Origin and Evolution of the Gastropod Family Pomatiopsidae, with Emphasis on the Mekong River Triculinae

Download or read book Origin and Evolution of the Gastropod Family Pomatiopsidae, with Emphasis on the Mekong River Triculinae written by George Davis and published by Academy of Natural Sciences. This book was released on 2007-12 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes an extraordinary endemic radiation of hydrobioid snails in the Mekong River (MR). The monophyletic radiation involving the subfamily Triculinae, 3 tribes, 11 genera, & 92 species, is larger than contemporaneous endemic freshwater gastropod faunas of centers of endemism, such as lakes Tanganyika & Baikal. The study addresses the issue of how higher taxa arise by analyzing the series of adaptive radiations within the MR Triculinae. The worldwide family Hydrobiidae is polyphyletic & includes 2 distinct lineages, the Hydrobiidae sensu stricto & the Pomatiopsidae with the subfamilies Pomatiopsidae & Triculinae. The differences between the two families were masked by convergence in shell, radula, penis, & operculum. Maps & illus.