Keeled ramshorn snails
Promenetus spp. · Aquatic life
Whole animal · Photo: Turner Brockman / CC BY-SA
Also called Promenetus, Sharp sprite, Umbilicate sprite
How to identify Keeled ramshorn snails
- Tiny flat coiled shell about 1/8 to 1/4 inch across
- Sharp keel or edge around the outside of the shell
- One side flat, the other noticeably dished in
- Thin, glossy, light horn colored; no trapdoor
Similar species
Small ramshorn snails (Gyraulus) have rounded edges. Larger ramshorn snails have thick, rounded whorls.
Profile
| Season | Present all year; most noticeable in summer. |
|---|---|
| Starts | Breed as water warms in spring and summer |
| Depth | Shallow plant beds |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Carried on plants, birds and equipment |
| Habitat | Plant beds and debris in ponds, marshes, small lakes and slow streams. |
Why it matters in a lake
Harmless native grazers. Mostly noticed in plant samples or under a hand lens.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Class | Gastropoda |
| Order | Hygrophila |
| Family | Planorbidae |
| Scientific name | Promenetus spp. |
Pond snails
Physid snails
Ramshorn snails
Fingernail clams
Floaters (native mussels)
Western pearlshell
New Zealand mudsnail
Asian clam
Chinese mystery snail
Red-rimmed melaniaNeed a hand?
Found it in your lake?
Send us a photo and we will identify it and tell you what it means for your lake.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596