Snails

In the State of Idaho, it is estimated that there are 117 mollusk species. Four separate species of snails are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act. The listed snail species reside in the main stem, tributaries, or springs flowing into the Middle Snake River.

• Banbury Springs limpet (Idaholanx fresti) – Endangered
• Bliss Rapids snail (Taylorconcha serpenticola) – Threatened
• Bruneau hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis) – Endangered
• Snake River physa snail (Haitia (Physa) natricina) – Endangered

After years of research and analysis, the Office of Species Conservation and others decided to petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to de-list two snail species. The Idaho springsnail (Pyrgulopsis idahoensis) was delisted in 2007, and the Utah valvata snail (Valvata utahensis) was delisted in 2010.

Bruneau Hot Springsnail

The Bruneau hot springsnail resides in thermal springs and seeps along the Bruneau River in Southwest Idaho. A decline in the population of the species is attributed to low flows from the geothermal aquifer emanating from springs.

The Bruneau hot springsnail was first federally listed as Endangered in 1993, the listing was upheld in 1998. A recovery plan was developed in 2002 with assistance from the Bruneau Hot Springsnail Committee, comprised of local, state and federal interests, with the overall goal of conserving geothermal groundwater for adequate flows from Hot Creek. In 2007, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service completed a five year review of the recovery plan and determined that the listing status would remain unchanged.

More Information:

• A Guide to Southern Idaho’s Freshwater Mollusks
• Bruneau Hot Springsnail Fact Sheet – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Staff Contact:

Michael Edmondson