Day 210: Between trying to avoid stepping on snails and keeping my arms away from the nettles, my walk on the South Swofford Trail yesterday was quite an adventure. The snails were as abundant as I've ever seen them, and new to me was what I took to be a black-bodied version of the common Oregon Forest Snail (Allogona townsendiana). After doing a little research, I believe it is a different species entirely, the Puget Oregonian (Cryptomastix devia). C. devia is reported to be abundant in the Cowlitz River drainage, i.e., where these specimens were found. The Pygmy Oregonian (C. germana) is a similar snail, but smaller.
Like many snails, these species are hermaphroditic. Some are self-fertile, which is to say they are capable of reproduction on their own in the absence of a mate. The bottom photo shows three snails (Allogona townsendiana) engaged in laying eggs on rotting hardwood.
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