Helmet Snail??

[kooter]

Anybody ever heard of a helmet snail? These were in a tank at the LFS.
They were quite dark colored shell and the shell looked almost round with no spirals.

[msjinkzd]

Only ones i know of are sw. Any chance of a pic?

[kooter]

picture........

[msjinkzd]

does this look like it? http://www.applesnail.net/content/photographs/pila_ampullace_shell_angled.jpg

This is a pila ampullacea. Not sure if that is it or not, i couldn't really see where the whorls are in your pic.

[msjinkzd]

also, does it have an operculum?

[kooter]

No, it doesn't look like that pic.
It does however have an operculum.
I've lightened the pic a bit, hopefully you can see the whorls better.

[kooter]

The 2nd picture definitely looks like a helmet now that I've looked at it again.

[vampie]

Looks like a Nerite of some sort.

[Arakkis]

It may be a Nepterion species, it's a realative of the limpet snails (Septeria)
Here's a pic of the ones I have





http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/Chibisque/Neripteron_violaceus.jpg

other possibilitie genus/species are:
Vittina gagates
Theodoxus prevostianus
Theodoxus peloponensis
Neritina asperulata
Neripteron neglecta
Clithon dispar
Nerita umlaasiana
Nerita melanotragus
Nerita incerta
Nerita atramentosa

I can't make a positive ID without a pic of the bottom of the shell, the shell operculum, and possibly the radula

That's all I can say for now

[vampie]

It isn't as flat as Neripteron or Septaria (both Nerites), and lacks that back bump as well. I was leaning towards Theodoxus, since the shape reminds me of Theodoxus fluviatilis.

[Arakkis]

There are species of Neripteron that look like the picture he has, not necessarily mine. Theodoxus fluviatilis is the wrong color which is why I'm leaning toward T.prevostianus and T.peloponensis as far as the Theodoxus genus is concerned

[vampie]

That doesn't sound right. Nerites in the same genus will basically have the same shaped shell, just in different sizes/patterns/colors.

It is possible that it is Neripteron auriculata, perhaps just at an angle where it doesn't look like one. It certainly has the same coloring/pattern.

[kooter]

some more pics to help out.........hopefully. Is this an asexual creature?

[Arakkis]

Personally from the bottom picture, it probably in my mind Vittina gagates.

A lot of the nerites in the same genus have similar shell shapes but there are many who do not share the same outer shell but are grouped together by the similarity in structure of the operculum.