We have examined the resistance to desiccation among rock-dwelling lan
d snails of various phylogenetic groups: Cristataria genezarethana (Cl
ausiliidae), Rupestrella rhodia (Chondrinidae) and Levantina caesarean
a (Helicidae), all from the same location in Israel. L. caesareana was
the most resistant and R. rhodia the least resistant to desiccation a
nd C. genezarethana was of intermediate resistance. Differences in the
rates of water loss during desiccation were determined mainly by rate
of water loss during the first 2 days of desiccation. The high rates
of water loss in rock-dwelling species exceed those of other snails in
the Mediterranean habitat of Israel. However, snails collected in the
field at the end of aestivation were in only a mild state of dehydrat
ion, suggesting that the rocky habitat protects its occupants against
desiccation. We also suggest that among the rock-dwelling species, the
protective role of the rock is more important in the more evolutionar
ily primitive genera (the chondrinid Rupestrella and the clausiliid Cr
istataria) and that physiological capacities are more effective in the
more highly evolved helicid Levantina.