Tulotoma

Tulotoma
	A live Tulotoma magnifica on a mud substrate
Conservation status
	; Endangered (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda; informal group Architaenioglossa
Superfamily:	Viviparoidea
Family:	Viviparidae
Genus:	Tulotoma; Haldeman, 1840[2]
Species:	T. magnifica
Binomial name
	Tulotoma magnifica; (Conrad, 1834)[3]
Synonyms
	Paludina magnifica Conrad, 1834

Tulotoma magnifica, common name the Alabama live-bearing snail or tulotoma, is a species of large freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae.

Tulotoma is a monotypic genus, in other words, this is the only species in the genus.

This species was once widespread in the Coosa River-Alabama River system in Alabama, USA. It is now an endangered species.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the state of Alabama, United States.

Description

The shell of this species is large, solid, thick and imperforate. The shape of the shell is obtusely conic. The spire is elevated. The whorls are flattened, nodulous and carinated. The peristome is thin and continuous.[4]

The shell can grow fairly large, to more than 25 mm in height.

Apertural view of a small empty shell

Abapertural view of another individual

The operculum is concentric, subtriangular, with the inner margin reflected and forming an elevated marginal fold.[4]

Animal with a moderate foot, not produced beyond the snout.[4] The snout is small.[4] Radula is multicuspid.[4]

A group of Tulotoma magnifica on mud

A large number of Tulotoma magnifica on mud

References

This article incorporates public domain text from the reference[4]

Bogan A. E. (2000). Tulotoma magnifica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 7 August 2007.
Haldeman S. S. (1840). A monograph of the freshwater univalve mollusca of the United States, including notices of species in other parts of North America 1(2): 34-36. Plate 11.
Conrad T. A. (1834). New fresh water shells of the United States : with coloured illustrations, and a monograph of the genus Anculotus of Say: also a synopsis of the American Naiades. Philadelphia. Page 48-49. Plate 8, figure 4.
Walker B. (1918). "A synopsis of the classification of the freshwater Mollusca of North America, north of Mexico, and a catalogue of the more recently described species, with notes". Miscellaneous Publications 6: 214 pp., 1 plate, 233 figures. page 26.

External links

Tulotoma magnifica at U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service webpage
Raines B. (25 July 2011). "A good news snail story: This Alabama snail's recovering from brink of extinction". blog.al.com
Paper on the rediscovery of this species

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[1] Bogan A. E. (2000). Tulotoma magnifica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 7 August 2007.

[2] Haldeman S. S. (1840). A monograph of the freshwater univalve mollusca of the United States, including notices of species in other parts of North America 1(2): 34-36. Plate 11.

[3] Conrad T. A. (1834). New fresh water shells of the United States : with coloured illustrations, and a monograph of the genus Anculotus of Say: also a synopsis of the American Naiades. Philadelphia. Page 48-49. Plate 8, figure 4.

[Walker_1918-4] Walker B. (1918). "A synopsis of the classification of the freshwater Mollusca of North America, north of Mexico, and a catalogue of the more recently described species, with notes". Miscellaneous Publications 6: 214 pp., 1 plate, 233 figures. page 26.