Thickshell pondsnail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thickshell pondsnail |
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| Drawing of apertural view of the shell of Stagnicola utahensis. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Superfamily: |
Lymnaeoidea
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| Family: |
Lymnaeidae
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| Subfamily: |
Lymnaeinae
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| Genus: |
Stagnicola
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| Species: |
S. utahensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Stagnicola utahensis (Call, 1884)
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| Synonyms | |
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Radix ampla var. utahensis Call, 1884 |
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The thickshell pondsnail (Stagnicola utahensis) was a special type of freshwater snail. It breathed air, just like us! This snail was found only in Utah Lake in the United States. Sadly, the last living thickshell pondsnails were seen in the 1930s. This means they are now considered extinct.
Contents
What the Thickshell Pondsnail Looked Like
Its Unique Shell
The thickshell pondsnail had a round, somewhat open shell. Its shell was light horn in color and almost clear. It had a small, cone-shaped top part called the spire.
The shell had about 4 to 4 and a half whorls, which are the turns of the shell. These whorls grew quickly in size. The last whorl was puffy and had many small wrinkles. The lines between the whorls, called the suture, were quite deep.
The Shell's Opening
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, was shaped like a long oval. It was shiny white inside. The outer edge of the opening was simple. The central pillar of the shell, called the columella, was a bit twisted.
Shell Size Details
The average width of the thickshell pondsnail's shell was about 7.10 millimeters (about a quarter of an inch). The average height was about 13.40 millimeters (a little over half an inch). The biggest shell found was 8.88 millimeters wide and 16.82 millimeters high. The opening of the shell was about 5.90 millimeters wide and 9.00 millimeters high.
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Drawing of the top view of the shell
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Drawing of the side view of the shell
Where the Snail Lived
The thickshell pondsnail was found only in North America, specifically in Utah Lake. The first snails of this type were found near Lehi, Utah.
Even in the 1880s, this snail was already considered "rare" in Utah Lake. The very last living snails were seen in the early 1930s.
Its Lake Neighbors
The thickshell pondsnail lived alongside many other snails and clams in Utah Lake. These included the Utah roundmouth snail (Valvata utahensis), Fluminicola fusca, and a type of clam called Sphaerium dentatum.
See also
In Spanish: Stagnicola utahensis para niños
