The assassin snail typically grows to 0.7–1.25 in (18–32 mm) in size, though this is dependent on food sources; they are usually smaller when kept in an aquarium.[citation needed] The shell, which is conical in shape, often consists of dark brown and yellowish tan bands, leading to some people to refer to it as the bumble bee snail, a name also applied to the marine snail Engina mendicaria. Some specimens have been identified with completely brown shells, lacking banding.
Ecology
Habitat
The assassin snail spends much of its time buried in substrate. They are least active during mid-day; however, they can sense food and will become active if fed.[5]
Feeding habits
Like all snails in the clade Neogastropoda, the assassin snail is carnivorous. It feeds on worms and gastropods, garnering it the common moniker of "assassin snail" for its habit of eating other snails. The snail will often feed on larger snails, often burying itself in order to ambush prey.[2]
Anentome helena may be a serious threat to native freshwater gastropods in countries when introduced.[6]
Life cycle
In A. helena the sexes are separated, meaning there are male and female individuals which are not hermaphroditic. Currently it is not known how to identify which is male and which is female. Both males and females seem to be the same size and shape. When a male and female mate, they lock together for many hours. The female lays several clear egg capsules which are square in shape and approximately 1.0 to 1.5 mm (0.039 to 0.059 in) in width and height. Each egg capsule contains a single small yellow egg. The egg capsules are generally laid on solid surfaces such as plastic and often on the base of plants. Fertile eggs usually hatch within a few weeks.[5]
^ abcMonks, Neale (2009). "Assassin Snails and Sulawesi Elephant Snails: Keeping Clea and Tylomelania in the aquarium". Conscientious Aquarist Magazine. Vol. 6, no. 4. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
^(in Thai) Boon-ngam P., Sriyarun J., Tanamai S. & Dumrongrojwattana P. (PDF file created 12 January 2010). "การศึกษาเบืองต้ นความหลากชนิดของหอยทากบก และหอยนําจืดในจังหวัดสระแก้ ว Preliminary taxonomic study of land snail and freshwater mollusk species in Sakaeo Province, Eastern Thailand". 10 pp., pages unnumbered. PDF[permanent dead link].
^ abNewel, M. S.; Bourne, G. B. (January 5, 2013). "The 'assassin' snail, Clea (Anentome) helena (Gastropoda: Buccinidae), as a model for developmental and environmental physiology". Society for Integrative and Comparative Developmental Biology 2013 Annual Meeting.
^Mienis, H. K. (2011). "Will the Uncontrolled Sale of the Snail-eating Gastropod Anentome helena in Aquarium Shops in Israel Result in Another Disaster for Israel's Native Freshwater Mollusc Fauna?" (PDF). Ellipsaria: 10–11.
^Chantima, Kittichai; Chai, Jong-Yil; Wongsawad, Chalobol (2013). "Echinostoma revolutum: Freshwater snails as the second intermediate hosts in Chiang Mai, Thailand". The Korean Journal of Parasitology. 51 (2): 183–189. doi:10.3347/kjp.2013.51.2.183. PMC3662061. PMID 23710085.
^Ng, Ting Hui; Tan, Siong Kiat; Wong, Wing Hing; Meier, Rudolf; Chan, Sow-Yan; Tan, Heok Hui; Yeo, Darren C. J. (2016). "Molluscs for sale: Assessment of freshwater gastropods and bivalves in the ornamental pet trade". PLOS ONE. 11 (8): e0161130. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161130. PMC4985174. PMID 27525660.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anentome helena.
January 07, 2023
anentome, helena, common, name, assassin, snail, bumblebee, snail, species, freshwater, snail, with, operculum, aquatic, gastropod, family, nassariidae, most, which, marine, scientific, classificationkingdom, animaliaphylum, molluscaclass, gastropodasubclass, . Anentome helena common name assassin snail or bumblebee snail is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum an aquatic gastropod in the family Nassariidae most of which are marine 2 Anentome helenaScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum MolluscaClass GastropodaSubclass CaenogastropodaOrder NeogastropodaFamily NassariidaeGenus AnentomeSpecies A helenaBinomial nameAnentome helena von dem Busch 1847 Distribution map of Anentome helenaSynonyms 1 Canidia bocourti Brot 1876 Canidia fusiformis Deshayes 1876 Canidia harmandiana Rochebrune 1881 Canidia helena von dem Busch 1847 new combination Canidia helena var rotundicosta Schepman 1891 Canidia helena var rotundicosta f angustior Schepman 1891 unavailable name infrasubspecific Canidia stomatodonta Rochebrune 1882 Canidia tenuicostata Brot 1876 Clea Anentome helena von dem Busch 1847 accepted alternate representation Clea helena von dem Busch 1847 Clea theminckiana Petit de la Saussaye 1853 Hemisinus baudonianus Mabille amp Le Mesle 1866 Hemisinus helena Philippi 1847 Hemisinus theminckianus Petit de la Saussaye 1853 Melania helena von dem Busch 1847 original combination Melania theminckiana Petit de la Saussaye 1853 Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Ecology 3 1 Habitat 3 2 Feeding habits 3 3 Life cycle 3 4 Parasites 4 Human use 5 References 6 External linksDistribution Edit The assassin snail is found throughout southeast Asia especially in Malaysia Thailand and in Lake Toba on the Indonesian island Sumatra 3 4 Description EditThe assassin snail typically grows to 0 7 1 25 in 18 32 mm in size though this is dependent on food sources they are usually smaller when kept in an aquarium citation needed The shell which is conical in shape often consists of dark brown and yellowish tan bands leading to some people to refer to it as the bumble bee snail a name also applied to the marine snail Engina mendicaria Some specimens have been identified with completely brown shells lacking banding Ecology EditHabitat Edit The assassin snail spends much of its time buried in substrate They are least active during mid day however they can sense food and will become active if fed 5 Feeding habits Edit Like all snails in the clade Neogastropoda the assassin snail is carnivorous It feeds on worms and gastropods garnering it the common moniker of assassin snail for its habit of eating other snails The snail will often feed on larger snails often burying itself in order to ambush prey 2 Anentome helena may be a serious threat to native freshwater gastropods in countries when introduced 6 Life cycle Edit In A helena the sexes are separated meaning there are male and female individuals which are not hermaphroditic Currently it is not known how to identify which is male and which is female Both males and females seem to be the same size and shape When a male and female mate they lock together for many hours The female lays several clear egg capsules which are square in shape and approximately 1 0 to 1 5 mm 0 039 to 0 059 in in width and height Each egg capsule contains a single small yellow egg The egg capsules are generally laid on solid surfaces such as plastic and often on the base of plants Fertile eggs usually hatch within a few weeks 5 Parasites Edit Like many snail species Anentome helena can serve as an intermediate host to trematode parasites It has been confirmed as an intermediate host to Echinostoma revolutum in the Chiang Mai province in Thailand 7 Human use EditA helena is a part of ornamental pet trade for freshwater aquaria 8 where they are used to control populations of unwanted small snail species such as the Malaysian trumpet snail 2 References Edit Bouchet P 2017 Anentome helena von dem Busch 1847 In MolluscaBase 2017 Accessed through World Register of Marine Species at http www marinespecies org aphia php p taxdetails amp id 1027029 on 2017 11 21 a b c Monks Neale 2009 Assassin Snails and Sulawesi Elephant Snails Keeping Clea and Tylomelania in the aquarium Conscientious Aquarist Magazine Vol 6 no 4 Retrieved April 12 2021 Map of Clea helena Discover Life National Biological Information Infrastructure Retrieved March 8 2014 in Thai Boon ngam P Sriyarun J Tanamai S amp Dumrongrojwattana P PDF file created 12 January 2010 karsuksaebuxngt nkhwamhlakchnidkhxnghxythakbk aelahxynacudincnghwdsraaek w Preliminary taxonomic study of land snail and freshwater mollusk species in Sakaeo Province Eastern Thailand 10 pp pages unnumbered PDF permanent dead link a b Newel M S Bourne G B January 5 2013 The assassin snail Clea Anentome helena Gastropoda Buccinidae as a model for developmental and environmental physiology Society for Integrative and Comparative Developmental Biology 2013 Annual Meeting Mienis H K 2011 Will the Uncontrolled Sale of the Snail eating Gastropod Anentome helena in Aquarium Shops in Israel Result in Another Disaster for Israel s Native Freshwater Mollusc Fauna PDF Ellipsaria 10 11 Chantima Kittichai Chai Jong Yil Wongsawad Chalobol 2013 Echinostoma revolutum Freshwater snails as the second intermediate hosts in Chiang Mai Thailand The Korean Journal of Parasitology 51 2 183 189 doi 10 3347 kjp 2013 51 2 183 PMC 3662061 PMID 23710085 Ng Ting Hui Tan Siong Kiat Wong Wing Hing Meier Rudolf Chan Sow Yan Tan Heok Hui Yeo Darren C J 2016 Molluscs for sale Assessment of freshwater gastropods and bivalves in the ornamental pet trade PLOS ONE 11 8 e0161130 doi 10 1371 journal pone 0161130 PMC 4985174 PMID 27525660 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anentome helena Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anentome helena amp oldid 1092770533, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,