Habitats of Molluscs: Rocks, Cliffs and Drystone Wall Habitats

These are often good habitats for many species, especially if there is some cover, and there are many cracks and fissures. Loose rocks and screes provide shelter for many species in most habitats. Specialists in this habitat (browsing mosses, lichens and algae on the surface) are perhaps especially vulnerable to airborne pollution.

Old limestone quarry

Drystone wall of limestone

The nomenclature used in the list follows "An annoted list of the non-marine mollusca of Britain and Ireland." by Dr. Roy Anderson, 2005 in Journal of Conchology Vol. 38: Part 6 pages 607– 637, which may also be accessed from the menu to the left under 'British Non-marine List'

Species particularly associated with rocks, cliffs and walls include:

Abida secale	Occasional; has a very patchy geographical spread.
Balea perversa	Occasional
Clausilia dubia.	Only on limestone in the north of England.
Helicigona lapicida	Occasional; occurs in woods without rocks, but is especially common in some northern limestone areas in / on cliffs, screes, quarries and drystone walls.
Lauria cylindracea	Common; not restricted to rocks, but often especially abundant there, and on walls.
Lauria sempronii	Very rare.
Pyramidula pusilla	Occasional; more or less restricted to exposed calcareous rock. Has been found on old ruins and drystone walls.
Vertigo alpestris	Rare;especially in partly covered drystone walls. Mainly in NW.
Vertigo pusilla	Occasional; also often in walls, especially in woods or on woodland edge.