Vittina natalensis

Vittina natalensis, common name spotted nerite,[2] is a species of small freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Neritidae, the nerites. [3]

Vittina natalensis
Vittina natalensis shells
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Neritimorpha
Order: Cycloneritida
Family: Neritidae
Genus: Vittina
Species:
V. natalensis
Binomial name
Vittina natalensis
(Reeve, L.A., 1845)
Synonyms
  • Neritina natalensis Reeve, 1856 (basionym)
  • Theodoxus natalensis (Reeve, 1856) (superseded combination)

It returns to brackish waters to reproduce.

This is a popular aquarium snail, sold because it looks attractive and eats algae in freshwater tanks, but does not multiply under aquarium conditions. It requires a pH above 7.0 to thrive.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the coastal plain of East Africa -- Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania.[1] Its specific name natalensis refers to the region of Natal, South Africa.

Human use

This species is a common choice of algae-eating snail among freshwater aquarists. In the aquarium trade, the striped shell of this species has caused it to be known as the tiger snail, zebra snail, or zebra nerite. (The name zebra nerite is however misleading, because there are several species of nerite that have that common name, including Puperita pupa, a small marine nerite from the tropical western Atlantic.) The stripes in some individuals may display as zigzags, dashes or spots. In an aquarium, the shell of this species grows to about 2.5 cm (one inch) in diameter. This snail prefers an aquarium temperature of 22 to 26 °C.

  • Vittina natalensis in an aquarium
    Vittina natalensis in an aquarium
  • A Nerite Snail moving over aquarium glass
    A Nerite Snail moving over aquarium glass

References
  1. Appleton, C.; Kristensen, T.K.; Lange, C.N.; Stensgaard, A-S. & Van Damme, D. (2010). "Neritina natalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T14628A4451314. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T14628A4451314.en.
  2. Perissinotto, Renzo; Miranda, Nelson; Raw, Jacqueline; Peer, Nasreen (2014-09-15). "Biodiversity census of Lake St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa): Gastropod molluscs". ZooKeys (440): 1–43. doi:10.3897/zookeys.440.7803. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 4196252. PMID 25317060.
  3. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Vittina natalensis (Reeve, 1855). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1353177 on 2021-09-26
  • Eichhorst T.E. (2016). Neritidae of the world. Volume 2. Harxheim: Conchbooks. Pp. 696-1366
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