| Ampullariidae Apple snail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Spike-topped apple snail Pomacea bridgesii | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Architaenioglossa |
| Superfamily: | Ampullarioidea |
| Family: | Ampullariidae J. E. Gray, 1824[2] |
| Diversity[1][3] | |
| 105–170 species | |
| Synonyms | |
Pilidae Preston, 1915 | |
Ampullariidae (commonly known asapple snails), is afamily of largefreshwater snails that includes themystery snail species. They present anoperculum and simultaneously have a gill and alung asrespiratory structures, which are separated by a division of themantle cavity. This adaptation allows these animals to beamphibious. Species in this family are consideredgonochoristic, meaning that each individual is either male or female.
Ampullariidae belongs to the superfamilyAmpullarioidea and is also itstype family.[4] According to the current classification accepted byWoRMS, it comprises two well-established subfamilies:Ampullariinae (5 genera) andPomaceinae (4 genera). The six extinct genera of Ampullariidae still have an undefined position within the family (Ampullariidaeincertae sedis, meaning "of uncertain placement") as of 2026.[5] Thesister group of Ampullariidae has not yet been clearly identified as of 2009.[1]
The followingcladogram proposed by Jørgensen and colleagues in 2008 showsphylogenic relations of 6 genera belonging to Ampullariidae:[6]
The following are the nine extant genera and 6 extinct genera (marked with a dagger †) of Ampullariidae:[1]
Genera brought into synonymy
Ampullariidae are probably ofGondwanan origin, and thediversification of Ampullariidae probably started after the separation of theAfrican andSouth Americancontinental plates. The generaAsolene,Felipponea,Marisa, andPomacea areNew World genera that are native to South America, Central America, the West Indies and the Southern United States. The generaAfropomus,Lanistes, andSaulea are found in Africa. The genusPila is native to both Africa and Asia.[1]
Apple snails are exceptionally well adapted totropical regions characterized by periods of drought alternating with periods of high rainfall. This adaptation is reflected in their life style; they are moderately amphibious.[7] They have anoperculum which enables the snail to seal the shell entrance to prevent drying out while they are buried in the mud during dry periods.[8]
One of the more typical adaptations of apple snails is branchialrespiration. The snail has a system comparable to thegills of a fish (at the right side of the snail body) to breathe under water as well as alung (at the left side of the body) to respire air. This lung/gill combination expands the action radius of the snail in search for food.[9] Many species in this family arefilter feeders that use a specialized mucus net to trapphytoplankton and detritus from the water column, consuming the particles suspended in the water.
Several apple snail genera (Pomacea,Pila andAsolene/Pomella) depositeggs above the waterline incalcareous clutches that can be recognized by their light pink color.[10] This strategy protects the eggs againstpredation by fish and other aquatic inhabitants. Another anti-predator adaptation in the apple snail generaPomacea andPila is the tubularsiphon, used to breathe air while submerged, reducing vulnerability to attacking birds.The apple snail's usual enemies are the birdslimpkin andsnail kite.[11]
Apple snails inhabit variousecosystems: ponds, swamps and rivers. Although they occasionally leave the water, they spend most of their time under water. Unlike thepulmonate snail families, apple snails are nothermaphroditic, butgonochoristic; i.e. they have separate sexes.[12]
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Apple snails are popularaquarium pets because of their attractive appearance and size.[citation needed] When properly cared for,[clarification needed] some apple snail species can reach 15 cm (5.9 in) diameter.[citation needed] Apple snails include species that are the biggest living freshwater snails on Earth.
The most common apple snail in aquarium shops[citation needed] arePomacea bridgesii andPomacea diffusa, (both calledmystery snails orspike-topped apple snails, among other things). These species come in different colours from brown to albino or yellow and even blue, purple, pink, and jade, with or without banding. Another common apple snail isPomacea canaliculata; this snail is bigger, rounder and is more likely to eat aquatic plants, which makes it less suitable for most aquaria.[citation needed] This species can also have different shell and body colours. The "giant ramshorn snail" (Marisa cornuarietis) although not always recognized as an apple snail due to its discoidal shape, is also a popular aquatic pet.[citation needed] Occasionally, theFlorida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) is found in the aquarium trade and these are often collected in the wild from ditches and ponds in Florida.[citation needed] The giantPomacea maculata is rarely used as an aquarium species.[citation needed]
Apple snails are often sold under the name "golden (ivory, blue, black...) mystery snail" and they are given incorrect names likeAmpullarius for the genus instead ofPomacea and wrong species names likegigas instead ofmaculata.[citation needed]
The optimal aquarium water temperature for apple snails is between 18 and 28 °C (64 and 82 °F).[citation needed] Apple snails are more active and lively in the higher part of this temperature range. In these higher temperatures, the snails tend to eat, crawl and grow faster.[citation needed] At the lower end of the temperature range, 18 °C or 64 °F, the snails may become inactive.[citation needed]
In the 1980s,Pomacea canaliculata was introduced inTaiwan to start anescargot industry.[13] It was thought that such food culture could provide valuableproteins for farmers, who primarily live on a rice diet. However, the snails did not become a culinary success. Additionally, the imported snails (like the native apple snail population,Pila) were able to transfer a parasite calledAngiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm). This parasite can infect humans if snails are eaten that have not been thoroughly cooked first.
Instead of becoming a valuable food source, the introduced snails escaped and became a serious threat to rice production and the native ecosystems. During the 1980s the introduced snails rapidly spread toIndonesia,Thailand,Cambodia,[14]Hong Kong, southernChina,Japan and thePhilippines.
Hawaii experienced the same introduction ofPomacea for culinary purposes, and itstaro industry is now suffering because of it.
GeneraMarisa,Pila andPomacea (exceptPomacea diffusa and nativePomacea paludosa) are already established in the US, and are considered to represent a potentially serious threat as apest which could negatively affect agriculture, human health or commerce. Therefore, it has been suggested that these genera be given top nationalquarantine significance in the US.[15]
Nevertheless, apple snails are considered a delicacy in several regions of the world, and they are often sold in East and Pacific Asian markets for consumption.
Pomacea andMarisa species have been introduced to Africa and Asia in an attempt to control other medically problematic snails in the family Planorbidae:Bulinus species andBiomphalaria species, which serve as intermediate hosts fortrematodaparasites.[16] These parasites can causeswimmers itch andschistosomiasis, a disease that affects over 200 million people in tropical regions. One of the species introduced as bio-agent isMarisa cornuarietis; this snail competes with other snails and also directly preys on other species.[citation needed]
InVeracruz,Mexico, there is a subspecies of apple snail known asPomacea patula catemacensis Baker, 1922. This subspecies is endemic toLake Catemaco.[17] This large snail is locally known as "tegogolo" and is prized as a nutritious food item, with approximately 12 grams of protein per 100 grams of apple snail flesh according to theapple snail nutritional information. They are also low in fat and high in minerals and are considered anaphrodisiac. Only wild or specifically cultured apple snails are fit for human consumption; those found in domestic aquaria may be unsuitable.[citation needed]
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