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Assiminea parasitologica Kuroda, 1958
Asian Marsh Snail
Lives in salt marshes, introduced & invasive; has been found in several estuaries in Oregon; distinguish from A. californica by the light colored band at the top of each whorl

Pomatiopsidae

Cecina manchurica
A. Adams, 1861
Manchurian Cecina
Lives in brackish water (high intertidal),
an introduced species from Japan

Littorinidae

Littorina subrotundata (Carpenter, 1864)
Salt Marsh Periwinkle
Lives in salt marshes and at splash zone at high intertidal, native

Assimineidae

Angustassiminea californica (Tryon, 1865)
California Assiminea
Lives in salt marshes, native

Carychium minimum
Müller, 1774
Herald Thorn Snail
Lives in marshes, wet
meadows; introduced to
BC from Europe

Carychium tridentatum
(Risso, 1826)
Slender Thorn Snail
Lives in moist leaf litter,
introduced to BC from Europe

Carychium occidentale
Pilsbry, 1891
Western Thorn Snail
Lives in moist leaf litter, native

Helicidae

Cepaea nemoralis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Banded Garden Snail
Lives in grasslands, woodlands, and urban gardens,
an introduced species from Europe; now widespread in the Northwest

Ellobiidae

Myosotella myosotis (Draparnaud, 1801)
European Melampus
Lives in salt marshes,
an introduced species from Europe

Haplotrematidae

Ancotrema sportella (Gould, 1846)
Beaded Lancetooth
Lives in damp woodland locations, native

Polygyridae

Allogona townsendiana (I. Lea, 1838)
Oregon Forestsnail
Lives in woodlands, native

Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774)
Brown Garden Snail
An agricultural and garden pest,
an introduced species from Europe, edible;
now widespread in the Northwest
(previous name - Helix aspersa)

Land Snails & Slugs

(Oregon to Southeast Alaska)

Click on photo to enlarge. Scale line in photo equals 1cm unless otherwise specified.

Lauriidae

Lauria cylindracea
(da Costa, 1778)
Common Chrysalis Snail
Lives in gardens, parks and wastelands,
an introduced species to BC from Europe

Cochlicopidae

Cochlicopa lubrica (Müller, 1774)
Glossy Pillar
Lives in urban and wasteland
areas, native

Oxychilus draparnaudi
(Beck, 1837)
Dark-bodied Glass-snail
Lives in moist gardens and woodlands

Oxychilidae

Oxychilus alliarius (Miller, 1822)
Garlic Glass-snail
Lives in moist gardens and woodlands

Xanthonychidae

Monadenia fidelis (Gray, 1834) albinistic specimen

Pacific Sideband
Lives in woodland areas, native

This page last revised: 6-28-2024

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Valloniidae

Vallonia pulchella
(Müller, 1774)
Lovely Vallonia
Lives in urban and agricultural
areas, an introduced species
from the east coast

Invasive Species

Cepaea nemoralis/Cernuella virgata/Candidula intersecta

These three similar looking species are introduced to the U.S. Cernuella virgata is considered extremely invasive. If one encounters this snail, it should be reported to the appropriate State Wildlife Dept. The Cepaea is similar in size to the Cernuella and both may be banded, but Cepaea does not have an open umbilicus (hole on the bottom). The Cernuella and Candidula look very much alike but the Candidula does not get as big as Cernuella.

Hygromiidae

Candidula intersecta (Poiret, 1801)
Wrinkled Helicellid
An introduced species from Europe, not yet widespread in the Northwest;
reaches 7-13mm wide, 5-8mm high

Cryptomastix germana
(Gould, 1851)
Pygmy Oregonian
Lives in conifer forests in leaf litter
and woody debris, native

Slugs

Arionidae

Arion rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Chocolate Arion
Arion rufus is part of the Arion ater/Arion rufus complex, native to Europe. Arion rufus has been introduced to North America and is very common and widespread. The color can be variable from bright orange to black. The foot may exhibit a color ranging from yellow to black. Lives in gardens, parks and wastelands, and can be a serious plant pest.
Arion ater has been shown to be a separate species. Since the two species were once considered the same, some older references list A. ater as present in the Northwest. This is not the case.

Ariolimacidae

Ariolimax columbianus (Gould, 1851)
Pacific Banana Slug
Lives in damp, wooded areas; native; second largest land slug in the world

Limacidae

Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758
Giant Garden Slug
Lives in gardens, along roads, wooded areas
and wastelands; introduced from the
area surrounding the Mediterranean

Vitrinidae

Vitrina pellucida (Müller, 1774)
Western Glass-snail
Lives under brush, aspen and other hardwood stands. It cannot withdraw completely into its shell and actually falls into the same superfamily as many slugs.

Agriolimacidae

Deroceras reticulatum (Müller, 1774)
Gray Fieldslug

Lives in gardens, greenhouses, roadsides and fields; a common garden pest; introduced from western Europe

Primary reference for this page: Burke, T.E. (2013). Land Snails and Slugs of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University Press.

Citation: Pacific Northwest Shell Club, www.PNWSC.org

Vespericola columbiana (I. Lea, 1838)
Northwest Hesperian
Lives in woodlands, native

Cernuella virgata (da Costa, 1778)
Vineyard Snail
A highly invasive species from Europe,
detected in Tacoma, WA in 2005;
eradication efforts seem to be working;
reaches 8-25mm wide, 6-19mm high