Biology:Vittina waigiensis

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Short description: Species of gastropod endemic to the Philippines

Vittina waigiensis
Red racer nerite, Vittina waigiensis from the Philippines 02.jpg
Vittina waigiensis from the Philippines
Vittina waigiensis - Variability.jpg
Variability of the shell patterns of Vittina waigiensis
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Neritimorpha
Order: Cycloneritida
Family: Neritidae
Genus: Vittina
Species:
V. waigiensis
Binomial name
Vittina waigiensis
(Lesson, 1831)[1]
Synonyms[2]

Neritina waigiensis Lesson, 1831

Vittina waigiensis, commonly known as the red racer nerite or the gold racer nerite, is a species of a freshwater, brackish water, or marine snail native to the Philippines and Indonesia (Sulawesi and the Maluku Islands). It belongs to the family Neritidae. Red racer nerites have colorful shells that display extremely variable patterns, which makes them popular in the aquarium trade. They are also known as zebra nerites, along with other species of nerite snails with similar shell patterns.-[3]

Description

Red racer nerites are small snails that only grow to a maximum diameter of 3 cm (1.2 in). They have shells that have highly variable patterns in red, orange, yellow, black, and white. The patterns often form bands of repeating "arrows" resembling racing stripes, which is the source of their common name "racer." Red racer snails are amphibious and occasionally venture above the waterline. They can tolerate freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater habitats. They are usually found in bodies of water with dense vegetation in coastal areas, like mangrove forests and river deltas. They primarily eat algae and biofilm. They lay eggs in clutches of 50 to 100 eggs. Their planktonic larvae can only survive in brackish water. They are relatively long-lived, with a lifespan usually reaching 4 years. These characteristics and their colorful shells make them popular in the aquarium trade.[4][5][6]

Human use

Vittina waigiensis is a part of ornamental pet trade for freshwater aquaria.[7]

References

  1. (in French) Lesson, R. P. (1830-1831). "Voyage autour du monde, éxécuté par ordre du Roi, sur la corvette de Sa Majesté, La Coquille, pendant les années 1822, 1823, 1824 et 1825". Zoologie. Tome Second, 1re Partie: pp. 1-471; Paris, Arthus Bertrand, pp. 1-24 (1830), 25-471 (1831), page 379.
  2. Bouchet, P.; Marshall, B. (2016). Vittina waigiensis (Lesson, 1831). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=850640 on 2017-12-30
  3. Goemans, Bob. "Vittina waigiensis". http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=3861&filter=0. 
  4. "Red Racer Nerite (Vittina Waigiensis)". https://www.dntaqua.com/snails/vittina-waigiensis-red-racer-nerite/. 
  5. "Vittina waigiensis – Red Nerite Snail". https://aquainfo.org/vittina-waigiensis-red-nerite-snail/. 
  6. Yang, Alison. "Nerite Snail Care: Types, Breeding, Eggs & Lifespan". https://www.aquariumsource.com/nerite-snail/. 
  7. Ng, T. H., Tan, S. K., Wong, W. H., Meier, R., Chan, S. Y., Tan, H. H., & Yeo, D. C. (2016). "Molluscs for sale: assessment of freshwater gastropods and bivalves in the ornamental pet trade". PLoS ONE 11(8): e0161130. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161130

Wikidata ☰ Q48971234 entry