Thiara scabra (O. F. Muller, 1774): The introduction of another Asian freshwater snail into the United States

2009·0.97 MB·English

by  Fred G Thompson

THE NAUTILUS 123(l):21-22, 2009 Page 21
Research Note
Thiara scabra (O. F. Miiller, 1774): The introduction of another
Asian freshwater snail into the United States
Fred G. Thompson Michael W. Heyn Drew N. Camphell
Florida Museum of Natural Ilistoi'v, Biolo^ Seetiou, Miliau, Swaiu & Associates, liie.
Uuiversih'ol Florida, Florida Department of Eu\'iroumeutal 2257\hsta ParWay, Suite 19
Gaiuesville, FL32611-7800 USA Proteetiou2600 BlairStoue Rd. MS 6.515 \\’est Palm Beach ' !•L33411 USA
[email protected] Tallahassee. FL;32.3y9-2400 USA ([email protected]
Michael.Me\[email protected]
TlieThiaridaeconsistsofnumerousspeciesof non-marine snail finallywas found there. It is a medium-sized, ornate
snails in Africa, Asia, Australia, tropical America, and organism tliat lias potential in the a(|uarium trade. We
many island archipelagoes (VIorrison, 19.54, Glanbrecht, suspect that the species was deliberately introduced be-
1999). The family is nnnsnal in that parthenogenetic cause ol the i.solated localih’where itis lound.
reproduction is the normal reproductive mode, which
causes each indi\idnal to be reprodnetively isolated from
all other individuals. Thus, a single specimen is all that
is re(}uired to establish a new colony in an appropriate
habitat. A recent introduction into Florida fresliwater
systems is one such species.
T]tiarascabra (O. F. Aliiller, 1774)
The PagodaTiara
(Figi.ire 1)
OBSERVATIONS
Identification: The species is recognized by the fol-
lowing combination ofcharacters (Brandt, 1974). ft has
a neomelanian operculum: the nucleus is offset strongly
toward the lower columellar margin (Thompson, 2006:
fig. 38). The shell is medium-sized, generally up to
mm
20 in length, and cousi.sts offi—8 whorls remaining
in adults. Usually early juvenile whorls are worn away.
The shell is pagodiform with strongly shouldered whorls
that bear regularly spaced stout spines or knobs. Strong-
ly impressed spiral sculpture is present, which usually is
most distinct below the peripheiy. The ground color
is tawny watli vertical, rust-colored (lames and blotches
alternatingwith the spines.
Distribution: Widely deployed and locally abundant
throughout its range in South and Southeast A.sia, Soutli
China, the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and westei'n
Pacific Islands (Brandt, 1974; 163—164). The senior
authorhas encountered this species on manyoccasions in
Southeast Asia. It is tolerant to many environmental set-
tings, as is reflected by its wide distribution. One such
settingis canals in semitropical regions, such as ai'e abun- Figure 1. Thiara scabra (O. F. Miiller, 1774), UF 391616.
dant in South Florida. It is not surprising to us that the Scale bar = 1 cm.
Page 22 THE NAUTILUS, Vol. 123, No. 1
Discussion: On September, 2006, specimenswere first Greek, and means a tiara. Thiara scabra possess a coro-
collectedbyTodd Ennis andCheri Hughes ofTetraTech, naofspines on the shoulderofthewhorls reminiscent of
Inc. at the Port Mayaca Aquifer Injection well site a tiara.
(UP 391616). The Port Mayaca site is located in the
noithwest corner of Section 14, Towiship 40 South,
Range 37 East, near the connueiice of the L-65 Canal ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
and St. Lucie River (C-44 Canal) in the Town of Port
Mayaca, Martin Co., Plorida (26°59'17" N, S0°36'22" W). We thank Rob Lasley, Plorida Museum of Natural
Thesiteis locatedon a South Ploi'idaWatei- Management Histoiy, for photographing Eigure 1.
District (FWMD)-owned parcel of land adjacent to the
S-153 spillwayand lock, which conveys waterto and from
LITERATURE CITED
the L-65 Canal and the St. Lucie River. The location is
approximately2,000feeteastofthe Herbert HooverDike,
Brandt, R. A. M, 1974. The non-marine aquatic Mollusca of
south of the sendee access road, and appro.ximately 100
Thailand. Archi\’ fiir Molluskenkunde 105: 1—423.
feetwest ofthe intersectionwith the L-65 canal. Property Glaubrecht, M. 1999. Systematics and the evolution of
totDhoeungortSltiriosmunodleWractuelrtivaantdionAiorfRseugsaerarccahneW.ater & Air \T'hii\'airpiardiatyeisnentsroupilcaatlo)f—reasnhwoavteeirwigeaws.trCoopuordiser(CFeorristhcihouindgesa-:
Research, Inc., Gaines\111e, Plorida. reports to us that a Institut Senckenherg215: 91—96.
co-worker, Laura Line, collected this snail in the West Morrison, J. P. E. 1954. The relationships of Old and New
Palm Beach Canal, 5 kilometers from its junction wdtli ^Vorld melanians. Proceedings of the United States
Lake Okeechobee on April 10, 2007. National Museum 103 (3325): 357—394.
Reeve, L. [A.] 1859—1861. Monograph of the genus
Melania. Conchologica Iconica; or illustrations of
Vernacular Etymology: The vernacular name Pago-
the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 12, Melania-, pis.
da Tiara is taken from Reeve (1860, pi. 26, fig. 182), 1-59.
from a name he proposed for a common form of this Thompson, F. G. 2006. An identification manual for the fresh-
species. Tiara comes from the generic name Thiara, water snails of Florida, http://www.flmnh.utl.edu/malacol-
which is derived from Persian through the Classical og}7fl-snaiPsnailsl.htm. AccessedJuly26, 2007.