Anentome helena | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Family: | Nassariidae |
Genus: | Anentome |
Species: | A. helena |
Binomial name | |
Anentome helena (von dem Busch, 1847) | |
Distribution map of Anentome helena | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Anentome helena, common name assassin snail or bumblebee snail, is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod in the family Nassariidae, most of which are marine. [2]
The assassin snail is found throughout southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia, Thailand, and in Lake Toba on the Indonesian island Sumatra. [3] [4]
The assassin snail typically grows to 0.7–1.25 in (18–32 mm) in size, though this is dependent on food sources; they are usually smaller when kept in an aquarium.[ citation needed ] The shell, which is conical in shape, often consists of dark brown and yellowish tan bands, leading to some people to refer to it as the bumble bee snail, a name also applied to the marine snail Engina mendicaria . Some specimens have been identified with completely brown shells, lacking banding.
The assassin snail spends much of its time buried in substrate. They are least active during mid-day; however, they can sense food and will become active if fed. [5]
Like all snails in the clade Neogastropoda, the assassin snail is carnivorous. It feeds on worms and gastropods, garnering it the common moniker of "assassin snail" for its habit of eating other snails. The snail will often feed on larger snails, often burying itself in order to ambush prey. [2]
Anentome helena may be a serious threat to native freshwater gastropods in countries when introduced. [6]
In A. helena the sexes are separated, meaning there are male and female individuals which are not hermaphroditic. Currently it is not known how to identify which is male and which is female. Both males and females seem to be the same size and shape. When a male and female mate, they lock together for many hours. The female lays several clear egg capsules which are square in shape and approximately 1.0 to 1.5 mm (0.039 to 0.059 in) in width and height. Each egg capsule contains a single small yellow egg. The egg capsules are generally laid on solid surfaces such as plastic and often on the base of plants. Fertile eggs usually hatch within a few weeks. [5]
Like many snail species, Anentome helena can serve as an intermediate host to trematode parasites. It has been confirmed as an intermediate host to Echinostoma revolutum in the Chiang Mai province in Thailand. [7]
A. helena is a part of ornamental pet trade for freshwater aquaria, [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] where they are used to control populations of unwanted small snail species such as the Malaysian trumpet snail. [2]
Echinostoma is a genus of trematodes (flukes), which can infect both humans and other animals. These intestinal flukes have a three-host life cycle with snails or other aquatic organisms as intermediate hosts, and a variety of animals, including humans, as their definitive hosts.
Lymnaea stagnalis, better known as the great pond snail, is a species of large air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae. The great pond snail is a model organism to study parasitology, neurology, embryonal development and genetic regulation.
Bithynia tentaculata, common names the mud bithynia or common bithynia, or faucet snail is a relatively small species of freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Bithyniidae.
Dicathais is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, the rock snails. This genus is monotypic; the only species in it is Dicathais orbita, common name the white rock shell or cart-rut shell, found round the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.
Physella acuta is a species of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Physidae. Common names include European physa, tadpole snail, bladder snail, and acute bladder snail. In addition, Physa acuta, Physa heterostropha and Physa integra are synonyms of Physella acuta.
Clea is a genus of freshwater snails with opercula, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Anentominae of the family Nassariidae, a family, almost all of the rest of which are marine.
Echinostoma revolutum is a trematode parasite of which the adults can infect birds and mammals, including humans. In humans, it causes echinostomiasis.
Ladislavella elodes, the marsh pondsnail, is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Clea bangueyensis is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea bockii is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea broti is a Southeast Asian species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea fusca is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea hidalgoi is a Southeast Asian species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, most of which are marine.
Clea jullieni is a Southeast Asian species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea nigricans is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea scalarina is a Southeast Asian species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea spinosa is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Clea wykoffi is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks, most of which are marine.
Gyraulus convexiusculus is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.
Anentome is a genus of freshwater snails with opercula, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Anentominae of the family Nassariidae, a family, almost all of the rest of which are marine.