgi (Westerlund, 1871) Limax cinereoniger Wolf, 1803 Zenobiella subrufescens (J.S. Miller, 1822) Musculium lacustre (O.F. Müller, 1774) Zonitoides excavatus (Alder, 1830)
The list is arranged by presumed biological affinity, rather than being alphabetical by family.
A number of species are listed with subspecies, in cases where there are well-recognized subspecies in different parts of Europe. For some species a synonym is given, where the species may perhaps be better known under another name.
An attempt has been made to label the families as aquatic, terrestrial or intermediate, and an indication is given where it is thought that the species is introduced. Those species that do not have a shell usually do not leave an archeological or fossil record, and therefore it is not always possible to determine whether they are native or introduced. Species are considered to be native, unless otherwise indicated; that information is taken from Kerney, 1999.
Neritidae - aquatic (also tolerates brackish water)
Theodoxus fluviatilis fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Aciculidae - terrestrial
Acicula fusca (Montagu, 1803)
Viviparidae (river snails) - aquatic
Viviparus viviparus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Assimineidae - terrestrial (intermediate marine)
Assiminea grayana Fleming, 1828
Bithyniidae - aquatic
Bithynia leachii (Sheppard, 1823)
Bithynia tentaculata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hydrobiidae (mud snails) - aquatic (some are arguably marine)
Hydrobia acuta neglecta Muus, 1963
Hydrobia ventrosa (Montagu, 1803) = Ecrobia ventrosa
Peringia ulvae (Pennant, 1777)
Mercuria c.f. similis (Draparnaud, 1805) = Mercuria confusa (Frauenfeld, 1863)
Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) - introduced
Valvatidae (valve snails) - aquatic
Valvata cristata O. F. Müller, 1774
Valvata piscinalis (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Pomatiidae (land winkles) - terrestrial
Pomatias elegans (Müller, 1774)
The following gastropods are pulmonates:
Ellobiidae (hollow-shelled snails) - terrestrial or semi-marine
Carychium minimum Müller, 1774
Carychium tridentatum (Risso, 1826)
Leucophytia bidentata (Montagu, 1808)
Myosotella denticulata (Montagu, 1803)
Myosotella myosotis (Draparnaud, 1801)
Otinidae - aquatic (almost fully marine, but a pulmonate)
Otina ovata (Brown, 1827)
Physidae (bladder snails) - aquatic
Aplexa hypnorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Physa fontinalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) = Physella heterostropha (Say, 1817) - introduced
Physella gyrina (Say, 1821) - introduced
Lymnaeidae - aquatic
Galba truncatula (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Omphiscola glabra (O. F. Müller, 1774) - at one site in the south east of Ireland was found in 2009, but it is listed as extinct on a local red list (2009).
Lymnaea stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lymnaea fusca (C.Pfeiffer, 1821)
Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Radix balthica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Radix peregra (Linnaeus, 1758)
Myxas glutinosa (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Planorbidae (ramshorn snails) - aquatic
Planorbis carinatus O. F. Müller, 1774
Planorbis planorbis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anisus leucostoma (Millet, 1813)
Anisus vortex (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anisus vorticulus (Troschel, 1834)
Anisus spirorbis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bathyomphalus contortus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Gyraulus laevis (Alder, 1838)
Gyraulus albus (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Gyraulus crista (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hippeutis complanatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Planorbarius corneus corneus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Ancylus fluviatilis O. F. Müller, 1774
Acroloxidae (river limpets) - aquatic
Acroloxus lacustris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Succineidae (amber snails)- terrestrial (some almost amphibious)
Quikella arenaria (Bouchard-Chantereaux, 1837) = Catinella arenaria
Succinella oblonga Draparnaud, 1801
Succinea putris Linnaeus, 1758
Oxyloma elegans elegans (Risso, 1826) = Oxyloma pfeifferi (Rossmässler, 1835)
Oxyloma sarsii (Esmark, 1886)
Cochlicopidae - terrestrial
Cochlicopa c.f. lubrica = Cochlicopa lubrica (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Cochlicopa c.f. lubricella = Cochlicopa lubricella (Rossmässler, 1835)
Pyramidulidae - terrestrial
Pyramidula umbilicata (Montagu, 1803)
Pyramidula pusilla (Vallot, 1801)
Vertiginidae (whorl snails) - terrestrial
Columella edentula Draparnaud, 1805)
Columella aspera Walden, 1966
Vertigo antivertigo (Draparnaud, 1801)
Vertigo geyeri Lindholm, 1925
Vertigo lilljeborgi (Westerlund, 1871)
Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849)
Vertigo pusilla O. F. Müller, 1774
Vertigo pygmaea (Draparnaud, 1801)
Vertigo substriata (Jeffreys, 1833)
Vertigo angustior Jeffreys, 1830
Pupillidae - terrestrial
Pupilla muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lauriidae - terrestrial
Leiostyla anglica (Wood, 1828)
Lauria cylindracea (da Costa, 1778)
Valloniidae - terrestrial
Vallonia costata (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Vallonia pulchella (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Vallonia c.f. excentrica = Vallonia excentrica Sterke, 1892
Acanthinula aculeata (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Spermodea lamellata (Jeffreys, 1830)
Enidae - terrestrial
Merdigera obscura = Ena obscura (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Punctidae (dot snails) - terrestrial
Punctum pygmaeum (Draparnaud, 1801)
Discidae - terrestrial
Discus rotundatus rotundatus (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Arionidae (roundback slugs) - terrestrial
Arion ater (Linnaeus, 1758)
Arion flagellus Collinge, 1893
Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 = (misapplied) Arion lusitanicus Mabille, 1868 - introduced
Arion subfuscus Draparnaud, 1805 (if this is considered to be a separate taxon from A. fuscus)
Arion fuscus (O.F. Müller, 1774)
Arion circumscriptus Johnston, 1828
Arion rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Arion silvaticus Lohmander, 1937
Arion fasciatus (Nilsson, 1823)
Arion hortensis A. Férussac, 1819
Arion distinctus J. Mabille, 1868
Arion owenii Davies, 1979
Arion intermedius (Normand, 1852)
Arion occultus Anderson, 2004
Geomalacus maculosus Allman, 1843
Pristilomatidae - terrestrial
Vitrea contracta (Westerlund, 1871)
Vitrea crystallina (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Euconulidae - terrestrial
Euconulus c.f. fulvus (O. F. Müller, 1774) = Euconulus fulvus
Euconulus c.f. alderi (J.E. Gray, 1840) = Euconulus alderi
Gastrodontidae - terrestrial
Zonitoides nitidus (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Zonitoides excavatus (Alder, 1830)
Oxychilidae - terrestrial
Oxychilus alliarius (Miller, 1822)
Oxychilus cellarius (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Oxychilus draparnaudi draparnaudi (Beck, 1837) - introduced
Oxychilus navarricus helveticus (Blum, 1881) - introduced
Aegopinella nitidula (Draparnaud, 1805)
Aegopinella pura (Alder, 1830)
Nesovitrea hammonis (Ström, 1765) =Perpolita hammonis
Milacidae - terrestrial
Milax gagates (Draparnaud, 1801)
Tandonia rustica (Millet, 1843)
Tandonia budapestensis (Hazay, 1881)
Tandonia sowerbyi (A. Férussac, 1823)
Vitrinidae - terrestrial
Vitrina pellucida (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Semilimax pyrenaicus (A. Férussac, 1821) - introduced?
Boettgerillidae - terrestrial
Boettgerilla pallens Simroth, 1912 - introduced
Limacidae (keelback slugs) - terrestrial
Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758
Limax cinereoniger Wolf, 1803
Limacus flavus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Limax maculatus (Kaleniczenko, 1851) - introduced
Lehmannia marginata (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Lehmannia valentiana (A. Férussac, 1822)
Agriolimacidae - terrestrial
Deroceras laeve (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Deroceras reticulatum (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Deroceras invadens Reise, Hutchinson, Schunack & Schlitt, 2011 = Deroceras panormitanum (nec. sensu Lessona & Pollonera, 1882) = Deroceras caruanae (nec. sensu Pollonera, 1891)
Ferussaciidae - terrestrial
Cecilioides acicula (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Clausiliidae (door snails) - terrestrial
Cochlodina laminata (Montagu, 1803)
Clausilia bidentata bidentata (Ström, 1765)
Balea perversa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Balea sarsii Pfeiffer, 1847
Testacellidae (shelled slugs) - terrestrial
Testacella maugei A. Férussac, 1822
Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801
Testacella scutulum Sowerby, 1821
Cochlicellidae - terrestrial
Cochlicella acuta (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Hygromiidae - terrestrial
Ashfordia granulata (Alder, 1830)
Candidula gigaxii (L. Pfeiffer, 1850) - introduced
Candidula intersecta (Poiret, 1801) - introduced
Cernuella virgata (Da Costa, 1778) - introduced
Helicella itala itala (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hygromia cinctella (Draparnaud, 1801) - introduced
Trochulus hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Trochulus striolatus (Pfeiffer, 1828) - indigenous?
Zenobiella subrufescens (Miller, 1822)
Helicidae (typical snails) - terrestrial
Arianta arbustorum arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Helicigona lapicida lapicida (Linnaeus, 1758)
Theba pisana pisana (O. F. Müller, 1774) - introduced
Cepaea nemoralis nemoralis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Cepaea hortensis (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Cornu aspersum aspersum = Helix aspersa (O.F. Müller, 1774) - introduced
Margaritiferidae - aquatic
Margaritifera margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unionidae (river mussels) - aquatic
Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anodonta cygnea (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sphaeriidae (pea clams, fingernail clams) - aquatic
Sphaerium corneum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sphaerium nucleus (Studer, 1820)
Musculium lacustre (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Pisidium amnicum (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Pisidium casertanum (Poli, 1791)
Pisidium conventus (Clessin, 1877)
Pisidium henslowanum (Sheppard, 1823)
Pisidium hibernicum Westerlund, 1894
Pisidium lilljeborgii (Clessin, 1886)
Pisidium milium Held, 1836
Pisidium moitessierianum Paladilhe, 1866
Pisidium nitidum Jenyns, 1832
Pisidium obtusale (Lamarck, 1818)
Pisidium personatum Malm, 1855
Pisidium pulchellum (Jenyns, 1832)
Pisidium pseudosphaerium Favre, 1927
Pisidium subtruncatum Malm, 1855
Dreissenidae - aquatic
Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) - introduced
Corbiculidae (basket clams)
Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774)- introduced
These freshwater species are not truly part of the fauna, because they do not live in the wild. They are tropical, and thus are incapable of surviving in the wild in Ireland; instead they have established themselves as uninvited inhabitants of aquaria within greenhouses, and similar artificially-heated aquatic habitats.
Lymnaeidae - aquatic
Radix rubiginosa (Michelin, 1831), native to Indo-China and Indonesia
Planorbidae - aquatic
Planorbella duryi (Wetherby, 1879)
