Galba neotropica
Species of gastropod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Galba neotropica is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
| Galba neotropica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Superorder: | Hygrophila |
| Family: | Lymnaeidae |
| Genus: | Galba |
| Species: | G. neotropica |
| Binomial name | |
| Galba neotropica (Bargues, Artigas, Mera y Sierra, Pointier & Mas-Coma, 2007)[1] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Lymnaea neotropica Bargues, Artigas, Mera y Sierra, Pointier & Mas-Coma, 2007 | |
This species was described as Lymnaea neotropica in 2007.[1] However, it belongs to the Galba genus,[1][3] therefore this species is named Galba neotropica. cf.[2][3][4]
Galba neotropica is the vector typically responsible for fascioliasis (liver fluke) livestock infection.[5]
Distribution
Description
The maximum length of the shell of this species is 10.36 mm.[5] Whorls are convex.[5] The columella is slightly curved and unfolded.[5]
An examination of tentacles, eyes and colour in living specimens has never been performed.[5]
In the radula, the first bilateral teeth are bicuspid but occasionally they are tricuspid or rarely quadricuspid.[5] The praeputium/penis sheath length ratio is 1.10–3.90 mm (mean 2.12–2.70 mm).[5]
Two species that have a similar morphology are Galba truncatula and Galba schirazensis.[5] Although several phenotypic characteristics are somewhat helpful for a preliminary specimen classification, a definitive classification of a specimen can only be obtained by the sequencing of at least one of the molecular markers used: ITS-2, ITS-1, 16S and cox1.[5]
Ecology
Galba neotropica is sometimes amphibious.[5] The habitat of Galba neotropica rarely[5] also includes artificial water bodies.[7]
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These snails hatch from eggs. The shape of the egg cluster is rounded to an oval when containing few eggs; when the clutch includes more eggs, it lengthens with a slight curving trend.[5] There are about 4–16 eggs in each cluster.[5]
Parasites of Galba neotropica include:
- Fasciola hepatica.[6] The transmission capacity of Fasciola hepatica to humans is low, however, the transmission capacity of Fasciola hepatica to animals is high.[5]