#malacology
ROTUND MYSTERYSNAIL
(Viviparus intertextus)
Poppe, G & P.2015.
Tyler County, Texas
The rotund mysterysnail. It’s rotund. It’s unequivocally a snail. But what could possibly be so mysterious to warrant the name ‘mysterysnail’? What are you hiding, Viviparus intertextus? Most species of the family Viviparidae lack common names, unlike the rotund mysterysnail and (lest we forget) globose mysterysnail. The origin of ‘mysterysnail’ (and seemingly most viviparid vernaculars) appears to trace back to when these snails found their way into aquaria. As indicated by the taxonomic titles, viviparid snails are ovoviviparous and allow internal gestation of hatched young. Though unusual among gastropods, this reproductive strategy provides offspring with the additional time to develop shells before birth. The first aquarists to introduce these species to their aquariums apparently had no clue, as according to Minnesota DNR, the name was coined after miniature but strangely mature snails kept ‘mysteriously’ appearing.
Interestingly, viviparids share their ‘mystery’ with some ampullariid snails like Pomacea bridgesii. Several of these species are popular among aquarists and are commonly known as mystery snails, among other names. But the name doesn’t appear to have any relation to reproduction. Anecdotally, these ampullariids were a mystery simply because nobody knew what they actually were.
Mystery solved.
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Beautiful fractal grooves on the shell of the Anatolian door snail, Albinaria anatolica.
Image reproduced for non-commercial purposes.
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