Laevapex
Genus of gastropods
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laevapex is a genus of small, freshwater, air-breathing limpets, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails and their allies.[2]
| Laevapex | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Superorder: | Hygrophila |
| Family: | Planorbidae |
| Tribe: | Ancylini |
| Genus: | Laevapex Walker 1903[1] |
| Type species | |
| Ancylus fuscus C. B. Adams, 1841 | |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Geographic distribution
Anatomy
These animals have a pallial lung, as do all pulmonate snails, but they also have a false gill or "pseudobranch" which can serve perfectly well as a gill when they are unable to reach the surface for air.[3]
Members of this genus are characterised by their smooth apex.[3]
Species
Species within the genus Laevapex include:[1][2][4]
- Laevapex diaphanus Haldeman, 1841
- Laevapex fuscus C. B. Adams, 1841
- Laevapex peninsulae Pilsbry, 1903
- Laevapex vazi Santos, 1989
Walther (2008) considers North American Laevapex monotypic, collectively synonymising L. diaphanus, L. peninsulae and unidentified Laevapex sp. with L. fuscus, the type species.[3]
