Xerolenta obvia

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Xerolenta obvia is a small land snail in the Geomitridae family. It’s native to the Balkans and parts of eastern Europe, but humans have carried it far beyond its home. Today it occurs from Asia Minor to Spain and north to Scandinavia. It has also been introduced to Canada and the United States, where it can become common and is sometimes viewed as a potential invasive species that may affect agriculture and natural ecosystems.

Habitat and distribution
- Prefers dry, exposed grasslands and disturbed or ruderal (weedy) areas.
- Can be found at high elevations, including up to about 2000 meters in the Swiss Alps.
- In some places it reaches very high local densities.
- Native range likely the Balkans and parts of eastern Europe; introduced populations exist across Europe, Asia Minor, and western Europe. In North America, it has established in Canada (Ontario) and the USA (Michigan, Montana) and has spread in several regions.

Description and identification
- Adult shell size: about 7–10 mm tall and 14–20 mm wide; the shell is relatively flat with 5–6 whorls.
- The shell color ranges from white to yellowish-white, often with dark brown to nearly black spiral bands.
- The umbilicus (the central hole area) is roughly one-quarter of the shell’s width.
- The animal’s body and shell can be confused with similar species, but Xerolenta obvia has distinctive genitalia features used by specialists to tell it apart from close relatives.

Life history
- Reproduction and development vary by location. In some places, reproduction happens mainly in autumn; in others, it can occur in spring and summer.
- Eggs are milky white, 1.0–1.8 mm across, laid in soil in clutches averaging 18–69 eggs.
- Eggs hatch in about 1 month (sometimes as little as two weeks).
- Snails can mature in about a year. Lifespan ranges from 1 to 3 years depending on climate.
- They may aestivate (dry-season resting) or hibernate, and during aestivation they can cling to tall shrubs.

Subspecies
- Xerolenta obvia obvia
- Xerolenta obvia depulsa
- Xerolenta obvia pappi
- Xerolenta obvia razloga (razlogi)

Invasive status and management
- The species has been introduced far from its native range and can become invasive in some areas.
- In North America, introductions are documented in Canada and the United States, where it is monitored as a potential quarantine risk and efforts exist to control established populations.

Notes
- Xerolenta obvia was first described by Menke in 1828. Over time, many synonyms have been used in scientific literature, but today the accepted name is Xerolenta obvia.