Identification

Photo obtained with permission from http://www.fwgna.org/species/viviparidae/b_chinensis.html

 

C. chinensis can most easily be identified by its shell which is uniform in color without any visible banding (Menno Soes, 2011).  The following information on identification was obtained from the US Geographical Survey.  This organism can reach a height of 65mm with a spire angle of 65-80°.  The coloration as an adult can be olive green, greenish brown, brown, or reddish brown.  The inner coloration of the shell ranges from white to pale blue.  Shells have a spiraled shape with 6-7 whorls. At the base of the shell there is a hollow cavity called the umbilicus which is small and round in this species. C.chinensis juveniles typically have a lighter coloration to their shells.  As they continue to grow and develop, the height of the shell increases faster than the width and the color darkens (USGS, 2009).

 

Photo by Belinda Thomes, obtained from http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/specimenviewer.aspx?SpecimenID=261734

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you can identify C. chinensis, learn about its nutrition.

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