Anguispira rugoderma

Anguispira rugoderma, also known as the Pine Mountain tigersnail, is a rare, narrow-ranged species of pulmonate land snail in the family Discidae, the disk snails. It is named after the Pine Mounatin ridge, a section of the Appalachian Mountains that overlaps with the snail's range.

Appearance

The Pine Mountain tigersnail is visually similar to its close relative Anguispira alternata. However, its shell is larger, its markings are less prominent, and its umbilicus is wider than alternata's. The shell ranges from in width and in height. It has strong ribs which extend over the periphery and into the umbilicus, giving the shell a slightly wavy appearance. The snail's appearance is defined by irregular brown splotches that radiate outwards across the entirety of the shell.

Ecology

The Pine Mountain tigersnail is a rare and relatively understudied species, being known from only nineteen occurrences. Seventeen were recorded by the Kentucky Heritage Program in 2022 and two were recorded by Leslie Hubricht in 1968. It has been found in Clay, Harlan, Bell, and Leslie Counties in southeastern Kentucky. Its known range is fairly small, covering only. It is listed as vulnerable globally and imperiled in Kentucky.
The Pine Mountain tigersnail is most commonly found in old growth hardwood forests on or around large decaying logs and limestone outcrops. It has also been found in pure, mature second-growth stands of tulip poplar.

Threats

Like other land snail species, the Pine Mountain tigersnail is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Currently, crucial habitat is subject to active limestone mining, deforestation, and development. They are also likely to be negatively impacted by the effects of climate change, such as extreme temperatures, flooding, and drought. Though the species' entire range is not protected, many key populations occur within protected areas such as the Daniel Boone National Forest and Pine Mountains Wildlife Corridor, which likely mitigates some of these threats.