Mexipyrgus
Genus of gastropods
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mexipyrgus is a monotypic genus of very small freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Cochliopidae.[2]
| Mexipyrgus | |
|---|---|
| |
| A series of shells of Mexipyrgus carranzae, showing variation in size, shell sculpture, and color | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Cochliopidae |
| Genus: | Mexipyrgus Taylor, 1966 |
| Species: | M. carranzae |
| Binomial name | |
| Mexipyrgus carranzae Taylor, 1966 | |
| Synonyms | |
Distribution
This genus is endemic to Cuatro Ciénegas valley, in Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico.[3]
Ecology
Mexipyrgus is generally found only in soft sediment.[4]
Water lily Nymphaea ampla is the most common aquatic macrophyte in abundance in its habitats.[4] According to the isotope analysis by Chaves-Campos et al. (2012)[4] it is probable that Mexipyrgus churinceanus feed on water lily Nymphaea ampla organic matter metabolized by sediment bacteria.[4]
Predators include the specialized snail-eating (molluscivorous) cichlid fish Herichthys minckleyi.[5]
