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Cumberland Plain land snail

The endangered Cumberland Plain land snail is only found on the Cumberland Plain, west of Sydney. During drought it digs deep into the soil to escape harsh conditions. Its brown shell is thin and fragile.

Read more about Cumberland Plain land snail

The Cumberland Plain land snail makes its home under bark, leaves and log litter, or finds shelter in loose soil around grass clumps. It can dig many centimetres into soil to escape drought.

Found nowhere else in the world, this rare snail survives in small isolated patches in Cumberland Plain woodland across Sydney’s west.

At first glance, the Cumberland Plain land snail resembles the more familiar garden snail, a species introduced from Europe. Shell colour is the easiest way to tell the two apart. Whereas the exotic garden snail’s shell is patterned with dark patches on a pale background, the native Cumberland Plain land snail’s shell is one colour all over – though it can be any shade of brown.

Also, unlike the garden snail, the Cumberland Plain land snail doesn’t eat green plants. It lives off fungus and is generally nocturnal. It lays its eggs beneath logs or other moist places.

Animal facts

Common name
Cumberland Plain land snail
Scientific name
Meridolum corneovirens
Conservation status in NSW
Endangered

Parks in which this animal is found

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