Habitat
The snail species Millerelix gracilis is native to the United States, particularly land habitats of Texas (Encyclopedia of Life, 2012). More specifically, the Edwards Plateau of central Texas (Encyclopedia of Life, 2012). The plateau covers a relatively large area of the state consisting of a wide variety of environment types (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). Southern and Eastern portions are equipped with hills, bluffs, and valleys (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). The vegetation includes many short grasses and bushes, and is bordered by a fault line which sets it apart from neighboring regions (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). The entire plateau is very hot and dry; however, more northern parts receive enough rainfall to support larger plants and allows for woodland consisting of many different trees (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). There are a couple of caves found in this region and lots of streams and rivers running through the entire plateau that tend to be very clear (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012).
Common Gray Fox (Image by Encyclopedia of Life)
This area is composed of bed rock and characterized by limestone flat rocks (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). The soils are sandy and considered mollisol, or soils that are high in nutrients such as calcium and found in dry, grassland environments (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012).
Parts of the plateau
that the snail truly inhabits include the Guadalupe River Bluff,
drift of the Medina River, Frio River Bluff, and the drift of the
Nueces River
(Encyclopedia of Earth, 2012). These
areas are found in the following counties: Comal,
Kerr,
Brandon, Medina, Real, and Uvalde (Encyclopedia
of Life, 2012).
The plateau is home to this snail as well as many other animals
such as bats, deer, ducks, fish, fox, reptiles, gophers, squirrels,
and mountain sheep, just to name a few
(Texas Almanac, 2012). These creatures
can live alongside the snail because there is no major competition
for resources (Texas Almanac, 2012).
Edwards Plateau (Image by Valerie Schraith)