Cellar Snail

Cellar Snail - Oxychilus cellarius

Description

9-12 mm pale, translucent and glossy. Usually very pale, yellow brown. The body is pale bluish grey. Deep open umbilicus. No (garlic) smell when irritated.

Similar Species

Oxychilis alliaris is smaller (6-8mm) with a strong garlic smell when irritated. Oxychilis navarricus is usually a little smaller (8-10mm) but has a black mantle which shows through the shell as a dark band behind the opening. Oxychilis draparnaudi is larger (11-16mm) is only slightly opaque.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)
  • 9-12mm
  • glossy brown shell
  • no garlic smell when irritated
  • very flat shell with virtually no spire
Recording advice

Unless identified by a recognised expert, photo evidence is required (ideally showing the flat shell, a side view and the live body . In the comments box, describe the size and identifying characters.

Habitat

Humid and shady habitats of any kind.

When to see it

All year round.

UK Status

Common and widespread throughout most of Britain

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records