#victaphanta

[snailspotter]

Today's snail: Victaphanta compacta | Otway Black Snail

(source)

[drhoz]

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria Inc [www.fncv.org.au] | An active Victaphanta compacta, Otway Carnivorous snail, at Melba Gully, Lavers H

An active Victaphanta compacta, Otway Carnivorous snail, at Melba Gully, Lavers Hill.

With some beautiful Cyathophorum bulbosum moss too.

[libutron]

Otway Black Snail | ©Ken J. Beath 

The Otway Black Snail, Victaphanta compacta (Rhytididae), is a carnivorous land snail, only found in wet forests and cool temperate rainforests in the Otway Ranges, Victoria, Australia. 

The body of the snail is grey-blue to black; the shell is spherical with four whorls and varies from a glossy dark brown to black with tinges of yellow-brown on the inner whorl. The shell has a maximum diameter of 28mm and is positioned towards the tail of the body. The shell is thin, light weight and moderately flexible and comprised mostly of conchin [1]. 

Victaphanta compacta is regarded as Endangered species os the IUCN Red List [2].