Pomatiopsidae is a family of small, mainly freshwater snails, (some also occur in other habitats) that have gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Truncatelloidea (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). Pomatiopsidae are well known as intermediate hosts of Asian schistosomes.

Distribution

Species in the family Pomatiopsidae occur worldwide. The generic diversity of Pomatiopsinae is particularly high in the Japanese Archipelago, where four of the eight genera, including two endemics, are recorded. The subfamily Triculinae radiated as aquatic snails in freshwater habitats in Southeast Asia.

[Approximate distribution map of Pomatiopsidae.

Notes: Distribution of Tomichia includes also Central Africa, Cecina has eight species. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Pomatiopsidae///map.svg]

Description

The American malacologist William Stimpson first defined this taxon as Pomatiopsinae in 1865. Stimpson's diagnosis reads as follows: Pomatiopsinae, with the shell and operculum as in the Rissoinae. Foot with lateral sinuses. Size small. Amphibious. Genus Pomatiopsis, Tryon.

Subfamilies

The family Pomatiopsidae consists of 2 subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005) that follows classification by Davis (1979): Family-group name Rehderiellinae Brandt, 1974 is also in Pomatiopsidae, but it is not allocated in detail.

Genera

Genera within the family Pomatiopsidae include: Subfamily Pomatiopsinae Subfamily Triculinae - there are over 20 genera in Triculinae tribe Triculuni tribe Jullieniini tribe Lacunopsini tribe Pachydrobiini Rehderiellinae is not allocated to a subfamily

Ecology

The Pomatiopsidae have various life habits: aquatic, amphibious, littoral, halophilic, cavernicolous and even terrestrial. Terrestrial taxa occur only on the Japanese Archipelago located in East Asia (Blanfordia). Tomichia and Coxiella include several halophilic species occurring on saline lakes. Pomatiopsidae invaded freshwater habitats from marine ones in one or in two independent lineages. They also invaded terrestrial habitats from freshwater habitats in two independent lineages.