Pomacea

snail genus

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July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The genus Pomacea refers to a group of large, rounded, smooth-shelled freshwater snails, commonly known as apple snails. These snails, native to South America, can reach nearly 10 centimeters in diameter. Their shells exhibit a globose shape, with whorls that increase rapidly in size. While some snails are tiny, others, like those in the Pomacea genus, represent a significant size within the freshwater snail population. Some species of Pomacea can serve as intermediate hosts for flatworms that parasitize humans, causing diseases like schistosomiasis.123

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gastropod
Size range and diversity of structure
The largest freshwater snails, Pomacea from South America, reach nearly 10 centimetres in diameter, and the largest marine snail, the Australian Syrinx aruanus, occasionally grows to more than 0.6 metre (two feet). The longest snail probably is Parenteroxenos doglieli, which lives as a parasite in the body cavity of…
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The largest freshwater snails, Pomacea from South America, reach nearly 10 centimetres in diameter, and the largest marine snail, the Australian Syrinx aruanus, occasionally grows to more than 0.6 metre (two feet). The longest snail probably is Parenteroxenos doglieli, which lives as a parasite in the body cavity of…
Read More