Afropomus

Afropomus
A drawing of an apertural view of the shell of Afropomus balanoideus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Architaenioglossa
Family: Ampullariidae
Subfamily: Ampullariinae
Genus: Afropomus
Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927[3]
Species:
A. balanoideus
Binomial name
Afropomus balanoideus
(Gould, 1850)[2]
Synonyms
  • Ampullaria balanoidea Gould, 1850
  • Afropomus balanoidea (Gould, 1850)

Afropomus balanoideus is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Ampullariidae (apple snails). It is the only species in the genus Afropomus.[4][5] Afropomus is the type genus of the subfamily Afropominae.[6]

Based on the anatomy, mainly that of the reproductive system, Afropomus appears to be a primitive genus within the Ampullariidae.[4] This basal position of Afropomus within Ampullariidae has also been confirmed by molecular phylogeny.[7]

Subspecies

Subspecies of Afropomus balanoideus include:

  • Afropomus balanoideus balanoideus (Gould, 1850)
  • Afropomus balanoideus nimbae Binder, 1963[4] This subspecies from the Ivory Coast and Senegal has a higher spire.

Distribution

The distribution of Afropomus balanoideus includes:

The type locality is Cape Mount in Liberia.[4]

Its presence in Ghana is uncertain.[1]

Description

The shape of the shell is ovate.[4]

The width of the shell is 20 mm.[4][8] The height of the shell is 22–23 mm.[4][8]

Ecology

Afropomus balanoideus lives in clean water in ditches, creeks and small rivers.[1][4] It requires a high concentration of oxygen.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Van Damme, D. (2020). "Afropomus balanoidea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T165386A151133502. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T165386A151133502.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ Gould A. A. (1850). "Dr. Gould exhibited to the Society a number of new species of shells from Africa, recently presented by Dr. Perkins". Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History III: 193-197. pages 196-197.
  3. ^ Pilsbry H. A. & Bequaert J. C. (1927). "The aquatic mollusks of the Belgian Congo, with a geographical and ecological account of Congo malacology". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 53(2): 69-602. PDF. page 171.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Brown D. S. (1994). Freshwater Snails of Africa and their Medical Importance. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-7484-0026-5.
  5. ^ Bieler R, Bouchet P, Gofas S, Marshall B, Rosenberg G, La Perna R, Neubauer TA, Sartori AF, Schneider S, Vos C, ter Poorten JJ, Taylor J, Dijkstra H, Finn J, Bank R, Neubert E, Moretzsohn F, Faber M, Houart R, Picton B, Garcia-Alvarez O, eds. (2026). "Afropomus Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927". MolluscaBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  6. ^ Bouchet, Philippe; Rocroi, Jean-Pierre; Frýda, Jiri; Hausdorf, Bernard; Ponder, Winston; Valdés, Ángel & Warén, Anders (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia. 47 (1–2). Hackenheim, Germany: ConchBooks: 1–397. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997.
  7. ^ Jørgensen A., Kristensen T. K. & Madsen H. (2008). "A molecular phylogeny of apple snails (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Ampullariidae) with an emphasis on African species". Zoologica Scripta 37(3): 245-252. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2007.00322.x.
  8. ^ a b Morelet A. (1851). "En outre des coquilles ...". Journal de Conchyliologie 2: page 266-269, plate 7, figure 8.
  • Cowie, R. & Héros, V., 2012. - Annotated catalogue of the types of Ampullariidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, with lectotype designations.. Zoosystema 34(4): 793-824