Asolene spixi (d'Orbigny, 1837)

Description:

The round, slightly oval, dextrous shell is 3 to 4 cm large and has an operculum.

The whorls' sutures are not deep, and the angles between the whorls are very flat. Shell colors vary between yellow and beige, with dark, nearly black bands, whose numbers may vary from snail to snail. The operculum's nucleus lies close to the shell, with concentrical growth lines around it. It can be entirely drawn into the aperture, which is always white, and thus close off the shell totally. Like Marisa cornuarietis, A. spixi's operculum is always dark on the underside and light-colored on the top. Body colors vary between yellow and brown, with dark spots. The foot shows a darker pigmentation towards the tip and the end.

The tentacles are a little longer than the foot, whereas the siphon is noticeably shorter.

Life span:

Again, their life span depends on environmental factors, like food, water quality and temperature. Given that they are kept at conditions comparable to their habitat, A. spixi can get two to four years old.

Food:

Spirulina tabs have proved to be a good food for them, as have vegetables and any kind of aquatic plants with the exception of Java moss, waterweed and water cabbage. However, they do not say no to proteins of animal origin, and even like to nibble on uncooked pasta.

Distribution, Habitat:

Asolene spixi are found in the most various habitats.

They live in rivers, lakes, ditches and canals leading into rivers, in subtropical alternating climate with cooler winters in southern and eastern Brazil.

Water parameters:

Unfortunately, currently we do not have any information regarding the water parameters in the habitat.

Reproduction:

These snails are dioecious and reach sexual maturity at an age of about 6 months and a size of 2.2 cm – of course, this depends a lot on the environment they live in.

After successfully mating, the female attaches its clutch to surfaces under water. The clutch varies between 1.5 and 3 cm, depending on the female's size and living conditions. The average clutch develops within 14 days at a constant water temperature of 23 °C. After this time, about 10 to 20 young snails hatch. During the first three days, the eggs expand to two to three times their original size, like those of Marisa cornuarietis.