Viviparidae Temporal range: | |
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An alive but retracted individual of Viviparus contectus , showing the operculum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Architaenioglossa |
Superfamily: | Viviparoidea |
Family: | Viviparidae J. E. Gray, 1847 [1] |
Diversity [2] | |
125–150 freshwater species |
Viviparidae, sometimes known as the river snails or mystery snails, are a family of large operculate freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks.
This family is classified in the informal group Architaenioglossa according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005.
This family occurs nearly worldwide in temperate and tropical regions, with the exception that they are absent from South America.
There are two genera of Viviparidae in Africa: Bellamya and Neothauma . [3]
The oldest known vivparid is Viviparus langtonensis from the Middle Jurassic of England. [4] The oldest records from the Southern Hemisphere is from the Late Jurassic Talbragar fossil beds of Australia. [5]
The family Viviparidae contains 3 subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):
Genera within the family Viviparidae include:
subfamily Viviparinae Gray, 1847
subfamily Bellamyinae Rohrbach, 1937
subfamily Lioplacinae Gill, 1863
subfamily ?
Life spans have been reported from 3 to 11 years in various species of Viviparidae. [14]
Fissurellidae, common name the keyhole limpets and slit limpets, is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda.
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.
Lymnaeidae, common name the pond snails, is a taxonomic family of small to large air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks, that belong to the clade Hygrophila.
Neritidae, common name the nerites, is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized saltwater and freshwater snails which have a gill and a distinctive operculum.
The Chinese mystery snail, black snail, or trapdoor snail, is a large freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae. The Japanese variety of this species is black and usually a dark green, moss-like alga covers the shell.
Lanistes is a genus of freshwater snails which have a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails.
Neothauma is a genus of freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the subfamily Bellamyinae of the family Viviparidae.
Notopala is a genus of moderately large to large, freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Viviparidae, the river snails or mystery snails.
The Nassariidae, Nassa mud snails (USA), or dog whelks (UK), are a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda.
Thiaridae, common name thiarids or trumpet snails, is a family of tropical freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea.
Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family of medium to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of the species in this family are mostly globular in shape.
Pomatiopsidae is a family of small, mainly freshwater snails, that have gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Truncatelloidea.
Bellamya is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Viviparidae.
Margarya is a genus of large operculate freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Viviparidae.
The Wallumbilla Formation is an Aptian geologic formation found in Australia. Plesiosaur and theropod remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from its strata.
The subfamily Emarginulinae, common name keyhole limpets and slit limpets, is a taxonomic subfamily of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Filopaludina is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Viviparidae.
Filopaludina martensi is a species of large freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae.
Filopaludina sumatrensis is a species of large freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae.
Filopaludina javanica or Idiopoma javanica is a species of large freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae.