Bithynia tentaculata, a small freshwater gastropod in the family BithyniidaePomacea insularum, an apple snailPlanorbella 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.
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]
^Cite error: The named reference Strong 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^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.
^ abCite error: The named reference Strong 2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^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.
Freshwatersnails are gastropod mollusks that live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats...
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