Mercuria similis

Mercuria similis
Shell of Mercuria similis
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Hydrobiidae
Genus:	Mercuria
Species:	M. similis
Binomial name
Mercuria similis (Draparnaud, 1805)
Synonyms[2]
Amnicola confusa Frauenfeld, 1863 Cyclostoma simile Draparnaud, 1805 Mercuria confusa (Frauenfeld, 1863) Pseudamnicola confusa (Frauenfeld, 1863) Pseudamnicola similis (Draparnaud, 1805)

Mercuria similis is a species of small freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Hydrobiidae.^[1]

This species only tolerates very low salinities, and is perhaps better characterized as a freshwater snail.

Description

The 3–4 mm. high shell is fragile and translucent yellow-white in colour (but often coated with dark deposits). The animal is entirely and uniformly pale and has pale tentacles. Mercuria similis has a proportionately larger body whorl than other hydrobiids.^{[citation needed]}

The shell is short-conical and 3.90–4.50 mm high (Vic-la-Gardiole, Hérault), with a large oval aperture. The penis is long and slim, acute at its distal end, the penial appendix is broad and shorter than the penis which lies on the appendix.^{[citation needed]}

Geographic distribution

• This species is native to France, Italy, Malta, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.^[1]
• Great Britain
• Ireland
• Netherlands

References

1. Cianfanelli, S.; Prié, V.; Bodon, M.; Giusti, F.; Manganelli, G. (2010). "Mercuria similis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T155342A4778564. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T155342A4778564.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. "Mercuria similis". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 30 May 2022.

• Peter Glöer, Hans D. Boeters, Frank Walther Species of the genus Mercuria Boeters, 1971 (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea: Hydrobiidae) from the European Mediterranean region, Morocco and Madeira, with descriptions of new species Folia Malacologica 11/2015; 23(4). DOI: 10.12657/folmal.023.024 online Description, images

External links

• "Swollen Spire Snail Mercuria confusa". Species Action Plan for Sussex. Sussex Biodiversity Partnership. Archived from the original on 24 June 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
• MolluscIreland