Mexipyrgus carranzae explained

Mexipyrgus carranzae is a species of very small freshwater snail,^[1] an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Cochliopidae.^{[1] [2]}

Distribution

This species is endemic to Cuatro Ciénegas valley, in Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico.^[1]

Ecology

Mexipyrgus carranzae is generally found only in soft sediment.

Water lily Nymphaea ampla is the most common aquatic macrophyte in abundance in its habitats. According to the isotope analysis by Chaves-Campos et al. (2012) it is probable that Mexipyrgus churinceanus feed on water lily Nymphaea ampla organic matter metabolized by sediment bacteria.

Predators of Mexithauma quadripaludium include the specialized snail-eating (molluscivorous) cichlid fish Herichthys minckleyi.^[1]

References

This article incorporates CC-BY-2.5 text from the reference^[3]

Further reading

• Johnson S. G. (2005). "Age, phylogeography and population structure of the microendemic banded spring snail, Mexipyrgus churinceanus". Molecular Ecology 14(8): 2299-2311. .
• Johnson S. G., Hulsey C. D. & León F. J. G. de (2007). "Spatial mosaic evolution of snail defensive traits". BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 50. .

Notes and References

1. Chaves-Campos J., Johnson S. G. & Hulsey C. D. (2011). "Spatial Geographic Mosaic in an Aquatic Predator-Prey Network". PLoS ONE 6(7): e22472. .
2. Bouchet, P. (2014). Mexipyrgus carranzae D. W. Taylor, 1966. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=723426 on 2014-11-16
3. Chaves-Campos J., Coghill L. M., García de León F. J. & Johnson S. G. (2012). "The Effect of Aquatic Plant Abundance on Shell Crushing Resistance in a Freshwater Snail". PLoS ONE 7(9): e44374. .