Pond Snail
Lymnaea stagnalis · Mollusk, Invertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Lymnaeidae, order Hygrophila, class Gastropoda
Animal Category
Freshwater Animal
Breed / Variety
Great Pond Snail
Conservation Status
Least Concern with a stable population trend. Common and widespread, though sensitive to severe water pollution.
About This Creature
A medium to large freshwater snail with a fragile, elongated spiral shell featuring a large body whorl and a pointed spire. The soft body is typically greyish or brownish, with distinct flattened, triangular tentacles.
Physical Characteristics
Univalve spiral shell, muscular foot for creeping along surfaces, distinct head with two flattened tentacles bearing eyes at their bases, and a pulmonary cavity acting as a lung for breathing air.
Behavior & Temperament
Solitary and slow-moving, mostly active grazing along submerged vegetation and surfaces. Can crawl upside down on the water's surface tension using its foot.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Native to the Northern Hemisphere, widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America in temperate climate zones.
Habitat
Freshwater lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and marshes. Aquatic and semi-aquatic.
Diet & Nutrition
Herbivore and detritivore, feeding primarily on algae, decaying plant matter, and biofilm scraped using a radula.
Lifespan & Health
Typically lives 1 to 2 years in the wild. Prone to parasitic infections like trematodes and predation by fish, birds, and small mammals.
Special Characteristics
Lung-breathing aquatic snail capable of surviving in low-oxygen environments by periodically visiting the water surface to take in air.
Ecological Information
Acts as a primary consumer and detritivore, helping to cycle nutrients and control algae while serving as an important food source for numerous fish, birds, and small mammals.