Tulotoma

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

Tulotoma
A live Tulotoma magnifica on a mud substrate

Imperiled  (NatureServe)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
informal group Architaenioglossa
Superfamily:
Viviparoidea
Family:
Viviparidae
Genus:
Tulotoma

Species:
T. magnifica
Binomial name
Tulotoma magnifica
(Conrad, 1834)[4]
Synonyms

Paludina magnifica Conrad, 1834

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

This species is endemic to the Coosa River-Alabama River system in 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.[5] The shell can grow fairly large, to more than 25 mm in height. The operculum is concentric, subtriangular, with the inner margin reflected and forming an elevated marginal fold.[5]

Apertural view of a small empty shell
Abapertural view of another individual

It is a species with a moderate foot, not produced beyond the snout. The snout is small. The radula is multicuspid.[5]

A group of Tulotoma magnifica on mud
A large number of Tulotoma magnifica on mud

References
  1. Bogan, A.E.; et al. (Mollusc Specialist Group) (2000). "Tulotoma magnifica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2000: e.T22444A9373341. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2000.RLTS.T22444A9373341.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. "Tulotoma magnifica. NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
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