Lance Aplexa
The lance aplexa is a Colorado native mollusk.
About This Species
The lance aplexa has been commonly mistaken for the seemingly identical Eurasian species (Aplexa hypnorum). In some literature, these names are used interchangeably.
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Physical Characteristics
The lance aplexa has a medium-sized shell, up to 20 mm in length. The shell's spire is spindle-shaped with a glossy, smooth surface and up to 6 body whorls. The aperture is half the length of the shell, elongate and oval, and narrowing to a point. The body of the lance aplexa is highly pigmented; the mantle does not protrude over the shell.
Range
The lance aplexa has a broad distribution across the continent. This makes it unlikely that any major threat to this species exists. However, localized populations may experience decline due to habitat loss and degradation.
Habitat
The lance aplexa is found in temporary pools, dried up ponds, under moist leaves, ravines, clean brooks, ponds, and lake margins, but it does best in shallow, temporary ponds with few predators. This species was recently found in Echo Canyon Reservoir, Archuleta County, but it is not common in Colorado. The broad range of the lance aplexa extends across northern North America, from the Northwest Territories, Canada as far south as southern Utah and Colorado, and east to Virginia.