Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 2, 2026

Cryptomastix germana

Cryptomastix germana, or the pygmy Oregonian, is a terrestrial snail belonging to the family Polygyridae.

Last revised
Aug 2, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
313 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Cryptomastix germana
Pygmy Oregonian found under a log on the Coal Creek Trail, a nature trail in Bellevue, Washington
Apparently Secure
Apparently Secure (NatureServe)1
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Polygyridae
Genus: Cryptomastix
Species:
C. germana
Binomial name
Cryptomastix germana
Gould, 1851
Synonyms
  • Cryptomastix (Micranepsia) germana (A. A. Gould, 1851) alternative representation
  • Helix germana A. A. Gould, 1851 (original combination)
  • Polygyra germana (A. A. Gould, 1851) superseded combination
  • Polygyra germana vancouverinsulae Pilsbry & C. M. Cooke, 1922 junior subjective synonym

Cryptomastix germana, or the pygmy Oregonian, is a terrestrial snail belonging to the family Polygyridae.2

Distribution

This species is endemic to the top half of the Pacific Northwest, with its range cutting off at the top of California.3456

Appearance

This species is characterized by a hairy shell in a classical spiral shape. It also is very small, usually only a few millimeters (Usually about 2mm).The hairs are generally long, hooked and spiraling. It generally has a "Leopard print" pattern on the shell35

Similar species

The most similar species to this snail would be Vespericola columbianus, which also has a hairy shell, but is much bigger than the Pygmy Oregonian, and has shorter hairs.7

References

References

  1. NatureServe. "Cryptomastix germana". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  2. Cryptomastix germana (A. A. Gould, 1851). 13 January 2026. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
  3. "Species Summary". a100.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  4. "Pygmy Oregonian (Cryptomastix germana) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service". www.fws.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  5. "Pygmy Oregonian Snail Cryptomastix germana". Wild Columbia County. 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  6. Forsyth, Robert (September 2000). "The land snail Cryptomastix germana (Gastropoda: Polygyridae) in the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia: A range extension north from Vancouver Island".
  7. "Vespericola". Oregon Department of Agriculture guides. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  • Gould, A.A. (1851). The terrestrial air-breathing mollusks of the United States, and the adjacent territories of North America. Vol. 2. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 1-366.