Menetus dilatatus facts for kids
Menetus dilatatus is a tiny freshwater snail. It's a type of mollusk that breathes air, just like you! These snails are part of a family called Planorbidae, which are often known as "ram's horn snails" because of how some of their shells look.
Quick facts for kids Menetus dilatatus |
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| Conservation status | |
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NE
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Superfamily: |
Planorboidea
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| Family: |
Planorbidae
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| Subfamily: |
Bulininae
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| Genus: |
Menetus
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| Subgenus: |
Micromenetus
F. C. Baker, 1945
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| Species: |
M. dilatatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Menetus dilatatus (Gould, 1841)
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| Synonyms | |
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All About Its Shell
The shell of Menetus dilatatus is quite small. It has a yellowish-green color. You might see tiny wrinkles on its surface from how it grew.
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is flat. It has about 2.5 to 3 turns, known as whorls. These turns are clearly separated by a line called a suture.
The outer whorl has a sharp edge. This edge changes near the opening of the shell, called the aperture. Below this edge, the whorl is very round. It forms a small, deep hole called an umbilicus.
This outer whorl gets bigger quickly. It ends in a large opening that looks a bit like a trumpet. The shell is usually 2 to 3 millimeters wide. It is about 0.9 millimeters tall.
Where Does This Snail Live?
This snail originally comes from North America. It was first found on Nantucket island and in Hingham, Massachusetts, in the USA.
Over time, Menetus dilatatus has spread to other places. You can now find it in:
- Czech Republic, especially around the Elbe River
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Great Britain
Where Does It Like to Live?
Menetus dilatatus lives in freshwater environments. This means you can find it in places like ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers.
