Pleurocera
Pleurocera is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the family Pleuroceridae.
Pleurocera is the type genus of that family.
Distribution
All members of the genus Pleurocera are native to eastern North America.Description
All of the species in this genus have thick-walled high-spired shells, and some attain a length of over. The shape of the shell is elongate-conic or cylindrical. The sculpture of the shell is often carinate or costate. The shell of larger species sometimes develops sculpturing and a small siphonal canal or siphonal notch at the base of the aperture.Opercula are paucispiral and corneous, but may be vestigial in some species, not completely closing the aperture.
The soft parts of the animal usually have a gray or brown coloration, commonly speckled with orange. The similar genus Juga has a seminal receptacle, but Pleurocera has no seminal receptacle.
Species
Species within the genus Pleurocera include:Pleurocera acuta Rafinesque, 1831 - sharp hornsnail, type species of the genus PleuroceraPleurocera alveare Conrad, 1834 - rugged hornsnailPleurocera annulifera Conrad, 1834 - ringed hornsnailPleurocera attenuata Pleurocera brumbyi I. Lea, 1852 - spiral hornsnailPleurocera burkevillensis Stenzel & F. E. Turner, 1944Pleurocera canaliculata - silty hornsnailPleurocera corpulenta Anthony, 1854 - corpulent hornsnailPleurocera foremani I. Lea, 1843 - rough hornsnailPleurocera gigantica Naranjo-García & Aguillón, 2019Pleurocera gradata - bottle hornsnailPleurocera guantouensis W. Yü, 1980Pleurocera nicolayana Pleurocera nobilis - noble hornsnailPleurocera parva - dainty hornsnailPleurocera picta Pleurocera postellii - broken hornsnailPleurocera prasinata - smooth hornsnailPleurocera pyrenella Conrad, 1834 - skirted hornsnailPleurocera showalterii I. Lea, 1862 - upland hornsnailPleurocera striata - striate hornsnailPleurocera trochiformis - sulcate hornsnailPleurocera uncialis - pagoda hornsnailPleurocera vestita - brook hornsnailPleurocera viridula Pleurocera walkeri Goodrich, 1928 - telescope hornsnailPleurocera warrenana;Species brought into synonymy:Pleurocera acutum Rafinesque, 1824: synonym of Pleurocera acutaPleurocera bicinctum Tryon, 1866: synonym of Pleurocera pictaPleurocera conradi Tryon, 1865: synonym of Pleurocera pyrenellaPleurocera costulatum Fuchs, 1870: synonym of Goniochilus costulatus Pleurocera currierana : synonym of Pleurocera brumbyiPleurocera curta Pleurocera laeve T. Fuchs, 18701: synonym of Micromelania laevisPleurocera leaii Tryon, 1873: synonym of Pleurocera prasinataPleurocera lewisii : synonym of Pleurocera acutaPleurocera parkeri Tryon, 1873: synonym of Elimia viennaensisPleurocera parkerii Tryon, 1873: synonym of Pleurocera canaliculataPleurocera plicatum Tryon, 1863: synonym of Pleurocera alvearePleurocera postelli : synonym of Pleurocera postelliiPleurocera quadrosa Rafinesque, 1831: synonym of Pleurocera canaliculataPleurocera radmanesti Fuchs, 1870: synonym of Prososthenia radmanestiPleurocera scalariaeforme T. Fuchs, 1870: synonym of Goniochilus scalariaeformisPleurocera schwabenaui T. Fuchs, 1870: synonym of Goniochilus schwabenauiPleurocera shenandoa Dillon, 2019: synonym of Elimia shenandoaPleurocera showalteri: synonym of Pleurocera showalteriiPleurocera spinosa : synonym of Cerithium spinosum Bruguière, 1792Pleurocera strombiforme : synonym of Paraglauconia strombiformePleurocera subulare : synonym of Pleurocera acutaPleurocera terebriformis : synonym of Pachychilus terebriformisPleurocera verrucosa Rafinesque, 1820: synonym of Lithasia verrucosa
;Nomen nudumPleurocera angulata Rafinesque, 1818Pleurocera coneola Rafinesque, 1818Pleurocera fasciata Rafinesque, 1818Pleurocera retusa Rafinesque, 1818Pleurocera saxatilis Rafinesque, 1818Pleurocera turricula Rafinesque, 1818
Pleurocera gonula Rafinesque, 1831
Ecology
Most species inhabit larger rivers.Pleurocera snails are dioecious.