|
Daedalochila auriculata (Say, 1818) Ocala Liptooth On CR-13A Near Oscar Ashton Road |
|
|
St. Johns County, Florida |
|
|
On November 27,
2009, land snail enthusiast Brian Marshall conducted a survey of western St. Johns County in an
attempt to locate additional sites housing a population of the
elusive Daedalochila auriculata. During his trip Brian
perused the roadside swale and ditch embankment along the east side
of County Road 13A (CR-13A) immediately adjacent to the intersection of Oscar
Ashton Road (GPS: 29.53233N 081.29411W - WGS-84 Datum). In addition to finding a large number of aquatic
species apparently washed there by one of the periodic floods which
plague the area, Brian also found a pair of empty D.
auriculata shells. The next day, accompanied by this reporter,
Brian again visited the site and found an additional two empty
Daedalochila shells on the embankment. It appears likely
that the Daedalochila auriculata washed to the locations
where they were found from an as yet unidentified upstream
(southern) location. On January 2, 2010, this reporter and Harry Lee made a follow-up visit to the area and explored the downstream portion of the ditch along Oscar Ashton Road west of CR-13A. Five empty Daedalochila auriculata shells were found in the roadside swale adjacent to the ditch at a site about 0.4 miles west of CR-13A (dead end of the paved road). No living specimens could be located. This reporter revisited the site on 1/13/2010 found an additional seven empty shells at the same location. It's uncertain at this time whether the Daedalochila ever actually lived at the site or were washed there from another upstream location. The presence in the same area of numerous empty shells of several aquatic species suggests that they may have been washed there by flooding. |
|
|
Looking north on County Road 13A near Oscar Ashton Road where the empty Daedalochila shells were found on 11/27-28/2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
