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Endangered Species Program

Conserving and restoring threatened and endangered species and their ecosystems

Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (Antrobia culveri)

Photo by David Ashley

Status:

Endangered, listed August 14, 2002

Critical Habitat Designated June 28, 2011 (PDF)

Habitat: Tumbling Creek in Tumbling Creek cave in Taney County

Lead Region: 3

Region 3 Lead Office: ColumbiaES, Missouri Field Office

Range: Missouri

The tiny Tumbling Creek cavesnail lives in one cave system in Missouri. Since 1974, its numbers have declined by 99%. Concern over dramatic population declines led to periodic counts by Dr. Ashley of Missouri Western State University beginning in 1996 and continuing to the present. The census results led to the emergency listing of the snail as endangered on December 27, 2001 and final listing as endangered on August 14, 2002.

Animals like the Tumbling Creek cavesnail that can live in cave environments are often highly adapted to that environment and as a result are not flexible in their tolerance of environmental changes. Declines or loss of these animals indicate a change in the cave ecosystem that they cannot tolerate. Often this change is degraded water quality. Above-ground land uses that affect water quality are being investigated as a source of this snail's population decline.

Life History

Life history, Ecology and Regulatory Information

Determination of Endangered Status for the Tumbling Creek Cavesnail - PDF file of the Federal Register Notice (August 14, 2002)

Tumbling Creek Cavesnail Fact Sheet (June 2010)

Species Profile (links to National USFWS website)

Photo (high resolution)

Critical Habitat Designation

Final Critical Habitat Designation

News Release (June 27, 2011): U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Designates Critical Habitat
for the Endangered Tumbling Creek Cavesnail

Federal Register Final Rule (June 28, 2011): Designation of Critical Habitat for Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (15-page PDF)

Tumbling Creek Cavesnail: Final Critical Habitat Designation Questions and Answers (June 28, 2011)

Final Economic Analysis of Critical Habitat Designation for the Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (March 15, 2011)

Critical Habitat Economic Analysis Memorandum: Summary of Findings (June 28, 2011)

Proposed Critical Habitat Designation

January 12, 2010: Reopening Comment Period and Notice of Availability of the Draft Economic Analysis - - Federal Register Notice: Designation of Critical Habitat for Tumbling Creek Cavesnail - reopening comment period on proposed rule (PDF)

Federal Register Proposed Rule: Designation of Critical Habitat for Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (June 23, 2010)