The survival, weight‐loss and behaviour of three species of land snail in conditions of low humidity

Abstract

Cepaea nemoralis L., C. hortensis Mull, and Arianta arbustorum L. show differences in survival, rate of water‐loss and behaviour under conditions of low humidity in laboratory studies. C. nemoralis survives better, ceases activity more rapidly, and loses proportionally less weight in low humidity than C. hortensis , which in turn shows the same properties with respect to A. arbustorum . The differences between these three species are reflected in differences in distribution in parts of Britain.