Physical Description

Euchemotrema fraternum has a shell diameter of about 7.8-11.4 mm.  Their shell shape is depressed heliciform, or an elevated spiral, as can be seen in the furthest right portion of the photo below (Dourson 2006).  Their shell has five to six whorls (Grimm 2000).  This snail's shell is generally rimate, meaning their opening in their shell is slightly covered by the apertural lip, or imperforate, where the umbilicus (opening) is closed (Dourson 2006).  This opening is also narrowed by the parietal denticle (tooth on the opening) and is without lamella (raised calcium deposits in the shell) (Dourson 2006; Burch 1962).  They have a very convex base possibly with short hairs and "incremental striae" (or bands of a different color) (Grimm 2000).  These snails are colored "buff to tawny olive."  Their parietal tooth is short and almost straight with the ends turned towards their thickened basal lip (lip on opening of shell) (Pillsbry 1939-1948).    

Learn more about the adaptations in terrestrial mollusks!

Euchemotrema fraternum. Coppolino, M.L. 2009. Land Snails of Southern Illinois. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA. http://mypage.siu. edu/mlcopp accessed on March 6th, 2011.