Rare Species Guide

  Basis for Former Listing

Vertigo hubrichti hubrichti (Midwest Pleistocene Vertigo):

The Midwest Pleistocene Vertigo (Vertigo hubrichti hubrichti) is a rare landsnail with a limited range in southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and southwestern Wisconsin. Most known populations in Minnesota are in Fillmore County. This taxon was more widespread during the Wisconsin glacial period (>12,000 years ago), but it now survives only as small relict populations with very specific habitat requirements. The rarity of this species led to its classification as endangered in Minnesota in 1996.

Vertigo hubrichti variabilis n. subsp. (Variable Pleistocene Vertigo):

The Variable Pleistocene Vertigo (Vertigo hubrichti variabilis n. ssp.) is a rare landsnail with a limited distribution in southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin through northeastern Iowa. In Minnesota this subspecies is found in Fillmore and Olmsted counties. This taxon was widespread during the Wisconsin glaciation (>12,000 years ago), but now survives only as small relict populations with very specific habitat requirements. The rarity of this species led to its classification in Minnesota as threatened in 1996.

  Basis for Delisting

Since its listing in 1996, taxonomic work based on shell morphology and genetic data has determined that V. hubrichti hubrichti and V. hubrichti variabilis cannot be considered distinct species (Nekola 2018), but simply different morphologic shell forms of V. arthuri, (Dakota Vertigo) a more widespread species in Minnesota. Therefore, a status of endangered is no longer necessary. Vertigo hubrichti hubrichti and Vertigo hubrichti variabilis were delisted in 2013.

  Authors/Revisions

Revised, 2023.

  References and Additional Information

Frest, T. J. 1991. Summary status reports on eight species of candidate land snails from the driftless area (Paleozoic Plateau), Upper Midwest. Final report submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3. 54 pp.

Nekola, J. C., S. Chiba, B. F. Coles, C. A. Drost, T. von Proschwitz, and M. Horsak. 2018. A phylogenetic overview of the genus Vertigo O.F. Muller, 1773 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Pupillidae: Vertigininae). Malacologia 62(1):21-161.

Ostlie, W. R. 1990. Completion of the algific slope/maderate cliff landsnail survey in Minnesota. Final report submitted to the Division of Ecological Services, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.. Unpaged.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 2012. Statement of need and reasonableness. Division of Ecological and Water Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul. 337 pp.