Adaptation

Due to the habitat described earlier, Discus cronkhitei has had to adapt.

Color:
Discus cronkhitei has a tan to brown colored shell which makes it perfect camouflage for the leafy, grassy, dirty habitat it lives in.  Even when moving, the head of the snail is a dark brown to black color, and the edges of the foot and tail are a translucent pale grey color (Pilsbry, 1939-1948).  This combination of colors makes it very hard for predators to spot.

Shape:
One of the unique characteristics of Discus cronkhitei is it's flattened shell and small size.  This is advantageous to the snail because it is able to find food under bark and in small spaces that other organisms can't fit into.  The calcium carbonate shell is also very protective, and because of the ribs on the shell it is stronger than many other shells.

Movement:
Like all gastropods, Discus cronkhitei moves by a muscular foot.  This muscular foot uses contractile muscles to move forward.  According to Pilsbry, Discus cronkhitei have very little visible movement of the foot when moving.  He describes it by saying, "the surface is copiously lubricated, and no muscular waves are seen on the sole in movement" (Pilsbry, 1939-1948).  The combination of moving very slowly and with little visible movement makes this snail even more difficult for possible predators to see.

Cold Tolerance:
In 1987 a study was done about the ability of a few species of snails to withstand severe cold temperatures.  Discus cronkhitei was put into various levels of cold for sixteen hours and the results were (Riddle, 1998):
Temp.        % Survival
-15° C            76%
-17° C            66%
-18° C            55%
-19° C            5%

This indicates that even during extreme cold spells in their habitat, this species has the ability to survive.

Want to learn about the Nutrition of Discus cronkhitei?
Or go to the Home page.