Monacha obstructa (L. Pfeiffer 1842)

Monacha obstructa is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies.

shell medium sized, spire broadly conical and somewhat elevated; protoconch consisting of 1.5 smooth whorls; teleoconch cream white, with faint riblets and a malleate sculpture (compare to Monacha syriaca), and evenly rounded whorls; last whorl slightly bending towards the aperture; aperture broadly oval, reinforced by a thick white labial callus, well discernible from the outside as a thick white callosity; peristomial rim sharply bounded, red; umbilicus closed, but last whorl forming a characteristic funnel-shaped “pseudo-umbilicus”. Measurements (Fig. 9): H = 6.68; D = 11.83; PH = 4.2; PD = 5.85.

In Lebanon this species seems to be quite restricted, probably because it is confined to more arid or steppe-like areas like central Syria, where it is one of the most abundant snail species. These environmental conditions are not present in the western part of Lebanon with its humid and steep mountain slopes. However, it is the most widespread species within Monacha. Its distribution ranges from Egypt to Pakistan, and Turkey to Saudi Arabia (Neubert 1998), probably because it can be easily distributed by human activities.