Freshwater snail

Last updated
Bithynia tentaculata, a small freshwater gastropod in the family Bithyniidae Bithynia tentaculata.jpg
Bithynia tentaculata , a small freshwater gastropod in the family Bithyniidae
Pomacea insularum, an apple snail Pomacea insularum 2.jpg
Pomacea insularum , an apple snail
Planorbella trivolvis, an air-breathing ramshorn snail Planorbella trivolvis.jpg
Planorbella trivolvis , an air-breathing ramshorn snail

Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks that live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs to major rivers. The great majority of freshwater gastropods have a shell, with very few exceptions. Some groups of snails that live in freshwater respire using gills, whereas other groups need to reach the surface to breathe air. In addition, some are amphibious and have both gills and a lung (e.g. Ampullariidae ). Most feed on algae, but many are detritivores and some are filter feeders.

Contents

According to a 2008 review of the taxonomy, there are about 4,000 species of freshwater gastropods (3,795–3,972). [1]

As of 2023 there are known 5182 species of fossil freshwater gastropods. [2]

At least 33–38 independent lineages of gastropods have successfully colonized freshwater environments. [3] It is not possible to quantify the exact number of these lineages yet, because they have yet to be clarified within the Cerithioidea. [3] From six to eight of these independent lineages occur in North America. [4]

Taxonomy

2005 taxonomy

The following cladogram is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), [5] 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.)

† Paleozoic molluscs of uncertain systematic position

† Basal taxa that are certainly Gastropoda

Patellogastropoda

Vetigastropoda

Cocculiniformia

Neritimorpha

† Paleozoic Neritimorpha of uncertain systematic position

† Cyrtoneritimorpha

Cycloneritimorpha: Neritiliidae and Neritidae

  Caenogastropoda  

Caenogastropoda of uncertain systematic position

Architaenioglossa: Ampullariidae and Viviparidae

Sorbeoconcha: Melanopsidae , Pachychilidae , Paludomidae , Pleuroceridae , Semisulcospiridae and Thiaridae

  Hypsogastropoda  

Littorinimorpha: Littorinidae , Amnicolidae , Assimineidae , Bithyniidae , Cochliopidae , Helicostoidae , Hydrobiidae , Lithoglyphidae , Moitessieriidae , Pomatiopsidae and Stenothyridae

Ptenoglossa

Neogastropoda: Nassariidae and Marginellidae

Heterobranchia

Lower Heterobranchia: Glacidorbidae and Valvatidae

  Opisthobranchia  

Cephalaspidea

Thecosomata

Gymnosomata

Aplysiomorpha

Acochlidiacea: Acochlidiidae , Tantulidae and Strubelliidae

Sacoglossa

Cylindrobullida

Umbraculida

Nudipleura

Pulmonata

Basommatophora: Chilinidae , Latiidae , Acroloxidae , Lymnaeidae . Planorbidae ► and Physidae - all these six families together form the clade Hygrophila

Eupulmonata

2010 taxonomy

The following cladogram is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), [5] modified after Jörger et al. (2010) [6] 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.)

† Paleozoic molluscs of uncertain systematic position

† Basal taxa that are certainly Gastropoda

Patellogastropoda

Vetigastropoda

Cocculiniformia

Neritimorpha

† Paleozoic Neritimorpha of uncertain systematic position

† Cyrtoneritimorpha

Cycloneritimorpha: Neritiliidae and Neritidae

  Caenogastropoda  

Caenogastropoda of uncertain systematic position

Architaenioglossa: Ampullariidae and Viviparidae

Sorbeoconcha: Melanopsidae , Pachychilidae , Paludomidae , Pleuroceridae , Semisulcospiridae and Thiaridae

  Hypsogastropoda  

Littorinimorpha: Littorinidae , Amnicolidae , Assimineidae , Bithyniidae , Cochliopidae , Helicostoidae , Hydrobiidae , Lithoglyphidae , Moitessieriidae , Pomatiopsidae and Stenothyridae

Ptenoglossa

Neogastropoda: Nassariidae and Marginellidae

Heterobranchia

Lower Heterobranchia: Valvatidae

  Euthyneura  

Nudipleura

Euopisthobranchia

Panpulmonata

Glacidorboidea with the only family Glacidorbidae

Hygrophila: Chilinidae , Latiidae , Acroloxidae , Lymnaeidae . Planorbidae ► and Physidae

Acochlidiacea: Acochlidiidae , Tantulidae and Strubelliidae

Eupulmonata

Neritimorpha

The Neritimorpha are a group of primitive "prosobranch" gilled snails which have a shelly operculum.

Caenogastropoda

The Caenogastropoda are a large group of gilled operculate snails, which are largely marine. In freshwater habitats there are ten major families of caenogastropods, as well as several other families of lesser importance:

Architaenioglossa
Sorbeoconcha
Littorinimorpha
Anentome helena, family Nassariidae. Clea helena.png
Anentome helena , family Nassariidae.
Neogastropoda

Heterobranchia

Family Valvatidae, Valvata piscinalis. Valvata piscinalis.png
Family Valvatidae, Valvata piscinalis .
Acochlidium fijiiensis is one of very few freshwater gastropods without a shell. Acochlidium fijiiensis.png
Acochlidium fijiiensis is one of very few freshwater gastropods without a shell.
Lower Heterobranchia
Acochlidiacea
Pulmonata, Basommatophora

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.

Sexual reproduction and self-fertilization

The freshwater snail Physa acuta is in the subclass Heterobranchia and the family Physidae. P. acuta is a self-fertile snail that can undergo either sexual reproduction or self-fertilization. Noel et al. [10] experimentally tested whether accumulation of deleterious mutations is avoided either by inbreeding populations of the snail (undergoing self-fertilization), or in outbreeding populations undergoing sexual reproduction. Inbreeding promotes the homozygous expression of deleterious recessive mutations in progeny that then exposes these mutations to selective elimination because of their deleterious affects on progeny. Outbreeding sexual reproduction allows females to choose male mating partners with smaller mutation loads that then also leads to a reduction of deleterious mutations in progeny. On the basis of their findings, Noel et al. [10] concluded that both outbred and inbred populations of P. acuta can efficiently eliminate deleterious mutations.

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. [11]

Aquarium snails

Freshwater snails are commonly found 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.

Parasitology

Life cycle of two liver fluke species which have freshwater snails as intermediate hosts Opisthorchis LifeCycle.gif
Life cycle of two liver fluke species which have freshwater snails as intermediate hosts

Freshwater 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 . [12] Thiara and Semisulcospira may host Paragonimus . [12] Juga plicifera may host Nanophyetus salmincola . [13] Basommatophoran snails are even more widely infected, with many Biomphalaria (Planorbidae) serving as hosts for Schistosoma mansoni , Fasciolopsis and other parasitic groups. [12] The tiny Bulinus snails are hosts for Schistosoma haematobium . [12] Lymnaeid snails (Lymnaeidae) serve as hosts for Fasciola and the cerceriae causing swimmer's itch. [12] The term "neglected tropical diseases" applies to all snail-borne infections, including schistosomiasis, fascioliasis, fasciolopsiasis, paragonimiasis, opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis, and angiostrongyliasis. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Oncomelania</i> Genus of gastropods

Oncomelania is a genus of very small tropical freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.

<i>Biomphalaria</i> Genus of freshwater snails

Biomphalaria is a genus of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonates belonging to the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails and their allies.

<i>Marisa cornuarietis</i> Species of gastropod

Marisa cornuarietis, common name the Colombian ramshorn apple snail, is a species of large freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snail family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basommatophora</span> Informal group of gastropods

Basommatophora was a term that was previously used as a taxonomic informal group, a group of snails within the informal group Pulmonata, the air-breathing slugs and snails. According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda, whenever monophyly has not been tested, or where a traditional taxon of gastropods has now been discovered to be paraphyletic or polyphyletic, the term "group" or "informal group" was used.

<i>Planorbella trivolvis</i> Species of gastropod

Planorbella trivolvis is a species of freshwater air-breathing snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails, or planorbids, which all have sinistral or left-coiling shells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physidae</span> Family of molluscs

Physidae, commonly called the bladder snails, is a family of small air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Lymnaeoidea.

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

Pleuroceridae, common name pleurocerids, is a family of small to medium-sized freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea.These snails have an operculum and typically a robust high-spired shell.

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

Pomatiopsidae is a family of small, mainly freshwater snails, that have gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Truncatelloidea.

<i>Clithon retropictum</i> Species of gastropod

Clithon retropictum(Korean: 기수갈고둥,Japanese: 石蜑螺) is a species of freshwater and brackish water snail with an operculum, a nerite. It is an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Neritidae, the nerites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hygrophila (gastropod)</span> Clade of molluscs

Hygrophila is a taxonomic superorder of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks within the clade Panpulmonata.

<i>Biomphalaria tenagophila</i> Species of gastropod

Biomphalaria tenagophila is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.

Biomphalaria andecola is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.

<i>Biomphalaria peregrina</i> Species of gastropod

Biomphalaria peregrina is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.

<i>Indoplanorbis</i> Genus of gastropods

Indoplanorbis is a genus of air-breathing freshwater snail. Its only member species is Indoplanorbis exustus, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails. The species is widely distributed across the tropics. It serves as an important intermediate host for several trematode parasites. The invasive nature and ecological tolerance of Indoplanorbis exustus add to its importance in veterinary and medical science.

Radix luteola is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lymnaeoidea</span> Superfamily of gastropods

Lymnaeoidea, commonly known as pond snails, is a taxonomic superfamily of air-breathing freshwater snails that belong to the superorder Hygrophila.

References

This article incorporates CC-BY-2.5 text from the reference [14]

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Strong E. E., Gargominy O., Ponder W. F. & Bouchet P. (2008). "Global Diversity of Gastropods (Gastropoda; Mollusca) in Freshwater". Hydrobiologia 595: 149–166. hdl.handle.net doi : 10.1007/s10750-007-9012-6.
  2. ↑ Neubauer, Thomas A. (2023-09-12). "The fossil record of freshwater Gastropoda – a global review". Biological Reviews. doi: 10.1111/brv.13016 . ISSN   1464-7931.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Strong E. E., Colgan D. J., Healy J. M., Lydeard C., Ponder W. F. & Glaubrecht M. (2011). "Phylogeny of the gastropod superfamily Cerithioidea using morphology and molecules". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162(1): 43–89. doi : 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00670.x.
  4. ↑ Dillon R. T. (2006). Chapter 21. Freshwater Gastropoda. pages 251–259. In: Sturm C. F., Pearce T. A. & Valdés A. (eds.) (2006). The Mollusks: A Guide to Their Study, Collection, and Preservation. American Malacological Society, 445 pp. ISBN   978-1-58112-930-4.
  5. 1 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.
  6. ↑ Jörger K. M., Stöger I., Kano Y., Fukuda H., Knebelsberger T. & Schrödl M. (2010). "On the origin of Acochlidia and other enigmatic euthyneuran gastropods, with implications for the systematics of Heterobranchia". BMC Evolutionary Biology 10: 323. doi : 10.1186/1471-2148-10-323.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Banarescu P. (1990). Zoogeography of Fresh Waters, Vol. 1, General Distribution and Dispersal of Freshwater Animals. AULA - Verlag, Weisbaden.
  8. ↑ Reid D. G., Aravind N. A., & Madhyastha N. A. (2013). "A unique radiation of marine littorinid snails in the freshwater streams of the Western Ghats of India: the genus Cremnoconchus W.T. Blanford, 1869 (Gastropoda: Littorinidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 167(1): 93–135. doi : 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00875.x.
  9. ↑ Schrödl M. & Neusser T. P. (2010). "Towards a phylogeny and evolution of Acochlidia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158: 124–154. doi : 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00544.x.
  10. 1 2 Noël E, Fruitet E, Lelaurin D, Bonel N, Ségard A, Sarda V, Jarne P, David P. Sexual selection and inbreeding: Two efficient ways to limit the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Evol Lett. 2018 Dec 10;3(1):80-92. doi: 10.1002/evl3.93. PMID 30788144; PMCID: PMC6369961
  11. ↑ Foias A. E. (2000). "Entre la política y economía: Resultados preliminares de las primeras temporadas del Proyecto Arqueológico Motul de San José" (PDF). XIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1999 (Edited by J.P. Laporte, H. Escobedo, B. Arroyo and A.C. De Suasnávar) (in Spanish): 771–799. Archived from the original (PDF online publication) on 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-03-01., page 777.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Chandler A. C. & Read C P. (1961). Introduction to Parasitology. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 822 pp.
  13. ↑ Adams A. M. (2006). Foodborne trematodes. In: Ortega I. R. (ed.) (2006). Foodborne parasites. ISBN   0-387-30068-6. page 178.
  14. 1 2 Adema C. M., Bayne C. J., Bridger J. M., Knight M., Loker E. S., Yoshino T. P. & Zhang S.-M. (2012). "Will All Scientists Working on Snails and the Diseases They Transmit Please Stand Up?". PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 6(12): e1835. doi : 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001835.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.