Acroloxus

Teichnapfschnecke

Acroloxus is the eponymous genus of Acroloxidae family, small, air-breathing snails ( Pulmonata ) from the subordination of the water snails ( Basommatophora ) - Acroloxus. (Greek: " crooked tip " ) is not closely related to the river limpet Ancylus fluviatilis.

Features

The enclosures are small (less than 1 cm), cup-shaped and sculpted little. Usually only more or less clear growth lines are present. The skin is thin and translucent. The apex pointing to the left rear. The animals have in the mantle cavity of a protuberance of the jacket that works as a secondary gill. However, the oxygen uptake also takes place over the remaining surface of the soft body. The secondary gill and the Gender openings are located on the right side.

Habitat and occurrence

The types are prevalent in Europe, along with regionally in North America. Many occurrences appear to be limited in extent; only from Central to Eastern Europe spread Teichnapfschnecke has a slightly larger contiguous spread.

The snails live according to the type preferred in clear, standing or slow- flowing waters (lakes, ponds, pools, underground waters by source region ) on parts of plants, wood, stones, rocks, or in other mollusc shells.

System

The genus is currently divided into five types:

• Acroloxus coloradensis (Henderson, 1930); regionally in North America (Quebec, Ontario, Colorado)
• Acroloxus improvisus Polinski, 1929; Lake Ohrid (especially in somewhat greater depth in the area of ​​the shell zone)
• Acroloxus lacustris (Linnaeus, 1758), the European Teichnapfschnecke; UK, Central and parts of Eastern Europe Northern Europe Southern; locally and sporadically in other areas
• Acroloxus macedonicus Hadžišce, 1959; Lake Ohrid ( V.A. in the upper littoral zone )
• Acroloxus tetensi ( Kušcer, 1832); Slovenia ( caves and sources in the catchment area of the ljubljanica ); also possible occurrence in northern Italy