Eremarionta rowelli mccoiana

California Mccoy Snail

Family: Helminthoglyptidae · Class: Gastropoda · Order: Stylommatophora

Conservation status: G3G4T1 S1

The California McCoy snail (Eremarionta rowelli mccoiana) is a terrestrial gastropod subspecies endemic to a small area of the Sonoran Desert in Riverside County, California. This land snail belongs to the family Helminthoglyptidae, a group of air-breathing snails found primarily in western North America. Specific morphological details for this subspecies have not been well documented in the scientific literature, though it shares general characteristics with other members of the genus Eremarionta. The California McCoy snail has an extremely restricted range, occurring only in Riverside County, California, within an area less than 40 square miles near the southern Palen/McCoy Wilderness (Solar DPEIS 2010). This narrow distribution makes it one of California's most geographically restricted gastropod subspecies. The species is found in the transition zone between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, specifically in the McCoy Mountains region. Habitat requirements for this subspecies remain poorly documented. Based on its occurrence in the Palen/McCoy Wilderness area, it likely inhabits desert scrub communities typical of the region, including Sonoran creosote bush scrub and desert mixed scrub vegetation. The area experiences typical desert conditions with low annual precipitation, extreme temperature fluctuations, and sparse vegetation cover. Elevation ranges and specific microhabitat preferences have not been described in available literature. Like other terrestrial gastropods, the California McCoy snail likely has limited mobility, moving primarily to find food sources or for reproduction (NatureServe Explorer). Olfaction serves as the primary sensory behavior used to locate resources and navigate the environment. Specific dietary preferences, reproductive timing, and seasonal activity patterns for this subspecies have not been documented. Most desert gastropods are herbivorous, feeding on decomposing plant material, lichens, and algae when moisture conditions permit. The California McCoy snail carries a global rank of G3G4T1, indicating the subspecies is critically imperiled with typically 5 or fewer occurrences. The state rank of S1 confirms it is critically imperiled within California. This conservation status reflects both its extremely limited range and potentially small population size. The subspecies faces threats typical of desert-dwelling gastropods, including habitat disturbance from recreational activities, potential impacts from renewable energy development in the region, and climate change effects on desert ecosystems. Given the paucity of scientific research on this subspecies, comprehensive biological and ecological studies are needed to better understand its habitat requirements, population status, and specific conservation needs. The extremely restricted range makes this subspecies particularly vulnerable to any habitat modifications within its limited distribution area.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, and more.