Carychium O. F. Müller, 1773
(herald snails)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa
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images
No of
ID refs
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Species 3 images
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Species 6 images
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Unidentified 8 images
Taxonomic hierarchy:
GenusCarychium (herald snails)
FamilyCARYCHIIDAE (herald snails)
ClassGASTROPODA (slugs and snails)
PhylumMOLLUSCA (slugs, snails, bivalves, octopus, sea slugs)
SuperphylumLOPHOTROCHOZOA (molluscs and relatives)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)

Carychium (herald snails) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Carychium (herald snails)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 0 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Carychium (herald snails)

For certain identification it is necessary to dissect the shell, removing that portion of shell-wall immediately above the mouth to expose the columella.

Place the shell on top of a small piece of BlueTak (or WhiteTak) on a microscope slide under the stereo microscope. Gently press the point of a fine needle (acupuncture needle or entomological micropin) into the surface of the shell until a small fragment chips off. This should also shallowly embed the shell in the BlueTak. Then work from inside, enlarging the hole by flicking off small chips until the desired area is exposed.

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