Salt Marsh snails

Code: None allocated

Class Gastropoda: Subclass Pulmonata: Order Basommatophora.

A family of salt-marsh and semi-terrestrial snails, represented in Australia by 36 species in 11 genera. Distribution is widespread for all states, with southern species mainly endemic to Australia and northern species found across the Indo-Pacific. Ellobiids favour sheltered marginal marine habitats where they live on the surface of mud and around the roots of plants, though one species, Marinula xanthostoma , is found in inland salt lakes and some are truly terrestrial.