Neritids of the genus Neritina and similar genera such as Vittina have cap-shaped, globular, or semiglobose, shells with a low to flat spire that is often submerged by last whorl. The surface is generally smooth, sometimes with spines. The periostracum is usually thick or at least well developed. Colour may vary from black to multi-coloured often with distinct and complex colour patterns. Columella very pronounced, broad and shelf-like, sometimes with wing-like projections, and often brightly coloured; columellar edge smooth or with fine denticulations. There is no umbilicus. The operculum is ‘D’ shaped with a smooth glossy outer surface often spirally patterned, with a prominent internal often bi-lobed elongated peg (apophysis) and a low internal spiral raised area or bulge mid-way. Their cephalic tentacles are narrow with the eye situated on a short stalk next to the outer edge of the tentacle. The snout is short and truncated with a scalloped edge. The spermatophores are variable in length, with or without an enclosing envelope or an internal radial thread but never with an external filament. Vaginal duct long and leaves the vagina near the spermatophore sac. Penes are variable but generally an external long curved organ with a prominent lateral or terminal groove, there is never a penis pouch in the male head.
Neritina pulligera is a rather large species (length to about 40 mm) has a dark brown to black shell and an orange aperture. The spire is very low.
Neritina (Neritina) pulligera (Linnaeus, 1767)
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Neritimorpha
Order Neritopsida
Suborder Neritina
Superfamily Neritoidea
Family Neritidae
Subfamily Neritininae
Genus Neritina Rafinesque, 1815 (Type species: Nerita pulligera Linnaeus, 1767) (Synonyms Neritella Gray, 1841; Velatella Meek, 1873).
Original reference: Rafinesque C.S. [-Schmaltz]. (1815). Analyse de la Nature ou Tableau de l'univers et des corps organisés, pp. 1-224.
Subgenus Neritina
Original name: Nerita pulligera Linnaeus, 1767. In Linnaeus, C. 1767. Systema naturae, seu per regna tria naturae,secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. 12th edn Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii Part 2 pp. 533-1327 [1253].
Type locality: Indie fluviis (India).
Synonyms: Neritina petiti Récluz, 1841; Neritina knorri Récluz, 1841; Neritina iris Mousson, 1848; Neritina brugieri Sowerby, 1849; Neritina sanguina Sowerby, 1849; Neritina pulligera sulcata Tenison Woods, 1878.
Under rocks in holes, amongst dead leaves in fresh and brackish rivers. As with other neritids, egg capsules are small, oval and white.
North Queensland and Northern Territory. Additionally distributed in Asia, Madagascar, India, and some Pacific islands.
Widely distributed Indo-Pacific species that ranges into estuarine environments.
Abdou, A., Galzin, R., Lord, C., Denys, G. P. J. & Keith, P. (2017). Revision of the species complex'Neritina pulligera' (Gastropoda, Cyclonetimorpha: Neritidae) using taxonomy and barcoding. Vie et Milieu 67: 149-161.
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Brandt, R. A. M. (1974). The non-marine aquatic Mollusca of Thailand. Archiv Für Molluskenkunde 105: 1-423.
Cabat, A. R. & Finet, Y. (1992). Catalogue of the Neritidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) described by Constant A. Recluz including the location of the type specimens. Revue suisse de Zoologie 99: 223-253.
Davis, A. R. & Ponder, W. (2019). Biogeographic conundrum: Why so few stream nerite species (Gastropoda: Neritidae) in Australia? Freshwater Biology 64: 2084-2088.
Eichhorst, T. E. (2016). Neritidae of the World. Volumes 1 & 2. ConchBooks, Harxheim.
Haynes, A. (1988). Notes on the stream neritids (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia) of Oceania. Micronesica 21: 93-102.
Smith, B. J. (1992). Non-marine Mollusca. Pp. i-xii, 1-408 in W. W. K. Houston. Zoological Catalogue of Australia, 8. Canberra, Australian Government Publishing Service.
