Zonites kobelti

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Zonites kobelti is a small air-breathing land snail in the Zonitidae family. It is found only in Greece, specifically in the Taigetos mountains and the Peloponnese, up to about 2400 meters high.

Shell and look
- Shell height: about 2.0–2.5 cm; diameter: about 4.0–4.5 cm.
- The upper side of the shell is brownish and sharply granulated; the lower side is whitish or green and striated.
- The suture is deep, there are about 6 whorls, and the apex is flat and smooth.
- The first whorls have no prominent keel; the last whorl is slightly angled.
- Near the opening is a rounded surface; the umbilicus (navel) is wide and visible.
- It looks similar to Zonites graecus but is flatter.

Habitat and range
- Lives in rocky crevices in the upper Taigetos mountains and in Taigetos shrublands.

Taxonomy and name
- It has been called Zonites albanicus in the past, but that was a misidentification. Zonites kobelti is the correct name.

Conservation
- Zonites kobelti is endangered because it is endemic to the Taigetos and its habitat is being destroyed.
- All species in the Zonites genus are at risk.
- More research is needed to know how many individuals exist.
- Main threats include climate change, agriculture and aquaculture activities, and changes to natural habitats, which can lead to wildfires that destroy the snail’s environment.