Superfamily Lymnaeoidea Family Lymnaeidae Genus Erinna Genus Galba Genus Lymnaea Genus Radix Genus StagnicolaAbout 100 species are in this family.They have triangular tentacles which have a lot of bloodveins,these can get oxygen from the water.The snails have to go to the watersurface to get a fresh supply of oxygen.The animals are hermaphrodotic.
Galba truncatula(Müller,1774) Shell cone shaped,lightbrown sometimes yellow-green,9mm high and 5mm wide. There are up to 5,5 whorls. The eggs are laid all year round except in the warmest and coldest months. Depending on the weather they hatch after 12-15 or 20-40 days. The snails feed on living and dead plants and algae.They often live in damp conditions rather than in the water.The animals can stand freezing conditions or drying out.They live for about a year. In Europe,North-Africa,western- and northern Asia and Alaska.
Lymnaea stagnalis(Linnaeus,1758)Great Pond Snail The shell is yellow-brown or greenish and can grow up to 70mm high and 33mm wide. It is elongate-ovoid and has up to 8 whorls. The body is dark-grey with yellow spots.Eggs are laid from they of April till the beginning of October and hatch after ten days.Snails can reproduce when they are 3 months and can live for 6 years. They feed on algae,plants,other snails and insects in quiet sweet or saltish water. In Europe.
Lymnaea stagnalis mating
Myxas glutinosa(Müller,1774) Shell is convex,light yellow and 15mm high with a width of 13mm.The body of the animal is light-grey or yellow with yellow spots. The snails feed on pollen,plants and the biofilm on the surface. They live for one year in water with a rich vegetation. In Europe to Northwest Asia.
Lymnaea palustris(Müller,1774)Marsh Snail These snails have an elongate ovoid shell with a pointed spire. It has 6 whorls and a dark brown to deep greenish grey color,20-35 mm in height and 10-18 mm in width. The snail lives in stagnant water with plenty of vegetation.In Europe,North-Africa, North-America and northern Asia.
Lymnaea catascopium(Say) Very similar to L.palustris,but heavier and the color is lighter. 14-20 mm in height.The shell surface has coarse spiral striae. In North-Amaerica,South to Maryland and west to Iowa.
Radix peregra(Müller,1774) Snails with an ovoid shell,which has a pointed spire and 4-5 whorls. The height is 11-22 mm and the width 6-12 mm.It has a light to dark yellowish brown coloring. The snail lives in small bodies of water like bogs,springs and pools. In the Alps it can live up to 2800 metres.In Europe,North-Africa, northern Asia. This is a very variable species with many subspecies.
Radix auricularia(Linnaeus,1758) The shell is light or dark-brown,a little bit reddish,35mm high and 20mm wide. The animal is yellow with black spots.They feed on algae,plants and carrion in quiet water with a rich vegetation. In Europe and North-Asia.
Radix ovata(Draparnaud,1805) The shell is light or dark-brown,sometimes a little bit greenish,31mm high and 20mm wide. The animal is grey with yellow spots. The eggs are laid from the end of April till September.But in warm water reproduction is year-round.The animals live for 3-4 months. Snails which hibernate usually live for 9-15 months. They feed on algae and plants in sweet or brackish canals,rivers or lakes. In Europe to western- and northern Asia.
Stagnicola palustris(Müller,1774) Shell cone-shaped with up to 6 whorls,light to dark brown,the mouth has a reddish- brown band on the inside.Height 20 mm x width 8,5 mm. The animal is grey with yellow spots.They feed on plants and carrion in calm sweet or brackish water,or in muddy places on banks. In Europe,North-West Africa and Asia.
Stagnicola caperata(Say,1829)
In northern North-America.
Stagnicola elodes(Say,1821)
In North-America.
Stagnicola emarginata(Say,1832)
In eastern Canada and northeastern North-America.
Stagnicola montanensis(Baker,1913)
In northern North-America.
Stagnicola pictures courtesy of Martin Kohl. back to main page