Freshwater snail

Jump to: navigation, searchBithynia tentaculata, a small freshwater gastropod in the family BithyniidaePomacea insularum, an apple snailPlanorbella trivolvis an air-breathing ramshorn snailA freshwater snail is one kind of freshwater mollusc, the other kind being freshwater clams and mussels, i.e. freshwater bivalves. Specifically a freshwater snail is a gastropod that lives in a watery non-marine (freshwater) habitat. The majority of freshwater gastropods have a shell, with very few exceptions. Some groups of snails that live in freshwater respire using gills. Others need to surface to breathe air.

According to present classification efforts, there are about 4,000 species of freshwater gastropods (3,795-3,972).[1 ]

At least 33–38 independent lineages of gastropods have successfully colonized freshwater environments.[2 ] It is not possible to quantify the exact number of these lineages yet, because they have yet to be clarified within the Cerithioidea.[2 ] From six to eight of these independent lineages occur in North America.[3 ] {| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents
[hide] *1 Taxonomy
 * 1.1 2005 taxonomy
 * 1.2 2010 taxonomy
 * 2 Neritimorpha
 * 3 Caenogastropoda
 * 4 Heterobranchia
 * 5 As human food
 * 6 Aquarium snails
 * 7 Parasitology
 * 8 See also
 * 9 References
 * 10 Further reading
 * }

[edit] 2005 taxonomy
The following cladogram is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005),[4 ] with families that contain freshwater species marked in boldface:[1 ] (Some of the highlighted families consist entirely of freshwater species, but some of them also contain, or even mainly consist of, marine species.)

[edit] 2010 taxonomy
The following cladogram is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005),[4 ] modified after Jörger et al. (2010)[5 ] and simplified with families that contain freshwater species marked in boldface:[1 ] (Marine gastropods (Siphonarioidea, Sacoglossa, Amphiboloidea, Pyramidelloidea) are not depicted within Panpulmonata for simplification. Some of these highlighted families consist entirely of freshwater species, but some of them also contain, or even mainly consist of, marine species.)

[edit] Neritimorpha
Primitive "Prosobranch" gilled snails with a shelly operculum.
 * Neritiliidae, 5 extant freshwater species[1 ]
 * Neritidae, largely confined to the tropics, also the rivers of Europe, family includes the marine "nerites".[6 ] There are about 110 extant freshwater species.[1 ]
 * Family Neritidae, shells of Theodoxus fluviatilis.
 * Family Neritidae, Neritina natalensis

[edit] Caenogastropoda
A large group of gilled operculate snails, largely marine. In freshwater habitats there are ten major families, as well as other families of lesser importance: Clea helena, family Buccinidae.*Lithoglyphidae - about 100 species.[1 ]
 * Architaenioglossa
 * Ampullariidae, an exclusively freshwater family that is largely tropical and includes the large "apple snails" kept in aquaria.[6 ] 105-170 species.[1 ]
 * Viviparidae, medium to large snails, live-bearing, commonly referred to as "mystery snails". World wide except South America, and everywhere confined to fresh waters.[6 ] 125-150 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-6">[1 ]
 * Family Ampullariidae, Pomacea bridgesii.
 * Family Viviparidae, Viviparus viviparus.
 * Sorbeoconcha
 * Melanopsidae, family native to rivers draining to the Mediterranean, also Middle East, and some South Pacific islands.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-3">[6 ] About 25-50 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-7">[1 ]
 * Pachychilidae - 165-225 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-8">[1 ] native to South and Central America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae by many authors.
 * Paludomidae - about 100 species in south Asia, diverse in African Lakes, and Sri Lanka.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-9">[1 ] Formerly classified with the Pleuroceridae by some authors.
 * Pleuroceridae, abundant and diverse in eastern North America, largely high-spired snails of small to large size.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-4">[6 ] About 150 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2011_1-2">[2 ]
 * Semisulcospiridae, - primarily eastern Asia, Japan, also the Juga snails of northwestern North America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae. About 50 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2011_1-3">[2 ]
 * Thiaridae, high-spired parthenogenic snails of the tropics, includes those referred to as "trumpet snails" in aquaria.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-5">[6 ] About 110 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2011_1-4">[2 ]
 * Family Pleuroceridae, Io fluvialis.
 * Family Semisulcospiridae, Semisulcospira kurodai.
 * Family Thiaridae, Melanoides tuberculata.
 * Littorinimorpha
 * Littorinidae - 2 species in the genus Cremnoconchus are freshwater living in waterfalls.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-10">[1 ] Other species are marine.
 * Amnicolidae - about 200 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-11">[1 ]
 * Assimineidae - about 20 freshwater species,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-12">[1 ] other are marine
 * Bithyniidae, small snails, native to Eastern Hemisphere.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-6">[6 ] About 130 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-13">[1 ]
 * Cochliopidae - 246 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-14">[1 ]
 * Helicostoidae, the only species Helicostoa sinensis lives in China.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-15">[1 ]
 * Hydrobiidae, small to very small snails found world wide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-7">[6 ] About 1250 freshwater species<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-16">[1 ] other are marine.
 * Moitessieriidae - 55 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-18">[1 ]
 * Pomatiopsidae, small amphibious snails scattered worldwide, most diverse in eastern and Southeast Asia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-8">[6 ] About 170 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-19">[1 ]
 * Stenothyridae - about 60 freshwater species,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-20">[1 ] others are marine.
 * Neogastropoda
 * Buccinidae - 8-10 freshwater species in the genus Clea,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-21">[1 ] native to Southeast Asia. Other Buccinidae are marine.
 * Marginellidae - 2 freshwater species in the genus Rivomarginella,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-22">[1 ] native to Southeast Asia. Other Marginellidae are marine.

[edit] Heterobranchia
Family Valvatidae, shells of Valvata sibirica, scale is in mmAcochlidium fijiiensis is one of very few freshwater gastropods without a shell.;Lower Heterobranchia Basommatophorans are pulmonate or air-breathing aquatic snails, characterized by having their eyes located at the base of their tentacles, rather than at the tips, as in the true land snails Stylommatophora. The majority of basommatophorans have shells that are thin, translucent, and relatively colorless, and all five freshwater basommatophoran families lack an operculum.
 * Glacidorbidae - 20 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-23">[1 ]
 * Valvatidae, small low-spired snails referred to as "valve snails". 71 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-24">[1 ]
 * Acochlidiacea
 * Acochlidiidae (including synonym Strubelliidae) - 5 shell-less species:<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-25">[1 ] Acochlidium amboinense, Acochlidium bayerfehlmanni, Acochlidium fijiiensis, Palliohedyle sutteri and Strubellia paradoxa<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Schr.C3.B6dl_2010_6-0">[7 ]
 * Tantulidae - there is only one species<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-26">[1 ] which is shell-less Tantulum elegans.
 * Pulmonata, Basommatophora
 * Chilinidae, small to medium-sized snails confined to temperate and cold South America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-9">[6 ] About 15 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-27">[1 ]
 * Latiidae, small limpet-like snails confined to New Zealand.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-10">[6 ] One<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-28">[1 ] or three species.
 * Acroloxidae - about 40 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-29">[1 ]
 * Lymnaeidae, found worldwide, but are most numerous in temperate and northern regions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-11">[6 ] These are the dextral (right-handed) pond snails. About 100 species.
 * Planorbidae, "rams horn" snails, with a worldwide distribution.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-12">[6 ] About 250 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-30">[1 ]
 * Physidae, left-handed (sinistral) "pouch snails", native to Europe, Asia, North America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Banarescu_1990_5-13">[6 ] About 80 species.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Strong_2008_0-31">[1 ]
 * Family Lymnaeidae, Lymnaea stagnalis.
 * Family Physidae, Physella acuta.
 * Family Planorbidae, Planorbarius corneus.

[edit] As human food
Several different freshwater snail species are eaten in Asian cuisine.

Archaeological investigations in Guatemala have revealed that the diet of the Maya of the Classic Period (AD 250-900) included freshwater snails.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">[8 ]
 * A dish of cooked freshwater nerites from the Rajang River, Sarawak, Malaysia
 * A dish of cooked freshwater snails, ampullariids and viviparids from Poipet, Cambodia

[edit] Aquarium snails
In the developed world, people encounter freshwater snails most commonly in aquaria along with tropical fish. Species available vary in different parts of the world. In the United States, commonly available species include ramshorn snails such as Planorbella duryi, apple snails such as Pomacea bridgesii, the high-spired thiarid malaysian trumpet snail Melanoides tuberculata, and several neritina species.

[edit] Parasitology
Life cycle of two liver fluke species which have freshwater snails as intermediate hostsFreshwater snails are widely known to be hosts in the lifecycles of a variety of human and animal parasites, particularly trematodes or "flukes". Some of these relations for prosobranch snails include Oncomelania in the family Pomatiopsidae as hosts of Schistosoma, and Bithynia, Parafossarulus and Amnicola as hosts of Opisthorchis.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Chandler_1961_8-0">[9 ] Thiara and Semisulcospira may host Paragonimus, and Goniobasis (older term including Elimia, Juga and other small high-spired pleurocerid snails) may host Nanophyetus salmincola.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Chandler_1961_8-1">[9 ] Basommatophoran snails are even more widely infected, with many Biomphalaria (Planorbidae) serving as hosts for Schistosoma mansoni, Fasciolopsis and other parasitic groups.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Chandler_1961_8-2">[9 ] The tiny Bulinus snails are hosts for Schistosoma haematobium.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Chandler_1961_8-3">[9 ] Lymnaeid snails (Lymnaeidae) serve as hosts for Fasciola and the