>Dear anyone;-
>    I recently added a "Ramshorn" Snail to my freshwater aquarium.
>Can someone tell me the proper name for the beast?
>     Art
>
>PLEASE NOTE: My new, long-term, and correct email address is:
>[log in to unmask] Please update your records!

It's probably a Planorbella sp. member of Planorbidae (which are all
sinistral, though the discoidal spp are hyperstrophic, making them
LOOK superficially dextral).

Helisoma is also used for these snails, and I'm unsure whatthe story
is here... anyone know?

In Ohio (where Art resides), the aquarium Ramshorn is usually either
Planorbella trivolvis (Say, 1817) (which, while native to the area,
probably came from somewhere else) or the exotic Marisa cornuarietis
(Linneaus, 1758). Trivolvis is a smallish, brown snail (maybe to 3/4 inch)
whereas Marisa is large (1.5-2 inches), usually boldly striped. Marisa is
actually an atypical ampullariid. Trivolvis usually ends up in your
aquarium from purchasing aquatic plants - most shops don't sell trivolvis.
Marisa is usually sold as an aquarium specimen. Albino Marisa are popular
and are golden in color. Marisa is from Central and South America.

Marisa is a very low-spired and attractive snail (common in a river
in Fort Myers); it is transitional between the "normal" orthostrophic
Ampullaria and the hyperstrophic Lanistes (ALL ampullariids are
dextral!).

>The common name of Marisa cornuarietis is Giant rams-horn while that of

I thought that was Planorbis corneus!

--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<[log in to unmask]>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
________________________________
I want your sinistral gastropods!
________________________________
Opinions in this e-mail are my own, not those of my institution
_______________________________________________
A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
Q: Why is top posting frowned upon?