Reproduction
Very little information is available on the life history and reproductive habits of Vertigo ovata, Say, 1822, so it is useful to study a similar species in the Vertigo genus, Vertigo pusilla, Pokryszko, 1992. Like other Vertigo species, V. pusilla is hermaphroditic (Dourson, 2006), and able to self-fertilize. Cross-fertilization via copulation did occur as well, although less frequently. The snails then laid eggs, generally singly, which incubated for about a week. Although Vertigo species lack a larval stage, species differentiation in the young is practically impossible because the identifying morphological structures, particularly the whorls, are not completely developed until around one month of age. Individuals were typically able to reproduce just a few days after full maturation, and survived an average of 10-15 months (Killeen, 2003). Throughout their life cycle, these snails will inevitably come into contact with other species, and often times the other species will act as a predator. Learn more about these interactions!
