HYDROBIIDAE Stimpson, 1865
(spire snails or mudsnails)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa		 No of
images		 No of
ID refs
Mercuria
a genus of molluscs
Genus 1 subtaxa 1 ident. refs
Peringia ulvae
Laver Spire Shell
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 		Species 25 images
Potamopyrgus antipodarum
Jenkins’ Spire Snail
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 		Species 21 images
Taxonomic hierarchy:
FamilyHYDROBIIDAE (spire snails or mudsnails)
SuperfamilyTRUNCATELLOIDEA (a superfamily of molluscs)
OrderLITTORINIMORPHA (an order of operculate snails and whelks)
SubclassCAENOGASTROPODA (a subclass of molluscs)
ClassGASTROPODA (slugs and snails)
PhylumMOLLUSCA (slugs, snails, bivalves, octopus, sea slugs)
SuperphylumLOPHOTROCHOZOA (molluscs and relatives)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)

HYDROBIIDAE (spire snails or mudsnails) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for HYDROBIIDAE (spire snails or mudsnails)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 0 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for HYDROBIIDAE (spire snails or mudsnails)

The shape of the penis (in males) is a helpful character for distinguishing the species. It is located behind the cephalic tentacles and can be viewed by holding the shell in forceps, slightly above the surface it is crawling on, and viewing through the microscope.

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