Habitat

For lack of information on the specific species Fumonelix archeri, it requires further research into it's genus, Mesodon. The Fumonelix archeri (original name: Mesodon archeri) and the rest of the Mesodon genus are terrestrial (NatureServe Explorer, 2011). This particular type of land mollusk had only been discovered in Tennessee in the United Sates of America (NatureServe Explorer, 2011).  


More specifically, this species can be found in the leaf liter and under rocks within the Cherokee National Forest (Withers, 2009). This forest is located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee, which crosses into North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia (US Forest Service, 2012). There is approximately 650,000 acres of rich forest with the addition of cold-water streams, 7 whitewater rivers, and 3 large lakes (US Forest Service, 2012).

This species can be found both north and south of the Ocoee River (Withers, 2009). This location also contributes to the common name Ocoee covert (WolframAlpha, 2012). The Ocoee River itself is a very high-energy river producing class III-V rapids (TN.GOV, 2012). The woodlands surrounding it is home to roughly 20,000 species of plants and animals due to its diverse habitat (US Forest Service, 2012). The Cherokee Forests is the largest plot of public land in Tennessee used for recreational activities, habitat for plants and animals, natural resources, and much more (US Forest Service, 2012) .

The red on the map, according to the legend, states that this species is "critically imperiled". This means that the entire species is at risk for extinction (NatureServe Explorer, 2010).



The habitat of this snail is very distinct. To learn more about how this snail adapts to it's environment and what features make this snail special, click here.

To go back to the home page click here.