Freshwater snail
Encyclopedia
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
is one kind of freshwater mollusc
Freshwater mollusc
Freshwater molluscs are those members of the Phylum Mollusca which live in freshwater habitats, both lotic such as rivers, streams, canals, springs, and underground cave streams and lentic such as lakes, ponds , and ditches.This article is about freshwater Mollusca in general; for information on...
, the other kind being freshwater clams and mussels, i.e. freshwater bivalves
Freshwater bivalves
Freshwater bivalves are one kind of freshwater molluscs. They are bivalves which live in freshwater, as opposed to saltwater. Although the majority of species of bivalve molluscs live in the sea, a number of different families of bivalves live in freshwater...
. Specifically a freshwater snail is a gastropod that lives in a watery non-marine (freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
) habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
. The majority of freshwater gastropods have a shell
Gastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
, with very few exceptions. Some groups of snails that live in freshwater respire using gills. Others need to surface to breathe air.
According to present classification efforts, there are about 4,000 species of freshwater gastropods (3,795-3,972).
At least 33–38 independent lineages
Lineage (evolution)
An evolutionary lineage is a sequence of species, that form a line of descent, each new species the direct result of speciation from an immediate ancestral species. Lineages are subsets of the evolutionary tree of life. Lineages are often determined by the techniques of molecular systematics.-...
of gastropods have successfully colonized freshwater environments. It is not possible to quantify the exact number of these lineages yet, because they have yet to be clarified within the Cerithioidea
Cerithioidea
The Cerithioidea is a superfamily of marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod containing more than 200 genera. The Cerithoidea are included in the clade Sorbeoconcha. The original name of this superfamily was Cerithiacea, in keeping with common superfamily endings at the time.- Ecology...
. From six to eight of these independent lineages occur in North America.
2005 taxonomy
The following cladogramCladogram
A cladogram is a diagram used in cladistics which shows ancestral relations between organisms, to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Although traditionally such cladograms were generated largely on the basis of morphological characters, DNA and RNA sequencing data and computational...
is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
(2005), with families that contain freshwater species marked in boldface: (Some of the highlighted families consist entirely of freshwater species, but some of them also contain, or even mainly consist of, marine species.)
2010 taxonomy
The following cladogramCladogram
A cladogram is a diagram used in cladistics which shows ancestral relations between organisms, to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Although traditionally such cladograms were generated largely on the basis of morphological characters, DNA and RNA sequencing data and computational...
is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
(2005), modified after Jörger et al. (2010) and simplified with families that contain freshwater species marked in boldface: (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.)
Neritimorpha
Primitive "Prosobranch" gilled snails with a shelly operculumOperculum (gastropod)
The operculum, meaning little lid, is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure which exists in many groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails...
.
- NeritiliidaeNeritiliidaeNeritiliidae is a family of submarine cave snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the clade Cycloneritimorpha...
, 5 extant freshwater species - NeritidaeNeritidaeNeritidae, 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, marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod mollusks in the order Neritoida....
, largely confined to the tropics, also the rivers of Europe, family includes the marine "nerites". There are about 110 extant freshwater species.
Caenogastropoda
A large group of gilled operculate snails, largely marine. In freshwater habitats there are ten major families, as well as other families of lesser importance:Architaenioglossa
- AmpullariidaeAmpullariidaeAmpullariidae, common name the apple snails, is a family of large freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks with a gill and an operculum...
, an exclusively freshwater family that is largely tropical and includes the large "apple snails" kept in aquaria. 105-170 species. - ViviparidaeViviparidaeViviparidae, sometimes known as the river snails or mystery snails, are a family of large operculate freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks....
, medium to large snails, live-bearing, commonly referred to as "mystery snails". World wide except South America, and everywhere confined to fresh waters. 125-150 species.
Sorbeoconcha
- MelanopsidaeMelanopsidaeMelanopsidae, common name melanopsids, is a family of freshwater gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha. Species in this family are native to southern and eastern Europe, northern Africa, parts of the Middle East, New Zealand, and freshwater streams of some large South Pacific islands.These snails...
, family native to rivers draining to the Mediterranean, also Middle East, and some South Pacific islands. About 25-50 species. - PachychilidaePachychilidaePachychilidae, common name pachychilids, is a taxonomic family of freshwater snails, gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha.- Distribution :Pachychilids are freshwater snails with a worldwide distribution in the tropics...
- 165-225 species. native to South and Central America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae by many authors. - PaludomidaePaludomidaePaludomidae, common name paludomids, is a family of freshwater snails, gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha.- Taxonomy :The following three subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi :...
- about 100 species in south Asia, diverse in African Lakes, and Sri Lanka. Formerly classified with the Pleuroceridae by some authors. - PleuroceridaePleuroceridaePleuroceridae, 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....
, abundant and diverse in eastern North America, largely high-spired snails of small to large size. About 150 species. - SemisulcospiridaeSemisulcospiridaeSemisulcospiridae, common name semisulcospirids, is a family of freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks with an operculum, in the superfamily Cerithioidea....
, - primarily eastern Asia, Japan, also the Juga snails of northwestern North America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae. About 50 species. - ThiaridaeThiaridaeThiaridae, common name thiarids, is a family of tropical freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea....
, high-spired parthenogenic snails of the tropics, includes those referred to as "trumpet snails" in aquaria. About 110 species.
Littorinimorpha
- LittorinidaeLittorinidaeLittorinidae is a taxonomic family of over 200 species of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha, commonly known as periwinkles and found world-wide.-Names:...
- 2 species in the genus CremnoconchusCremnoconchusCremnoconchus is a genus of small freshwater snails, gastropod mollusks in the family Littorinidae, the winkles or periwinkles....
are freshwater living in waterfalls. Other species are marine. - AmnicolidaeAmnicolidaeAmnicolidae is a family of small freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks.This family is in the superfamily Rissooidea and in the clade Littorinimorpha...
- about 200 species. - AssimineidaeAssimineidaeAssimineidae is a family of minute snails with an operculum that live in saltwater, freshwater or on the land; they are mostly aquatic gastropod mollusks or micromollusks, in the clade Littorinimorpha.- Ecology :...
- about 20 freshwater species, other are marine - BithyniidaeBithyniidaeBithyniidae is a family of small freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha.Their minute shell is often colored. They are characterized by a calcareous operculum, a lobe on the upper surface of the neck. The ctenidium, the respiratory gill-comb, is...
, small snails, native to Eastern Hemisphere. About 130 species. - CochliopidaeCochliopidaeCochliopidae is a family of small freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks.This family is in the superfamily Rissooidea and in the clade Littorinimorpha ....
- 246 species. - HelicostoidaeHelicostoidaeHelicostoa sinensis is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the clade Littorinimorpha.Helicostoa sinensis is the only species in the genus Helicostoa, which in turn is the only genus in the family Helicostoidae...
, the only species Helicostoa sinensis lives in China. - HydrobiidaeHydrobiidaeHydrobiidae, common name mud snails, is a large cosmopolitan taxonomic family of very small freshwater snails and brackish water snails that have an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.- Distribution :...
, small to very small snails found world wide. About 1250 freshwater species other are marine.
- LithoglyphidaeLithoglyphidaeLithoglyphidae is a family of small freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks.This family is in the superfamily Rissooidea and in the clade Littorinimorpha .- Taxonomy :Taylor , Ponder & Warén and Kabat & Hershler considered this taxon as a subfamily...
- about 100 species. - MoitessieriidaeMoitessieriidaeMoitessieriidae is a family of small freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Rissooidea.According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi the family Moitessieriidae has no subfamilies....
- 55 species. - PomatiopsidaePomatiopsidaePomatiopsidae is a family of small mainly freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Rissooidea ....
, small amphibious snails scattered worldwide, most diverse in eastern and Southeast Asia. About 170 species. - StenothyridaeStenothyridaeStenothyridae is a family of freshwater snails, snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Rissooidea.This family has no subfamilies.-Distribution :...
- about 60 freshwater species, others are marine.
Neogastropoda
- BuccinidaeBuccinidaeBuccinidae is a very large and diverse taxonomic family of large sea snails, often known as whelks or true whelks.True whelks are mostly marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda...
- 8-10 freshwater species in the genus Clea, native to Southeast Asia. Other Buccinidae are marine. - MarginellidaeMarginellidaeMarginellidae, or the margin shells, are a taxonomic family of small, often colorful, sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Neogastropoda.- Taxonomy :...
- 2 freshwater species in the genus Rivomarginella, native to Southeast Asia. Other Marginellidae are marine.
Heterobranchia
- GlacidorbidaeGlacidorbidaeThe Glacidorbidae is a taxonomic family of freshwater snails, gastropod mollusks in the clade Panpulmonata.- 2005 taxonomy :Glacidorbidae is the only family in the superfamily Glacidorboidea. Glacidorboidea has been classified within the informal group Lower Heterobranchia in the taxonomy of...
- 20 species. - ValvatidaeValvatidaeValvatidae, the valve snails, is a taxonomic family of very small freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks.- Taxonomy :...
, small low-spired snails referred to as "valve snails". 71 species.
Acochlidiacea
Acochlidiacea
Acochlidiacea, common name acochlidians, are a taxonomic clade of very unusual sea snails and sea and freshwater slugs, aquatic gastropod mollusks within the large clade Heterobranchia...
- AcochlidiidaeAcochlidiidaeAcochlidiidae are a taxonomic family of shell-less freshwater gastropods , aquatic gastropod mollusks within the clade Acochlidiacea.- 2005 taxonomy :...
(including synonym Strubelliidae) - 5 shell-less species: Acochlidium amboinense, Acochlidium bayerfehlmanni, Acochlidium fijiiensisAcochlidium fijiiensisAcochlidium fijiiensis is a species of freshwater gastropod, an aquatic gastropod mollusk within the family Acochlidiidae.Acochlidium fijiiensis has no shell.It lives in two rivers on Fiji.- Further reading :...
, Palliohedyle sutteri and Strubellia paradoxa - TantulidaeTantulidaeNot to be confused with Tantalum.Tantulum elegans is a species of freshwater gastropod, aquatic gastropod mollusk within the clade Acochlidiacea.This species has no shell...
- there is only one species which is shell-less Tantulum elegans.
Pulmonata, Basommatophora
Basommatophorans
Basommatophora
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...
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
Stylommatophora
Stylommatophora is a taxon of air-breathing land snails and slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. This taxon is currently considered to be a clade. It was previously regarded as an infraorder...
. The majority of basommatophorans have shells that are thin, translucent, and relatively colorless, and all five freshwater basommatophoran families lack an operculum.
- Chilinidae, small to medium-sized snails confined to temperate and cold South America. About 15 species.
- Latiidae, small limpet-like snails confined to New Zealand. One or three species.
- AcroloxidaeAcroloxidaeAcroloxidae, commonly known as river limpets, are a taxonomic family of very small, freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod limpet-like mollusks with a simple flattened conical shell in the clade Hygrophila....
- about 40 species. - LymnaeidaeLymnaeidaeLymnaeidae is a taxonomic family of small to large air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks, that belong to the clade Hygrophila....
, found worldwide, but are most numerous in temperate and northern regions. These are the dextral (right-handed) pond snails. About 100 species. - PlanorbidaePlanorbidaePlanorbidae, common name the ramshorn snails or ram's horn snails, is a family of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks....
, "rams horn" snails, with a worldwide distribution. About 250 species. - PhysidaePhysidaePhysidae, common name bladder snails, are a monophyletic taxonomic family of small freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the clade Hygrophila....
, left-handed (sinistral) "pouch snails", native to Europe, Asia, North America. About 80 species.
As human food
Several different freshwater snail species are eaten in Asian cuisineAsian cuisine
Asian cuisine styles can be broken down into several tiny regional styles that have roots in the peoples and cultures of those regions. The major types can be roughly defined as East Asian with its origins in Imperial China and now encompassing modern Japan and the Korean peninsula; Southeast Asian...
.
Archaeological investigations in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
have revealed that the diet of the Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
of the Classic Period
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
(AD 250-900) included freshwater snails.
Aquarium snails
In the developed world, people encounter freshwater snails most commonly in aquaria along with tropical fish. Species available vary in different parts of the world. In the United States, commonly available species include ramshorn snailsRamshorn snail
The term ramshorn snail is used in two different ways. In the aquarium trade it is used to describe various kinds of freshwater snails whose shells are planispiral, meaning that the shell is a flat coil. Such shells resemble a coil of rope, or a ram's horn...
such as Planorbella duryi
Planorbella duryi
Planorbella duryi, common name the Seminole rams-horn, is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.-Distribution:This species of snail is endemic to Florida, USA....
, apple snails such as Pomacea bridgesii
Pomacea bridgesii
Pomacea bridgesii, common names the Spike-topped apple snail or Mystery snail, is a South American species of freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae.-Subspecies:...
, the high-spired thiarid malaysian trumpet snail
Malaysian Trumpet Snail
The red-rimmed melania, scientific name Melanoides tuberculata, is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, a parthenogenetic, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Thiaridae....
Melanoides tuberculata, and several neritina
Neritina
Neritina is a genus of small aquatic snails with an operculum, marine, brackish water, and sometimes freshwater gastropod mollusks in the family Neritidae, the nerites.Neritina is the type genus of the tribe Neritinini.- Species :...
species.
Parasitology
Freshwater snails are widely known to be hosts in the lifecycles of a variety of human and animal parasitesParasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
, particularly trematodes or "flukes". Some of these relations for prosobranch snails include Oncomelania
Oncomelania
Oncomelania is a genus of very small tropical freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.These Oncomelania snails are distantly related to the marine periwinkle, and more closely related to the small marine snails of the family Rissoidae.-Species:There are two species...
in the family Pomatiopsidae
Pomatiopsidae
Pomatiopsidae is a family of small mainly freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Rissooidea ....
as hosts of Schistosoma
Schistosoma
A genus of trematodes, Schistosoma, commonly known as blood-flukes and bilharzia, includes flatworms which are responsible for a highly significant parasitic infection of humans by causing the disease schistosomiasis, and are considered by the World Health Organization as the second most...
, and Bithynia, Parafossarulus
Parafossarulus
Parafossarulus is a genus of freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, an aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Bithyniidae.- Species :Species within the genus Parafossarulus include:...
and Amnicola
Amnicola
Amnicola is a genus of very small freshwater snails which have an operculum. Amnicola species are aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Amnicolidae according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda ....
as hosts of Opisthorchis
Opisthorchis
Opisthorchis is a genus of flukes in the family Opisthorchiidae.-Species:Species in the genus Opisthorchis include:* Opisthorchis felineus * Opisthorchis gomtii Mehra, 1941* Opisthorchis parasiluri Long & Lee...
. Thiara
Thiara
Thiara is the name of a Jat clan, found in the state of Punjab in India. They are part of the Jatt Sikh community.The clan is found in and around the Doaba and Malwa region of Indian Punjab. Their villages are found in the districts of Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar like Khanpur...
and Semisulcospira
Semisulcospira
Semisulcospira is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Semisulcospiridae.Species in the genus Semisulcospira are viviparous.- Species :Species withn the genus Semisulcospira include:...
may host Paragonimus
Paragonimus
Paragonimus is an important genus of flatworms, or platyhelminths, that includes Paragonimus westermani, an infectious lung fluke endemic to Asia....
, and Goniobasis (older term including Elimia
Elimia
Elimia is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae. Various species are found in creeks throughout much of the eastern and central United States and the Great Lakes region of Canada...
, Juga
Juga
For the municipality in Finland, see JuukaJuga is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Semisulcospiridae....
and other small high-spired pleurocerid snails) may host Nanophyetus salmincola
Nanophyetus salmincola
Nanophyetus salmincola may be the most common trematode endemic to the United States. In particular, the parasite is a food-borne intestinal trematode prevalent in the coast of the Pacific Northwest....
. Basommatophoran snails are even more widely infected, with many Biomphalaria
Biomphalaria
Biomphalaria is a genus of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails and their allies.Biomphalaria is the type genus of the tribe Biomphalariini....
(Planorbidae
Planorbidae
Planorbidae, common name the ramshorn snails or ram's horn snails, is a family of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks....
) serving as hosts for Schistosoma mansoni
Schistosoma mansoni
Schistosoma mansoni is a significant parasite of humans, a trematode that is one of the major agents of the disease schistosomiasis. The schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni is intestinal schistosomiasis....
, Fasciolopsis
Fasciolopsis
Fasciolopsis is a genus of trematodes. It consists only of two species, F. buski and F. Magna, of which, F. buski, is more notable in terms of prevalence and pathogenicity as it causes the disease fasciolopsiasis.-Fasciolopsis buski:...
and other parasitic groups. The tiny Bulinus
Bulinus
Bulinus is a genus of small tropical freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Planorbidae, the ramshorn snails and their allies....
snails are hosts for Schistosoma haematobium
Schistosoma haematobium
Schistosoma haematobium is an important digenetic trematode, and is found in the Middle East, India, Portugal and Africa. It is a major agent of schistosomiasis; more specifically, it is associated with urinary schistosomiasis....
. Lymnaeid snails (Lymnaeidae
Lymnaeidae
Lymnaeidae is a taxonomic family of small to large air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks, that belong to the clade Hygrophila....
) serve as hosts for Fasciola
Fasciola
Fasciola is a genus of trematodes which includes economically important parasite species. Members of genus Fasciola belongs to liver flukes. They causes the disease fasciolosis.- Species :*Fasciola hepatica*Fasciola gigantica...
and the cerceriae causing swimmer's itch
Swimmer's itch
Swimmer’s itch, also known as lake itch, duck itch, cercarial dermatitis, and Schistosome cercarial dermatitis, is a short-term, immune reaction occurring in the skin of humans that have been infected by water-borne schistosomatidae...
.
Further reading
- Haynes A. (2000). "The distribution of freshwater gastropods on four Vanuatu islands: Espiritu Santo, Pentecost, Éfate and Tanna (South Pacific)". Annales de Limnologie 36(2): 101-111. doi:10.1051/limn/2000006, PDF.
- Vermeij J. & Wesselingh F. P. (2002). "Neogastropod molluscs from the Miocene of western Amazonia, with comments on marine to freshwater transitions in molluscs". Journal of PaleontologyJournal of PaleontologyThe Journal of Paleontology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering the field of paleontology, published by The Paleontological Society.-Indexing:The Journal of Paleontogy is indexed in:*BIOSIS Previews*Science Citation Index...
76(2): 265-270. .