10/9/2000 873

TWO NEW MEXICO SPRING SNAILS LISTED AS ENDANGERED

The State of New Mexico has uplisted two fragile springsnails from threatened to endangered species/ The Alamosa tryonia (formerly Alamosa springsnail) lives only in Socorro County while Koster's tryonia (formerly Koster's springsnail) lives only in Chaves County. Both are restricted to small springs and could be quickly driven extinct by changes in water quality, temperature, or quantity. The Center previously filed suit to list Koster’s springsnail as endangered at the federal level under the Endangered Species Act.