Mud Bithynia (Bithynia tentaculata)
Key Identification Features
Spiral, dextral shell with whorls of 5-6
Adults possess a white, calcareous, tear/oval-shaped operculum with distinct concentric rings
Description
The Mud Bithynia is also known as the Faucet Snail. This snail is relatively small, not exceeding 15 mm in length. It has a shiny, brown shell with a large and rounded spiral of 5 to 6 whorls. The lip is thick and the aperture, or opening, is less than half the height of the shell. The operculum (cover of opening) of adults is white, ovate and has concentric rings, whereas juveniles have spirally marked operculum.
Native Range
Faucet Snails originate in Europe, stretching from Scandinavia to Greece. They could have arrived in the Great Lakes through packaging material, ship ballasts, or intentional release.
Habitat and Dispersion
The Mud Bithynia lives in freshwater habitats such as ponds, shallow lakes, marshes, and canals. They are tolerant of substrate type, which is where they spend time in the colder months. In the warmer months they crawl up into the plant material. They can be found up to 5 meters deep in the water. This hardy invasive can tolerate mesotrophic and eutrophic water conditions, meaning they can live amongst high nutrient levels and dense plant matter, where other animals struggle to survive. This snail is dioecious and lays egg masses on hard materials in their habitat.
Best Management Practices
Management strategies for the Mud Bithynia are limited at the moment. The best option is to prevent further spread of this species. This is done best through proper cleaning of watercraft material. Cleaning watercraft and any additional equipment, then letting it all dry before the next use, ensures that there is nothing living remaining on the vessel catching a ride somewhere else.