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 Major Groups | Gastropoda (snails) | Hypsogastropoda (snails)
 

Hypsogastropoda

Major Group: Gastropoda
Order: Hypsogastropoda (formerly Neotaeniglossa)

Descriptive Features:

  • operculum present
  • operculum with spiral nucleus or central concentric nucleus
  • shell 4 whorls (all?) , coiled, dextral, conical flattened or elongate, smooth or with sculpture
  • spire elevated, usually coming to a point
  • mantle edge smooth, weakly digitate or papillate
  • eyes typically on bulges at outer sides of tentacle bases
  • Total length: small, (all?) up to 8mm

    • Taxonomic Checklist:

    Families

    Assimineidae
    Bithyniidae
    Pomatiopsidae
    Tateidae
     

    Distribution: all states 

    Sensitivity Rating: SIGNAL grade 1 - 4

    Functional Feeding Group: scrapers

    Ecology: Instream habitat: Hypsogastropoda species occur in fresh, brackish or saline inland waters and estuarine or other coastal habitats. Habitats may include seepages, backwaters of rivers, billabongs, alpine streams, isolated arid zone springs and splash zones of tropical waterfalls. They are found under or on rocks, under tree roots and amongst vegetation or detritus.
    Feeding ecology: Hypsogastropoda snails are generally grazers of periphyton and bacteria, but also detritus feeders.
    Habit:
    Life history: Little is known of the biology across this order of snails. The sexes of some Hypsogastropoda species may be separate and egg capsules laid or adults may be parthenogenic brooders. Reproduction may be seasonal or continuous through the year. It is probable that the life history is temperature dependant.
     
     
    Information Sources: Ponder 2001, 2013, Smith 1996, Beesley 2008, various references on family pages 
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