Family SUCCINEIDAE Beck, 1837
Introduction
A worldwide family, these snails are sometimes called "amber snails" because of the colour of their shells. In Australia members of this family are found in widely differing habitats throughout the country. No detailed taxonomic study has been carried out on this family and many undescribed species may exist. Specimens collected from the many habitats bear a close resemblance to one another and sophisticated research techniques may be required to elucidate their relationships.
The family is characterized by the shell possessing a greatly enlarged body whorl and low spire. This stylommatophoran snail has a similar shell to the basommatophoran lymnaeid snails.
General References
Laws, H.M. 1973. The chromosomes of Succinea australis (Férussac). Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia 2: 389-392
Patterson, C.M. 1971. Taxonomic studies of the land snail family Succineidae. Malacological Review 4: 131-202
Solem, A. 1998. Family Succineidae. pp. 1108-1109 in Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Wells, A. (eds). Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 5(Part B) pp. vi–viii, 565–1234.
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |