Pyrgulopsis avernalis
Encyclopedia
The Moapa pebblesnail, scientific name Pyrgulopsis avernalis, is a species
of small freshwater snail
with an operculum
, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family
Hydrobiidae
. It is endemic to the United States
. This species natural habitat
is river
s, and it is currently threatened by habitat loss.
The common name is based on the name of the Moapa Valley, Nevada
.
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 small freshwater snail
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...
with 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...
, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family
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...
Hydrobiidae
Hydrobiidae
Hydrobiidae, 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 :...
. It is endemic to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This species natural 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...
is river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, and it is currently threatened by habitat loss.
The common name is based on the name of the Moapa Valley, Nevada
Moapa Valley, Nevada
Moapa Valley is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The valley in which the community lies, also named Moapa Valley, is about long and lies roughly northwest to southeast.-Geography:...
.