Pomacea diffusa

Pomacea diffusa was originally described as a subspecies of Pomacea bridgesii. Pain (1960){{Cite journal|last=Pain|first=T.|year=1960|title=Pomacea (Ampullariidae) of the Amazon River system|journal=Journal of Conchology|volume=24|pages=421–443}} argued that Pomacea bridgesii bridgesii was a larger form with a restricted range, with the smaller Pomacea bridgesii diffusa being the common form throughout the Amazon Basin (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia). Cowie and Thiengo (2003){{Cite journal|last1=Cowie|first1=R. H.|last2=Thiengo|first2=S. C.|year=2003|title=The apple snails of the Americas (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Ampullariidae: Asolene, Felipponea, Marisa, Pomacea, Pomella): a nomenclatural and type catalog|journal=Malacologia|volume=45|pages=41–100}} suggested that the latter might deserve full species status, and the two taxa have been confirmed as distinct species by genetic analyses.

The type locality of Pomacea diffusa is in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, although the species is widespread throughout the Amazon Basin.

Non-indigenous distribution of Pomacea diffusa include:

• Thompson{{Cite book|title=Freshwater snails of Florida: A manual for identification|last=Thompson|first=F. G.|publisher=University of Florida Press|year=1984|location=Gainesville}} recorded this species (as Pomacea bridgesii) in Florida in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Pinellas Counties. The FLMNH electronic database also lists samples from Alachua County, but records cited from the FLMNH database for Brevard County are in fact from Broward County. Rawlings et al. (2007) also collected this species in Hillsborough and Collier Counties.
• Pomacea diffusa was first recorded in Florida (as Pomacea bridgesii) by William J. Clench.{{Cite journal|last=Clench|first=W. J.|author-link=William J. Clench|year=1966|title=Pomacea bridgesi (Reeve) in Florida|journal=Nautilus|volume=79|pages=105}} The FLMNH has specimens collected in Palm Beach County in 1967 (FLMNH 20295) and Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in the early 1970s (FLMNH 22175, 222247). Howells et al. (2006)Howells R. G., Burlakova L. F., Karatayev A. Y., Marfurt R. K. & Burks R. L. (2006). "Native and introduced Ampullariidae in North America: History, status, and ecology. In Global Advances in the Ecology and Management of Golden Apple Snails". In: Joshi R. C., Sebastian L. S., Muñoz N. E. (2006). Philippine Rice Research Institute. 2006: 73-112. reported its establishment in Mobile, Alabama in 2003.
• Cuba{{Cite journal|last1=Perera|first1=Antonio Alejandro Vázquez|last2=Valderrama|first2=Susana Perera|year=2010|title=Endemic Freshwater Molluscs of Cuba and Their Conservation Status|journal=Tropical Conservation Science|language=en|volume=3|issue=2|pages=190–199|doi=10.1177/194008291000300206|doi-access=free}}

File:Pomacea diffusa shell.jpg of Pomacea diffusa]]

Pomacea diffusa is known as the spike-topped apple snail, because of its relatively raised spire. It lacks a channeled suture, and overlaps in size with the Pomacea paludosa.

File:Pomacea diffusa eggs.jpg

The egg masses have an irregular honeycombed appearance, like those of Pomacea haustrum, but are smaller and have a tan to salmon color, although they are white when freshly laid.

It is a part of ornamental pet trade for freshwater aquaria.Ng, T. H., Tan, S. K., Wong, W. H., Meier, R., Chan, S. Y., Tan, H. H., & Yeo, D. C. (2016). "Molluscs for sale: assessment of freshwater gastropods and bivalves in the ornamental pet trade". PLoS ONE 11(8): e0161130. {{doi|10.1371/journal.pone.0161130|doi-access=free}}

• Algae eater

This article incorporates CC-BY-2.0 text from the reference.{{Cite journal|last1=Rawlings|first1=Timothy A.|last2=Hayes|first2=Kenneth A.|last3=Cowie|first3=Robert H.|last4=Collins|first4=Timothy M.|year=2007|title=The identity, distribution, and impacts of non-native apple snails in the continental United States|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=7|pages=97|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-7-97|issn=1471-2148|pmc=1919357|pmid=17594487 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2007BMCEE...7...97R }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Pomacea diffusa}}

• [http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/gastro/apple_snails.htm Applesnails of Florida] on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
• [http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_diffusa.htm] [The apple snail website species page]

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diffusa

Category:Gastropods described in 1957