Pseudosuccinea columella
Encyclopedia
Pseudosuccinea columella, common name
the "American ribbed fluke snail", is a species
of air-breathing freshwater snail
, an aquatic
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
This snail is an intermediate host for Fasciola hepatica
, the liver fluke
, a parasite of livestock
, especially sheep.
. However, this snail has been introduced to Australia
and Europe
.
The type locality is unknown, but is somewhere in the Philadelphia area, USA.
Indigenous distribution of Pseudosuccinea columella include from New Brunswick
and south Manitoba
throughout eastern USA to Central and South America.
Non-indigenous distribution of Pseudosuccinea columella include:
Europe:
, which belong to different family.
The shell
of Pseudosuccinea columella is horny brown, thin, translucent, fragile and very finely striated. The upper whorls are peaky. The shell has 3.5-4 weakly convex whorls
with shallow suture. The last whorl is predominating. The aperture
is ovate. The upper palatal margin is descending steeply. The columellar margin is reflected only at its upper section. The lower columellar margin sharp and straight.
The width of the shell is 8–13 mm. The height of the shell is 15–20 mm.
The animal is dusky with whitish spots. Eyes are small and black, located at the inner base of the tentacles.
Haploid number of chromosomes is 18 (n=18).
In Europe predominantly in greenhouse
s, sometimes also outside (Austria, Hungary). It needs warm waters and does not survive central European winter temperatures. It is also found outside the water on floating leaves of aquatic plants, in northern Greece in a spring near a road.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
the "American ribbed fluke snail", is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of air-breathing 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....
, an 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...
pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
This snail is an intermediate host for Fasciola hepatica
Fasciola hepatica
Fasciola hepatica, also known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke, is a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes that infects the livers of various mammals, including humans. The disease caused by the fluke is called fascioliasis . F...
, the liver fluke
Liver fluke
Liver flukes are a polyphyletic group of trematodes .Adults of liver flukes are localized in the liver of various mammals, including humans. These flatworms can occur in bile ducts, gallbladder, and liver parenchyma. They feed on blood...
, a parasite of livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, especially sheep.
Distribution
Pseudosuccinea columella is native to North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. However, this snail has been introduced to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The type locality is unknown, but is somewhere in the Philadelphia area, USA.
Indigenous distribution of Pseudosuccinea columella include from New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and south Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
throughout eastern USA to Central and South America.
Non-indigenous distribution of Pseudosuccinea columella include:
- western USA (distribution map in the USA)
- Puerto Rico
- Venezuela
- Brazil: Rio Grande do SulRio Grande do SulRio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
- Argentina
- Australia
- South Africa - since 1942
- other countries in Africa
- Pacific islands
Europe:
- Switzerland (BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
) - Austria (VillachVillachVillach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
) - Hungary
- Greece (Nómos Florina)
- Menorca (belongs to the Spain)
- France - in the wild
- Czech Republic as a "hothouse alien"
- Latvia as a "hothouse alien"
Description
The shell is very similar to shells of SuccineaSuccinea
Succinea, common name amber snails, is a genus of small, air-breathing, land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Succineidae.They usually live in damp habitats such as marshes.-Species:...
, which belong to different family.
The 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...
of Pseudosuccinea columella is horny brown, thin, translucent, fragile and very finely striated. The upper whorls are peaky. The shell has 3.5-4 weakly convex whorls
Whorl (mollusc)
A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the...
with shallow suture. The last whorl is predominating. The aperture
Aperture (mollusc)
The aperture is an opening in certain kinds of mollusc shells: it is the main opening of the shell, where part of the body of the animal emerges for locomotion, feeding, etc....
is ovate. The upper palatal margin is descending steeply. The columellar margin is reflected only at its upper section. The lower columellar margin sharp and straight.
The width of the shell is 8–13 mm. The height of the shell is 15–20 mm.
The animal is dusky with whitish spots. Eyes are small and black, located at the inner base of the tentacles.
Haploid number of chromosomes is 18 (n=18).
Habitat
In northern America Pseudosuccinea columella lives in stagnant waters, at the edges of lakes, ponds, muddy and sluggish streams, among lily pads and reeds on sticks and mud.In Europe predominantly in greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s, sometimes also outside (Austria, Hungary). It needs warm waters and does not survive central European winter temperatures. It is also found outside the water on floating leaves of aquatic plants, in northern Greece in a spring near a road.
Parasites
Parasites of Pseudosuccinea columella include:- In North America, Pseudosuccinea columella is major intermediate host of Fasciola hepaticaFasciola hepaticaFasciola hepatica, also known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke, is a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes that infects the livers of various mammals, including humans. The disease caused by the fluke is called fascioliasis . F...
. - The species also serve as a snail host for Fascioloides magnaFascioloides magnaFascioloides magna, also known as giant liver fluke, large American liver fluke or deer fluke, is an important parasite of a variety of wild and domestic ruminants in North America and Europe. Adult flukes occur in the liver of the definitive host and feed on blood...
. - cercariae of Telorchis sp.