Help with Identification of Some Groups of Molluscs

These pages are designed to help you get started with the identification of some species of mollusc.

By reading the text beside an image and clicking on the image which is most like your specimen, you should arrive at the name of the species with a description and image of it. In some cases you will only arrive at an aggregate of species because further identification would require dissection. This is particularly true of terrestrial slugs because external features are not distinct enough to make a decision.

Should you arrive at a description which does not match your specimen, use the 'bread-crumb trail' at the top of the page below the main menu in order to go back and try again.

At the present time the only groups covered are as below. It is hoped to extend the section as soon as appropiate keys are written and images are available. If you can help, please contact

This Garden Snail will take  you to the pages  to help with the identification of garden molluscs

The image to the right will take you to pages to help with the identification of British and Irish species of the family Vertiginidae.

This Pond Snail will take you to pages which will help you to identify British and Irish species of freshwater and brackish-water snails.

The new 'Online Encyclopedia of Molluscs' aims to provide an overview of the variety of different forms and also give more information on individual species. At the moment it covers mainly marine species. As well as excellent images, it provides descriptions of the shell, habitat and ecology details, key features and distribution maps. Please note that it is still under development.

This image of Buccinium undatum will lead you to a key to larger species of marine snails which live on rocky shores around the British Isles. The key is included in 'Rocky shore snails as material for projects' by Dr. J. H. Crothers, published by Field Studies Council, in Field Studies Volume 10, 601–634 (2003).
You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the paper. If you do not have a copy, it is available as a free download by clicking on this logo.