The Australian freshwater limpets are in need of revision so the classification presented here is likely to be changed.
This small limpet differs from Ferrissia tasmanica in having a more elongate shell and lower spire. This species sometimes develops a septum restricting the aperture as shown in one of the figures. It also sometimes becomes larger, with a detached cap-like structure (the original shell) at the apex, as well as a septum, as shown in two examples figured. This is known as the Gundlachia form (see Hedley1893).
Ferrissia petterdi (Johnston, 1879)
Common name: Narrow freshwater limpet
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Heterobranchia
Megaorder Hygrophila
Order Lymnaeida
Superfamily Planorboidea
Family Planorbidae
Subfamily: Ancylinae
Original name: Gundlachia petterdi Johnston, 1879. In Johnston, R. M. 1879. Further notes on the fresh-water shells of Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1878: 19-29.
Type locality: First Basin, Launceston, Tasmania.
Synonyms: Ancylus woodsi Johnston, 1879; Ancylus australicus Tate, 1880; Ancylus oblonga Petterd, 1884; Gundlachia beddomei Petterd, 1888; Ancylus smithi Cox, 1890; Pettancylus enigma Iredale, 1943; Pettancylus occidentalis Iredale, 1943; Pettancylus dextrenus Iredale, 1943; Pettancylus epenus Iredale, 1943; Pettancylus enigma Iredale, 1943; Problancylus anticipatus Iredale, 1944; Forsancylus divellus Iredale, 1944.
The Australian freshwater limpets have not been revised - it is highly likely that additional taxa will eventually be recognised.
Usually on and under leaves, rarely on wood and stones, in ponds, billabongs, streams and rivers. Sometimes common. Feeds on detritus. Eggs are laid as single hemispherical capsules containing a single egg. Development direct.
Throughout Australia.
Beesley, P. L., Ross, G. J. B. & Wells, A., Eds. (1998). Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Parts A & B. Melbourne, CSIRO Publishing.
Hedley, C. (1893). On the Australian Gundlachia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society, NSW, (2) 8, 505-514.
Hedley, C., & Pilsbry, H. (1895). On the Australian Gundlachia with note on American forms. Nautilus, IX, 61-68.
Hubendick, B. (1960). A note on "Pettancylus" australicus (Tate). Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia 1: 32-38 (anatomy).
Hubendick, B. (1964). Studies on Ancylidae: the subgroups. Göteborgs Kungliga Vetenskaps och Vitterhets Samhälles Handligar Sjatte Foljden B 9: 1-72.
Hubendick, B. (1967). Studies on Ancylidae: the Australian, Pacific and Neotropical form groups. Acta Zoologica, Göteborg 1: 1-52.
Shea, M. (1995). Freshwater molluscs of Sydney. Australian Shell News 88: 4-6.
Smith, B. J. & Kershaw, R. C. (1979). Field guide to the non-marine Molluscs of South-eastern Australia. Canberra, A.N.U. Press.
Smith, B. J. & Kershaw, R. C. (1981). Tasmanian Land and Freshwater Molluscs. Hobart, University of Tasmania.
Willan, E. C. & Kessner, V. (2021). A conspectus of the freshwater molluscs of the Daly River catchment, Northern Territory. Northern Territory Naturalist 30: 108-137.
