Habitat

There has not been enough extensive research conducted on Vertigo arthuri to determine its exact habit and preference but there are several regions in which this species and its synonyms regularly occur. North American Vertigo species can generally be found under or on dead wood as well as on fallen leaves in humid regions. There are also some species that will inhabit dead leaves and grass stems on the border of marshes or ponds. Aspen groves appear to be a preferred habitat in mountain states (Pilsbry 1948).

Vertigo arthuri form arthuri ranges from eastern Ontario west to the Alaskan interior and south to New Mexico, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and northwestern Minnesota. Twelve different habitats in northwestern Minnesota have been found: balsam-white spruce forest, white cedar wetland, aspen forest, black ash wetland, maple-basswood forest, jack pine forest, red pine forest, oak forest, sedge meadow, tamarack wetland, wet prairie, and fen habitats (Nekola 2009).  Vertigo arthuri were significantly more likely to occur in forest habitat than grassland habitat, and the highest densities occurred in balsam-white spruce forest and aspen forest (Nekola 2003). It appears to prefer wooded bedrock outcrops and alvars. In the far west, it is expected to occur in upland mixed forest and aspen parkland (Nekola 2009).

 

 

   An aspen tree where
    Vertigo arthuri
      form arthuri may
       inhabit.  

 

 

 

Image provided courtesy of Wikipedia.org 

 

Vertigo arthuri f0rm hubrichti ranges from northeastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota east along the Niagaran Escarpment to the Bruce Peninsula and then north to Lake Nipissing and east to Ottawa. Algific slopes and cliffs, rocky outcrops, bedrock cliffs, and alvars supporting Northern White Cedar populations are the most commonly observed habitats (Frest 1991, Anderson et al. 2002, Nekola 2009).




    This is an example of an alvar which is
    a common habitat of Vertigo arthuri
                       form hubrichti.




Image provided courtesy of Wikipedia.org


Vertigo arthuri form paradoxa ranges from Newfoundland east through New York and Ontario to northeastern Wisconsin, northwestern Minnesota, and central Manitoba. This form also occurs in Alaska. In Ontario, this taxon is largely confined to the Niagaran Escarpment, with scattered additional sites to the east and north. Bedrock outcrops and alvars (usually supporting Northern White Cedar), seashore limestone turf (Nekola 2009).





   This is a limestone outcrop, a
    common place to find Vertigo
      arthuri form paradoxa.

 

 

Image provided courtesy of Wikipedia.org