Amnicola

Last updated

Amnicola
Amnicola dalli shell.jpg
Drawing of the shell of Amnicola dalli with an operculum.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Amnicolidae
Subfamily: Amnicolinae
Genus: Amnicola
Gould & Haldeman, 1840 [1]
Synonyms
  • Amnicola (Amnicola)A. Gould & Haldeman, 1840 alternative representation
  • Amnicola (Euamnicola)Crosse & P. Fischer, 1891 junior subjective synonym
  • EuamnicolaCrosse & P. Fischer, 1891 junior subjective synonym
  • Hydrobia (Amnicola)A. Gould & Haldeman, 1841

Amnicola is a genus of very small freshwater snails which have an operculum. Amnicola species are aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusks belonging to the family Amnicolidae according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).

Contents

Amnicola is the type genus of the family Amnicolidae. [2]

Description

Amnicola are a genus of tiny freshwater snails, typically less than half an inch (1.27 cm) long. These snails possess an operculum, a hard plate that seals their shell when they retract inside. Their shells are rounded and often as wide as they are tall, usually just a few millimeters in length. Notably, Amnicola snails can survive in warm water and low-oxygen conditions. Their shells generally exhibit a tan to light brown coloration. [3]

Amnicola snails have high-spired shells ranging from 1/8th to 1/4 inch (4 millimeters) in height. These shells typically exhibit a brownish color with subtle shading and feature up to 8 convex whorls. The masked dusky snail relies on gills for respiration, making it dependent on dissolved oxygen in the water. [4]

Habitat

Populations are typically found in still waters environments, but can also be commonly collected in slow-moving rivers, often on woody debris. [3]

Food habits

Amnicola populations appear to be grazers of diatoms and other periphyton (Kesler 1981 and Cattaneo and Kalff 1986). They in turn they are preyed upon by crayfish (Lewis 2001) and sunfish (Lepomis) (Osenberg 1989 and Bronmark et al. 1992). [3]

Species

Species in the genus Amnicola include:

Synonyms

Related Research Articles

<i>Succinea</i> Genus of gastropods

Succinea, common name the amber snails, is a large genus of small, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Succineidae.

<i>Umbonium</i> Genus of gastropods

Umbonium, sometimes known as the "button top shells", is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trochidae, the top snails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planorbidae</span> Family of gastropods

Planorbidae, common name the ramshorn snails or ram's horn snails, is a family of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs. Unlike most molluscs, the blood of ram's horn snails contains iron-based hemoglobin instead of copper-based hemocyanin. As a result, planorbids are able to breathe oxygen more efficiently than other molluscs. The presence of hemoglobin gives the body a reddish colour. This is especially apparent in albino animals.

<i>Vertigo</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Vertigo is a genus of minute, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the family Vertiginidae, the whorl snails.

<i>Physella</i> Genus of gastropods

Physella is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Physidae.

<i>Physa</i> Genus of gastropods

Physa is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Physinae of the family Physidae.

<i>Gibbula</i> Genus of gastropods

Gibbula is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Cantharidinae of the family Trochidae, the top snails.

Fontigens is a genus of minute freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs in the family Fontigentidae.

<i>Hydrobia</i> Genus of gastropods

Hydrobia is a genus of very small brackish water snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Hydrobiidae.

Paludinella is a genus of minute salt marsh snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks or micromollusks, in the family Assimineidae.

<i>Pseudamnicola</i> Genus of gastropods

Pseudamnicola is a genus of small brackish water snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Pseudamnicolinae of the family Hydrobiidae.

Somatogyrus is a genus of very small freshwater and brackish water snails that have an operculum, aquatic gastropod micromolluscs in the family Lithoglyphidae.

<i>Truncatella</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Truncatella is a genus of very small land snails with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Truncatellidae. These minute snails live in land habitats close to seawater. They walk with a looping action, and the adults have truncated shells. Many of the species are small enough to be considered micromollusks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amnicolidae</span> Family of gastropods

Amnicolidae is a family of small freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Rissooidea.

<i>Mercuria</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Mercuria is a genus of small brackish water snails or freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Hydrobiidae.

Lyogyrus walkeri, common name Canadian duskysnail, is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Amnicolidae.

Lyogyrus is a genus of very small freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Amnicolidae.

<i>Minolia</i> Genus of gastropods

Minolia is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Solariellidae.

References

  1. Gould A. A. & Haldeman S. S. (1840). In: Haldeman, Mon. Limniades N. Amer., (1), iii, 3.
  2. Bouchet, Philippe; Rocroi, Jean-Pierre; Frýda, Jiri; Hausdorf, Bernard; Ponder, Winston; Valdés, Ángel & Warén, Anders (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia . 47 (1–2). Hackenheim, Germany: ConchBooks: 1–397. ISBN   3-925919-72-4. ISSN   0076-2997.
  3. 1 2 3 Montana field Guides: Amnicola
  4. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Masked dusty snail