Pila scutata

Pila scutata is a species of gastropod belonging to the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. ^{[1] [2]}

Pila scutata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Architaenioglossa
Family:	Ampullariidae
Genus:	Pila
Species:	P. scutata
Binomial name
Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848)
Synonyms[1]
Ampullaria borneensis R. A. Philippi, 185 Ampullaria compacta Reeve, 1856 junior subjective synonym Ampullaria conica W. Wood, 1828 (invalid: junior homonym of Ampullaria conica Lamarck, 1804) Ampullaria conica var. expansa G. Nevill, 1877 Ampullaria javanica Reeve, 1856 Ampullaria orientalis R. A. Philippi, 1849 Ampullaria perakensis de Morgan, 1886 Ampullaria scutata Mousson, 1848 (original name) Ampullaria stoliczkana G. Nevill, 1877 Ampullaria wellesleyensis de Morgan, 1886 Pachylabra borneensis (R. A. Philippi, 1852) junior subjective synonym Pachylabra conica (W. Wood, 1828) junior subjective synonym Pachylabra javanica (Reeve, 1856) Pachylabra javanica var. fruhstorferi Kobelt, 1912 Pachylabra mainitensis Kobelt, 1912 (junior synonym) Pachylabra quadrasi Kobelt, 1912 (junior synonym) Pachylabra stoliczkana G. Nevill, 1877 Pila conica (W. Wood, 1828) junior subjective synonym Pila conica f. compacta (Reeve, 1856) junior subjective synonym Pila scutala [sic] misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling

Description

The height of the shell attains 39 mm, its diameter 35 mm.

(Original description in Latin) The shell is elongated-globose and narrowly perforated. It is transversely irregularly striated, brownish-green, and obsoletely banded. The spire is emergent, with its apex eroded, and the suture is scarcely deep.

The shell comprises 4.5 convex whorls. The body whorl is irregularly inflated and obscurely angular in the middle. The aperture is ovate, and its right margin is somewhat dilated. Internally, it appears yellowish and is banded with brownish-violet. The margin is acute and somewhat produced at the base.

The operculum is thick and calcareous. Externally, it is covered with a green, striated epidermis, while internally, it is pearly, with an elongated spot surrounded by a minutely vermiculate margin. ^[3]

Distribution

The species is found in Southeastern Asia and Central America.^[2] However, it has been taken from its native habitat to be used as a food delicacy, control of weeds in freshwater, a component in home aquariums, and as a vector for parasitic larva in the freshwater.^[4] This has made it very difficult to determine Pila scutata's true native range.^[5]