Potamopyrgus

Potamopyrgus is a genus of minute freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs in the family Tateidae.

Description

Stimpson (1865) described the genus as follows: “Shell ovate-conic, imperforate; apex acute; whorls coronated with spines; outer whorl nearly two-thirds the length of the shell; aperture ovate, outer lip acute. Operculum corneous, subspiral. Foot rather short for the length of the shell, broadest in front and strongly auriculated. Tentacles very long, slender, and tapering. Eyes on very prominent tubercles. Rostrum of moderate size.”

Distribution

This genus is endemic to New Zealand and south eastern Australia.

However, one species within this genus, P. antipodarum, has been accidentally introduced in many countries worldwide, especially in Europe and North America, and has become a problematic invasive species.

Species

Species within the genus Potamopyrgus include:

• Potamopyrgus acus <small>Haase, 2008</small>
• Potamopyrgus alexenkoae <small>Anistratenko in Anistratenko & Stadnichenko, 1995</small>
• Potamopyrgus antipodarum <small>J. E. Gray, 1843</small> - (syn. Potamopyrgus jenkinsi)
• Potamopyrgus ciliatus <small>(Gould, 1850)</small>
• Potamopyrgus corolla <small>(Gould 1852)</small> (Type species)
• Potamopyrgus dawbini <small>Powell, 1955</small>
• Potamopyrgus doci <small>Haase, 2008</small>
• Potamopyrgus estuarinus <small>Winterbourn, 1970</small>
• Potamopyrgus kaitunaparaoa <small>Haase, 2008</small>
• Potamopyrgus melvilli <small>Hedley, 1916</small>
• Potamopyrgus oppidanus <small>Haase, 2008</small>
• Potamopyrgus oscitans <small>Iredale, 1944</small>
• Potamopyrgus polistchuki <small>Anistratenko, 1991</small>
• Potamopyrgus pupoides <small>Hutton, 1882</small>
• Potamopyrgus troglodytes <small>Climo, 1974</small>

Species brought into synonymy:

• Potamopyrgus amazonicus <small>Haas, 1949</small>: synonym of Dyris amazonicus <small>(Haas, 1949)</small>
• Potamopyrgus brevior <small>Ancey, 1905</small>: synonym of Fluviopupa brevior <small>(Ancey, 1905)</small>
• Potamopyrgus cresswelli <small>Climo, F. M., 1974</small>: synonym of Rakiurapyrgus cresswelli <small>(Climo, 1974)</small>
• Potamopyrgus gardneri <small>Climo, 1974</small>: synonym of Rakipyrgus gardneri <small>(Climo, 1974)</small>
• Potamopyrgus jenkinsi <small>E. A. Smith, 1889</small>: synonym of Potamopyrgus antipodarum <small>J.E. Gray, 1843</small>
• Potamopyrgus manneringi <small>Climo, 1974</small>: synonym of Leptopyrgus manneringi <small>(Climo, 1974)</small>
• Potamopyrgus ruppiae <small>Hedley, 1912</small>: synonym of Ascorhis victoriae <small>Tenison-Woods, 1878</small>
• Potamopyrgus subterraneus <small>Suter, 1905</small>: synonym of Tongapyrgus subterraneus <small>(Suter, 1905)</small>

References

• Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979

Criscione, F. and W.F. Ponder. 2013. A phylogenetic analysis of rissooidean and cingulopsoidea families (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66(3):1075-1082.

• Stimson, W. 1865. Diagnoses of newly discovered genera of Gasteropods, belonging to the sub-fam. Hydrobiinae, of the family Rissoidae. American Journal of Conchology 1:52-54.
• Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp

Winterbourn, M. 1970. The New Zealand species of Potamopyrgus (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae). Malacalogia 10(2):283-321