Ferrissia californica is a species of small freshwater limpet, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Ferrissia californica (Rowell, 1863). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1001489 on 2021-02-09
Description This species has a limpet like shell. In captivity the shell is clear but in the wild it is light to dark brown.
Distribution This species originates from North America. It is introduced in several countries and islands including:
Czech RepublicBeran L. & Horsák M. (2007). "Distribution of the alien freshwater snail Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the Czech Republic". Aquatic Invasions 2(1): 45–54. BulgariaDilian Georgiev & Zdravko Hubenov (2013). "Freshwater snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Bulgaria: an updated annotated checklist". Folia Malacologica 21(4): 237-263. DOI:10.12657/folmal.021.026 Austria Spain MoldovaIgor A. Balashov, Mikhail O. Son, Viorica Coadã & Francisco Welter-Schultes (2013). "An updated annotated checklist of the molluscs of the Republic of Moldova". Folia Malacologica 21(3): 175-181. Germany Netherlands Poland Slovakia Great Britain Portugal AlgeriaRamdini Ramdane, Dirk Van Damme, Sadouk Ghania & Medjdoub-Bensaad Ferroudja (2020). "Rediscovery of Armiger crista (Linnaeus, 1857) (Gastropoda Planorbidae) in Algeria". Biodiversity Journal 11(4): 821–824. Japan Australia and others
Habitat Ferrissia californica lives in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc. It can be found on rocks, wood debris, aquatic plants, and dead leaves.
Diet Ferrissia californica eats mostly diatoms.
Life cycle Ferrissia californica is a obligate self-fertilizer. It lays eggs that are 0.6 mm and contain one juvenile. The eggs hatch in about seven days. They mature at between four and five weeks. Adults are about 2 mm.
Human use Ferrissia californica is found in the aquarium trade and is considered an aquarium pest.
References