Pila scutata

Pila scutata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Architaenioglossa
Family:	Ampullariidae
Genus:	Pila
Species:	P. scutata
Binomial name
	Pila scutata; (Mousson, 1848)
Synonyms
	Ampullaria borneensis R. A. Philippi, 185; Ampullaria compacta Reeve, 1856 junior subjective synonym; Ampullaria conica W. Wood, 1828 (invalid: junior homonym of Ampullaria conica Lamarck, 1804); Ampullaria conica var. expansa G. Nevill, 1877; Ampullaria javanica Reeve, 1856; Ampullaria orientalis R. A. Philippi, 1849; Ampullaria perakensis de Morgan, 1886; Ampullaria scutata Mousson, 1848 (original name); Ampullaria stoliczkana G. Nevill, 1877; Ampullaria wellesleyensis de Morgan, 1886; Pachylabra borneensis (R. A. Philippi, 1852) junior subjective synonym; Pachylabra conica (W. Wood, 1828) junior subjective synonym; Pachylabra javanica (Reeve, 1856); Pachylabra javanica var. fruhstorferi Kobelt, 1912; Pachylabra mainitensis Kobelt, 1912 (junior synonym); Pachylabra quadrasi Kobelt, 1912 (junior synonym); Pachylabra stoliczkana G. Nevill, 1877; Pila conica (W. Wood, 1828) junior subjective synonym; Pila conica f. compacta (Reeve, 1856) junior subjective synonym; Pila scutala [sic] misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling;

Pila scutata is a species of gastropod belonging to the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. ^[1] ^[2]

Description

The height of the shell attains 39 mm, its diameter 35 mm.

(Original description in Latin) The shell is elongated-globose and narrowly perforated. It is transversely irregularly striated, brownish-green, and obsoletely banded. The spire is emergent, with its apex eroded, and the suture is scarcely deep.

The shell comprises 4.5 convex whorls. The body whorl is irregularly inflated and obscurely angular in the middle. The aperture is ovate, and its right margin is somewhat dilated. Internally, it appears yellowish and is banded with brownish-violet. The margin is acute and somewhat produced at the base.

The operculum is thick and calcareous. Externally, it is covered with a green, striated epidermis, while internally, it is pearly, with an elongated spot surrounded by a minutely vermiculate margin. ^[3]

Distribution

The species is found in Southeastern Asia and Central America.^[2] However, it has been taken from its native habitat to be used as a food delicacy, control of weeds in freshwater, a component in home aquariums, and as a vector for parasitic larva in the freshwater.^[4] This has made it very difficult to determine Pila scutata's true native range.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848). 4 June 2025. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
^ ^a ^b "Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
^ Mousson, A. (1849). Die Land- und Süsswasser- Mollusken von Java. Zürich: Friedrich Schulthess. p. 60. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
^ Hollingsworth, R.G (2007). "Distribution of Parmarion cf. martensi (Pulmonata: Helicarionidae), a new semi-slug pest on Hawai'i Island, and its potential as a vector for human angiostrongyliasis" (PDF). Pacific Science. 61 (4): 457–467. doi:10.2984/1534-6188(2007)61[457:DOPCMP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 14202324.
^ Tan, S.K (2013). "The status of the apple snail, Pila scutata (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) in Singapore". Nature in Singapore. 6: 135–141. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links

Wood, W. (1828). Supplement to the Index Testaceologicus; or A catalogue of shells, British and foreign. London: Richard Taylor. p. 29.
Philippi, R.A. (1851–1852). Die Gattung Ampullaria. In Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. In: Schuberth, G. H.; Wagner, J. A., Eds. Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Neu herausgegeben und vervollständigt. Ersten Bandes zwanzigste Abtheilung. 1-74, pls A, 1-21. Nürnberg: Bauer & Raspe. p. 31.
Reeve, L.A. (1856). Monograph of the genus Ampullaria. In: Conchologia Iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 10, pls 1-28 and unpaginated text. London: L. Reeve & Co.
Philippi, R.A. (1849). "Centuria tertia testaceorum novorum". Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie. 5 (10): 192.
Morgan, J. de (1886). "Mollusques terrestres & fluviatiles du Royaume de Pérak et des pays voisins (Presqu'ile Malaise)". Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France. 10 (4–6): 418.
Kobelt, W. (1911–1915). Die Gattung Ampullaria. Neue Folge. In Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. In: Schuberth, G. H.; Wagner, J. A. Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Ersten Bandes, zwanzigste Abtheilung, zweiter Theil. Nürnberg: Bauer & Raspe. p. 90.
Nevill, G. (1877). Catalogue of Mollusca in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Calcutta: Printed by order of the trustees. p. 9.
Low, M. E. Y., Tan, S. K. & Ng, T. H. (2013). "Pila conica (Wood, 1828), or Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848)? The correct name for the native apple snail of Singapore (Gastropoda Ampullariidae)" (PDF). Nature in Singapore. 6.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Brandt, R.A.M. (1974). "The non-marine aquatic Mollusca of Thailand" (PDF). Archiv für Molluskenkunde. 105 (i–iv): 52.
Ng, T. H., Tan, S. K.; Low, M. E. Y. (2014). "Singapore Mollusca: 7. The family Ampullariidae (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Ampullaroidea)" (PDF). Nature in Singapore. 7.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[WoRMS-1] Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848). 4 June 2025. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.

[GBIF-2] "Pila scutata (Mousson, 1848)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 27 October 2021.

[3] Mousson, A. (1849). Die Land- und Süsswasser- Mollusken von Java. Zürich: Friedrich Schulthess. p. 60. Retrieved 4 June 2025.

[4] Hollingsworth, R.G (2007). "Distribution of Parmarion cf. martensi (Pulmonata: Helicarionidae), a new semi-slug pest on Hawai'i Island, and its potential as a vector for human angiostrongyliasis" (PDF). Pacific Science. 61 (4): 457–467. doi:10.2984/1534-6188(2007)61[457:DOPCMP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 14202324.

[5] Tan, S.K (2013). "The status of the apple snail, Pila scutata (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) in Singapore". Nature in Singapore. 6: 135–141. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

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