Pleuroceridae
Encyclopedia
Pleuroceridae, common name pleurocerids, is a family
of small to medium-sized freshwater snail
s, aquatic
gilled gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea
.These snails have an operculum
and typically a robust high-spired shell.
Reproduction is iteroparous, and juvenile snails emerge from eggs laid on a firm surface by a gonochoristic female. There is no veliger stage.
:
by Strong & Köhler (2009).
Pleurocerinae
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of small to medium-sized freshwater snail
Freshwater snail
A freshwater snail is one kind of freshwater mollusc, the other kind being freshwater clams and mussels, i.e. freshwater bivalves. Specifically a freshwater snail is a gastropod that lives in a watery non-marine habitat. The majority of freshwater gastropods have a shell, with very few exceptions....
s, aquatic
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
gilled gastropod mollusks in the superfamily 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...
.These snails have an operculum
Operculum (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...
and typically a robust high-spired shell.
Reproduction is iteroparous, and juvenile snails emerge from eggs laid on a firm surface by a gonochoristic female. There is no veliger stage.
Distribution
As currently defined, this family is confined entirely to eastern North American fresh waters. Similar snails formerly classified with Pleuroceridae, but now assigned to other families are widespread in temperate and tropical parts of Southern and Eastern Asia, and Africa. Most require unpolluted rivers and streams, but a few are adapted to living in lakes or reservoirs.2005 taxonomy
The following two subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005)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...
:
- Pleurocerinae P. Fischer, 1885 - synonyms: Ceriphasiinae Gill, 1863; Strepomatidae Haldeman, 1864; Ellipstomatidae Hannibal, 1912; Gyrotominae Hannibal, 1912; Anaplocamidae Dall, 1921
- Semisulcospirinae Morrison, 1952 - synonym: Jugidae Starobogatov, Prozorova, Bogatov & Sayenko, 2004 (n.a.)
2009 taxonomy
Subfamily Semisulcospirinae within Pleuroceridae was elevated to family level SemisulcospiridaeSemisulcospiridae
Semisulcospiridae, common name semisulcospirids, is a family of freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks with an operculum, in the superfamily Cerithioidea....
by Strong & Köhler (2009).
Genera
Genera within the family Pleuroceridae are organized in the one subfamily only since 2009 and they include:Pleurocerinae
- PleuroceraPleuroceraPleurocera is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae. Pleurocera is the type genus of that family. All mambers of the genus Pleurocera are native to eastern North America. Most inhabit the larger rivers, but many also thrive in reservoirs...
- AthearniaAthearniaAthearnia is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae.-Species:Species within the genus Athearnia include:* Athearnia anthonyi* Athearnia crassa, the boulder snail...
- ElimiaElimiaElimia 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...
- GyrotomaGyrotoma† Gyrotoma is a genus of extinct freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae. This genus was endemic to the USA.All of the species within this genus are presumed extinct...
- Io Lea, 1831 - with the only species Io fluvialis (Say, 1825)
- LeptoxisLeptoxisLeptoxis is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae.Species within this genus inhabit rocky fast-flowing parts of unpolluted and unimpounded mid-sized rivers in the American mid South and the southern Midwest...
- LithasiaLithasiaLithasia is a genus of medium-sized freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae. This genus is endemic to rivers in the mid-southern United States.-Species:Species within the genus Lithasia include:...
Further reading
- Tryon G. W.George Washington TryonGeorge Washington Tryon, Jr. was an American malacologist who worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.- Biography :George Washington Tryon was the son of Edward K. Tryon and Adeline Savidt...
1865. Observations on the family Strepomatidae. American Journal of Conchology, 1(2): 97-135. - Tryon G. W. 1865. Synonymy of the species of Strepomatidae (melanians) of the United States; with critical observations on their affinities, and descriptions of land, fresh water and marine Mollusca. New York, Ballière Brothers, 520 Broadway, 100 pp., 2 plates.