Lithococcus

Lithococcus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Cochliopidae
Genus:	Lithococcus Pilsbry, 1911
Type species
Lithoglyphus multicarinatus Miller, 1878

Lithococcus is a genus of very small freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Cochliopidae. ^[1]

Characteristics

(Original description) The shell is globose and thick, with four to five convex whorls. Its sculpture consists of strongly developed spiral ribs, with the upper ribs being spinose (spiny).

The operculum is corneous and subcircular, composed of three or four whorls with the nucleus located near the center.

The dentition is amnicoloid (characteristic of the family Amnicolidae). The central tooth has five to seven denticles on its cusp and three basal denticles on each side. The inner lateral tooth has 13-14 denticles, and the next lateral tooth has about 16 denticles. ^[2]

Distribution

The species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico, Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Species

Species within the genus Lithococcus include:

• Lithococcus aletes Thompson & Hershler, 1991
• † Lithococcus amazonicus Wesselingh, 2006
• † Lithococcus carinatus Wesselingh, 2006
• Lithococcus multicarinatus (Miller, 1878)
• Lithococcus venustus Pilsbry, 1950

References

1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Lithococcus Pilsbry, 1911. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=723409 on 2015-02-20
2. Pilsbry, H.A. (1911). Non-marine Mollusca of Patagonia. In: Scott, W.B. (Ed.) Reports of the Princeton University Expeditions to Patagonia, 1896-1899. Volume III, 2. Zoology. Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. Stuttgart: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagshandlung. p. 602. Retrieved 11 September 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .