Snails of the world:The Mediterranean and North-Africa

The picture above roughly illustrates the region described here,i included North-Africa too although it is not part of Europe.It also overlaps
the region described on the Europe page,since some snailspecies spreaded from The Mediterranean into northern Europe
(for example Cernuella neglecta).The family Helicidae really reaches its peak of diversity in this area.
Because of the hot climate in the summer a lot of these species have thick shells,which sometimes have a white color.Other,common,shellfeatures 
are sharp keels or raised ribs.The shells have usually a brownish color so they are hard to spot against the desertground(North-Africa especially).
   
Iberus elegans                  Dupotetia alabastra                Murella muralis                  Tingitana elenae
(Photo:Femorale)                    (Photo:Femorale)        (Photo:www.conchology.be)                   (Photo:Femorale)
  
Otala lactea                           Sphincoterochila maroccana                    Xerophila castriesi  
(Photo:Phil Poland)                  (Photo:Femorale)                     (Photo:Femorale)                    
Other snailfamilies well presented in North-Africa are the Sphincterochilidae and the Helicellidae.

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