Freshwater snail

Freshwater snails are indirectly among the deadliest animals to humans, as they carry parasitic worms that cause schistosomiasis, a disease estimated to kill between 10,000 and 200,000 people annually.

There are thousands of known species, and at least 33–38 independent lineages of gastropods have successfully colonized freshwater environments. It is not possible to quantify the exact number of these lineages yet, because they have yet to be clarified within the Cerithioidea. From six to eight of these independent lineages occur in North America.

Taxonomy

According to a 2008 review of the taxonomy, there are about 4,000 species of freshwater gastropods (3,795–3,972). As of 2023, there are 5182 known species of fossil freshwater gastropods.

The following cladogram is an overview of the main clades of gastropods based on the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), modified after Jörger et al. (2010) and simplified with families that contain freshwater species marked in boldface: (Marine gastropods (Siphonarioidea, Sacoglossa, Amphiboloidea, Pyramidelloidea) are not depicted within Panpulmonata for simplification. Some of these highlighted families consist entirely of freshwater species, but some of them also contain, or even mainly consist of, marine species.)

Neritimorpha

The Neritimorpha are a group of primitive "prosobranch" gilled snails which have a shelly operculum.

• Neritiliidae — 5 extant freshwater species
• Neritidae — largely confined to the tropics, also the rivers of Europe, family includes the marine "nerites". There are about 110 extant freshwater species.

Caenogastropoda

The Caenogastropoda are a large group of gilled operculate snails, which are largely marine. In freshwater habitats there are ten major families of caenogastropods, as well as several other families of lesser importance:

Architaenioglossa

• Ampullariidae — an exclusively freshwater family that is largely tropical and includes the large "apple snails" kept in aquaria. About 105–170 species.
• Viviparidae — medium to large snails, live-bearing, commonly referred to as "mystery snails". Worldwide except South America, and everywhere confined to fresh waters. About 125–150 species.

Sorbeoconcha

• Melanopsidae — family native to rivers draining to the Mediterranean, also Middle East, and some South Pacific islands. About 25–50 species.
• Pachychilidae — 165–225 species. native to South and Central America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae by many authors.
• Paludomidae — about 100 species in south Asia, diverse in African Lakes, and Sri Lanka. Formerly classified with the Pleuroceridae by some authors.
• Pleuroceridae — abundant and diverse in eastern North America, largely high-spired snails of small to large size. About 150 species.
• Semisulcospiridae — primarily eastern Asia, Japan, also the Juga snails of northwestern North America. Formerly included with the Pleuroceridae. About 50 species.
• Thiaridae — high-spired parthenogenic snails of the tropics, includes those referred to as "trumpet snails" in aquaria. About 110 species.

Littorinimorpha

• Littorinidae — 9 species in the genus Cremnoconchus are freshwater living in streams and waterfalls. Other species are marine.
• Amnicolidae — about 200 species.
• Assimineidae — about 20 freshwater species, other are marine
• Bithyniidae — small snails, native to Eastern Hemisphere. About 130 species.
• Cochliopidae — about 246 species.
• Helicostoidae — the only species Helicostoa sinensis lives in China.
• Hydrobiidae — small to very small snails found worldwide. About 1250 freshwater species other are marine.
• Lithoglyphidae — about 100 species.
• Moitessieriidae — about 55 species.
• Pomatiopsidae — small amphibious snails scattered worldwide, most diverse in eastern and Southeast Asia. About 170 species.
• Stenothyridae — about 60 freshwater species, others are marine.

Neogastropoda

• Nassariidae — 8–10 freshwater species in the genus Anentome and Clea, native to Southeast Asia. Other Nassariidae are marine.
• Marginellidae — 2 freshwater species in the genus Rivomarginella, native to Southeast Asia. Other Marginellidae are marine.

Heterobranchia

Lower Heterobranchia

• Glacidorbidae — 20 species.
• Valvatidae — small low-spired snails referred to as "valve snails". 71 species.

Acochlidiacea

• Acochlidiidae (including synonym Strubelliidae) — 5 shell-less species: Acochlidium amboinense, Acochlidium bayerfehlmanni, Acochlidium fijiiensis, Palliohedyle sutteri and Strubellia paradoxa
• Tantulidae — there is only one species which is shell-less Tantulum elegans.

Pulmonata, Basommatophora

Basommatophorans are pulmonate or air-breathing aquatic snails, characterized by having their eyes located at the base of their tentacles, rather than at the tips, as in the true land snails Stylommatophora. The majority of basommatophorans have shells that are thin, translucent, and relatively colorless, and all five freshwater basommatophoran families lack an operculum.

• Chilinidae — small to medium-sized snails confined to temperate and cold South America. About 15 species.
• Latiidae — small limpet-like snails confined to New Zealand. One or three species.
• Acroloxidae — about 40 species.
• Lymnaeidae — found worldwide, but are most numerous in temperate and northern regions. These are the dextral (right-handed) pond snails. About 100 species.
• Planorbidae — "rams horn" snails, with a worldwide distribution. About 250 species.
• Physidae — left-handed (sinistral) "pouch snails", native to Europe, Asia, North America. About 80 species.