Brune's tryonia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brune's tryonia |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): |
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda clade Littorinimorpha |
| Superfamily: |
Rissooidea
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| Family: |
Hydrobiidae
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| Genus: |
Tryonia
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| Species: |
T. brunei
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| Binomial name | |
| Tryonia brunei Taylor, 1987
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The Brune's tryonia (scientific name: Tryonia brunei) is a very tiny freshwater snail. It is also known as the Brune's springsnail. This small creature is a type of aquatic gastropod mollusk. It belongs to the Hydrobiidae family.
Like many snails, it has a gill to breathe underwater. It also has an operculum. This is like a little trapdoor. It helps the snail close its shell for protection.
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What is Brune's Tryonia?
The Brune's tryonia is a unique snail. It is a species that is endemic to the United States. This means it is found only in one specific area. For this snail, that area is Texas.
Where Did It Live?
This special snail lived in certain water bodies in Texas. It was found in places like Phantom Lake. It also lived near Balmorhea Lake. These areas are in Texas. The snail preferred to live on firm ground or mud.
Why is it Endangered?
The Brune's tryonia is in big trouble. It is listed as Critically Endangered. This means it is at very high risk of becoming extinct. Some experts even think it might already be extinct. The snail was last seen in 1993. Its home area is very small, less than 100 square kilometers.
What Happened to Its Home?
The snail's natural home faced many challenges. In 1946, its habitat was changed. It was "impounded," meaning water was collected and held back. Since the 1970s, the snail's home has been threatened. This is due to long periods of drought. Also, too much water was taken out for other uses. This is called "water abstraction."
To help, a pump was put in place. It was meant to keep the water level steady. However, no one knows if this helped the snails.
When Was It Last Seen?
The last time anyone saw a Brune's tryonia was in 1993. Since then, many searches have been done. Sadly, no more of these snails have been found. Because of this, many publications list it as possibly extinct. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service also listed it as Endangered in 1991. They noted that its population size was unknown. NatureServe also lists it as G1. This means it is critically imperiled.
Scientific Discoveries About the Snail
In 1987, some research suggested the snail was also in New Mexico. But there is no recent information about this. In 2014, new research was published. It suggested moving the snail to a different group, the Juturnia genus. This research also said the snail had been extinct since 1984. However, big organizations like the IUCN have not changed their information yet.
