> Fontigens orolibas Hubricht 1957
  
> Habitat & Distribution
Fontigens orolibas inhabits springs and cave streams from the Potomac River basin of southern Pennsylvania southwest to the Clinch and Holston Rivers of southwestern Virginia, including parts of the New and Roanoke River basins (Hershler et al. 1990).  Populations are not uncommonly encountered in springs and wet seeps at the crest of the Blue Ridge along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park (Hubricht 1957).  The animals themselves seem to shun the light, being found underneath stones and leaves very near their springhead.

> Ecology & Life history
I am not aware of any good study on the life history of Fontigens.  But populations typically seem to maintain high densities year round, as though reproduction might be continuous.  The springs at the crest of the Blue Ridge inhabited by Fontigens orolibas are quite soft, but elsewhere the species seems to inhabit harder waters.  

> Taxonomy & Systematics
This is the second-most widespread and of the nine Fontigens species monographed by Hershler et al. (1990).  Its taxonomy is stable.

>Essay
I wrote an essay inspired by a day of hunting for Fontigens orolibas on 26July06 entitled "Springsnails of the Blue Ridge."  Several photos are linked to that essay, including one of a living F. orolibas compared to F. nickliniana.  

 
>References
Hershler, R., J.R. Holsinger, and L. Hubricht (1990)  A revision of the North American freshwater snail genus Fontigens (Prosobranchia: Hydrobiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 509:1-49.  Hubricht, L. (1957)  New species of Fontigens from Shenandoah National Park. Nautilus 71: 9-10.  Stewart, T. W., & R. T. Dillon, Jr.  (2004)  Species composition and geographic distribution of Virginia's freshwater gastropod fauna: A review using historical records.  Am. Malac. Bull. 19: 79-91.