Pomacea diffusa

Pomacea diffusa, common name the spike-topped apple snail or Mystery Snail, is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails.

Pomacea diffusa
Pomacea diffusa shell
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Architaenioglossa
Family:	Ampullariidae
Genus:	Pomacea
Species:	P. diffusa
Binomial name
Pomacea diffusa Linnaeus, 1758

Apple snail

Taxonomy

Pomacea diffusa was originally described as a subspecies of Pomacea bridgesii.^[1] Pain (1960)^[2] argued that Pomacea bridgesii bridgesii was a larger form with a restricted range, with the smaller Pomacea bridgesii diffusa being the common form throughout the Amazon Basin (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia).^[1] Cowie and Thiengo (2003)^[3] suggested that the latter might deserve full species status, and the two taxa have been confirmed as distinct species by genetic analyses.^[1]

Distribution

The type locality of Pomacea diffusa is in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, although the species is widespread throughout the Amazon Basin.^[1]

Non-indigenous distribution of Pomacea diffusa include:

• Thompson^[4] recorded this species (as Pomacea bridgesii) in Florida in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Pinellas Counties.^[1] The FLMNH electronic database also lists samples from Alachua County, but records cited from the FLMNH database for Brevard County are in fact from Broward County.^[1] Rawlings et al. (2007)^[1] also collected this species in Hillsborough and Collier Counties.
• Pomacea diffusa was first recorded in Florida (as Pomacea bridgesii) by William J. Clench.^[1][5] The FLMNH has specimens collected in Palm Beach County in 1967 (FLMNH 20295) and Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in the early 1970s (FLMNH 22175, 222247).^[1] Howells et al. (2006)^[6] reported its establishment in Mobile, Alabama in 2003.^[1]
• Cuba^[7]

Description

Two views of a shell of Pomacea diffusa

Pomacea diffusa is known as the spike-topped apple snail, because of its relatively raised spire.^[1] It lacks a channeled suture, and overlaps in size with the Pomacea paludosa.^[1]

An egg cluster of Pomacea diffusa

The egg masses have an irregular honeycombed appearance, like those of Pomacea haustrum, but are smaller and have a tan to salmon color, although they are white when freshly laid.^[1]

Human use

It is a part of ornamental pet trade for freshwater aquaria.^[8]

See also

• Algae eater