Disk Gyro
The disk gyro is a native Colorado mollusk.
About This Species
A magnifying glass may be necessary to depict all the shell features. The shell of the disk gyro is very small, up to 5 mm in diameter. It is planispiral (flattened), with 4 to 5 whorls, slowly increasing in size. The shell surface is smooth and glassy, with fine striae on the periosracum and deep sutures between the whorls. The shell is semi-transparent and similar on both sides, with an oval aperture.
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Range
The disk gyro is considered a habitat generalist, with an extensive distribution in North America. However, populations in Connecticut and Indiana have shown extensive decline and may be extirpated. It is listed in Vermont and Wyoming's "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" and it is considered a species of Special Concern in Connecticut. This species is found extensively across the US and Canada, including: Aizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Wyoming,Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon Territory. It is most common in its northern, eastern, and Midwestern range, but it is rare in the western extent. This species is common in Colorado.
Habitat
The disk gyro is a habitat generalist found in streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, and reservoirs with abundant vegetation. In Colorado it is most abundant on the west slope.