Ramshorn Pond Snail

Statistics

Taxonomic family: Planoribidae

Length: 0.5 to 2.5 cm

Average life span: 1 year

When To See

All year round.

Photo credit: Missouri Department of Conservation

Habitat

They are found in any freshwater aquatic environment ranging from ponds to rivers. They prefer slow moving waters and can survive in poorly oxygenated habitats due to the haemoglobin in their blood allowing them to process atmospheric oxygen. They need calcium in their environment to assist in shell growth so will be absent in acidic waterbodies.

How To Identify

 The term Ramshorn Snail is used to describe aquatic snails in the family Planoribidae that have a planispiral shell; meaning it is coiled in a single plane. The shell can vary in colour but the body of the snail is most commonly a reddish colour due to the presence of haemoglobin. Planorbids are unusual in that they have a sunken spire which faces down, and the umbilicus side of the shell facing is upwards. This essentially means that they carry the shell upside down.

Seen It?

Been kicking about in your local river and come across one of these invertebrates? Not sure? Share it with us at trust@forthriverstrust.org, we enjoy chatting about inverts with you.