Sharp Sprite
A rare mollusk that does not have confirmed presence in Colorado.
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About This Species
The shell of the sharp sprite is very small, 4 to 5 mm in diameter and 1 ½ mm in height. The shell is planispiral and extremely flattened on upper and lower sides. The periphery has a distinctive sharp carina and the aperture is flattened and carinated. The shell spire is sunken on top, with a wide umbilicus below. The surface is smooth, and tan to brownish in color.
More Information:
Range
Records indicate the sharp sprite is only found in the Front Range of Boulder County in the Platte Rover drainage. Whether this is evidence of decline or sampling bias is not known. It was not found at all in a recent survey. It is speculated that the sharp sprite disperses on migratory waterfowl.
Habitat
The sharp sprite is one of the less commonly encountered planorbids of the United States Atlantic drainages. In its eastern range, it is sporadically distributed in ponds and sluggish streams. The sharp sprite is more widespread toward the Midwest, ranging through Canada south to New Mexico in quiet, shallow lakes and rivers, as well as intermittent or permanent streams and ponds. It is usually associated with plant matter of autochthonous or allocthonous origins, and can be found on the mud or vegetation. The sharp sprite is rarely found in abundance, even in ideal conditions. It may be sensitive to environmental degradation.
Reproduction
Not much research has been conducted about the life history of this species, but it has been identified as semelparous, with 2 cohorts produced each year.