Pila (gastropod)

{{Short description|Genus of gastropods}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = PilaDiversity.png | image_caption = Gallery of seven species of ''Pila'' | taxon = Pila | authority = Röding, 1798<ref>Röding P. F. (1798). ''Museum Boltenianum sive catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturæ quæ olim collegerat Joa. Fried Bolten, M. D. p. d. per XL. annos proto physicus Hamburgensis. Pars secunda continens conchylia sive testacea univalvia, bivalvia & multivalvia''. pp. [1-3], [1-8], 1-199. Hamburg. page 145.</ref> |type_species= ''Helix ampullacea'' Linnaeus, 1758 |synonyms_ref= |synonyms= * ''Ampullaria'' Lamarck, 1799 * ''Ampullaria (Pachylabra)'' Swainson, 1840 (original rank) * ''Ampullaria (Pomus)'' Gray, 1847 (unaccepted combination) * ''Ampullarius'' Montfort, 1810 (invalid: unjustified emendation of ''Ampullaria'') * ''Ampullarius (Ampullarius)'' Montfort, 1810 (invalid: unjustified emendation to ''Ampullaria'' Lamarck, 1799) * † ''Ampullopsis'' Repelin, 1902 (junior subjective synonym) * ''Pachychilus'' Philippi, 1851 (unjustified emendation of Pachylabra) * ''Pachylabra'' Swainson, 1840 (unnecessary nom. nov. pro Pachystoma Guilding, 1828) * ''Pachystoma'' Guilding, 1828 * ''Pila (Turbinicola)'' Annandale & Prashad, 1921 * ''Pomus'' Gray, 1847 * ''Turbinicola'' Annandale & Prashad, 1921 | diversity_link = | diversity_ref = <ref name="applesnail.net"/> | diversity = about 30 species }}

'''''Pila''''' is a genus of large freshwater snails with an operculum, African and Asian apple snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails.<ref name="WoRMS">{{WRMS species|737455|''Pila'' Röding, 1798|27 May 2025}}</ref>

==Description== (Described in Latin as ''Pachystoma'') Head and sensory organs:

The head is proboscis-shaped, free, large, and transversely wrinkled. Its cheeks expand into two tentacle-like lobes. The aperture is anterior, with folded lips. The mandibles are cartilaginous and appear swollen with strong muscles. The tongue is covered by elongated skin, and features numerous transverse ossicles in the middle, with anteriorly winged sides. The eyes are pedunculated (stalked), located at the external base of the tentacles. Two true tentacles are present, which are very long, bristly, and somewhat contractile.

Foot and operculum:

The foot is flattened and broad, with a subtriangular sole that is anteriorly margined and truncated. The operculum is horny, located on the dorsal side of the foot; it displays subtly concentric folds and a lateral-median nucleus.

Mantle and respiration:

The mantle is large and free; under the neck, it transforms into an elongated, flattened, retractor white muscle. The respiratory opening is large, situated under the mantle above the left siphon. The gills are comb-shaped, right-sided, and located under the mantle. An elongated fringe runs parallel to the rectum and oviduct. The respiratory organ (or respiratory antrum) is very large, dorsal, and sac-like, perforated above the very long siphon. The neck is equipped on both sides with broad, flattened wings, which are almost convoluted into two siphons. The left siphon, situated before the respiratory opening, inhales air, while the right, located under the anus, exhales and expels feces.

Anus and reproductive organ:

The anus is contractile, with an elongated rectum. The penis is exserted, very large, and fleshy, situated under the mantle margin on the right side near the anus (in males). Its apex is attenuated, and its base is appendiculated and gland-bearing; the appendix is perforated.

Shell characteristics:

The shell is right-handed, covered, delicate, longitudinally plicate, globose, and very ventricose (swollen). The spire is depressed or short; the body whorl is very large, and the base is broadly umbilicated. The peristome is simple, always thin, and rarely somewhat reflexed. The aperture is entire, oblong, very large, and expanded.

Movement and habits: Its movement is sluggish. When it needs to breathe, it seeks the surface and convolutes the left wing of the neck into a rigid tube. While it inhales, it flexes its tentacles and slowly retracts its head, receiving air at the tip of the siphon. It is tenacious of life.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Guilding |first1=J. |title=Observations on the zoology of the Caribbean Islands |journal=The Zoological Journal |date=1828 |volume=3 |pages=536, 539 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27486053 |access-date=27 May 2025}} {{source-attribution}}</ref>

== Distribution == Distribution of the genus ''Pila'' include Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia and Indo-Pacific islands. It is amphibious in nature and can undergo summer sleep or aestivation under drought condition. It is generally found in lakes, pools, and sometimes even in the river streams where aquatic vegetation like ''Vallisneria'', ''Pistia'' are found in large amount for food.<ref name="Brown 1994"/>

==External features== When viewed from ventral side facing the columella towards the observer, the columella rotates clockwise or dextral.<ref>{{cite thesis|first=Rojana Smatkitborihan|last=Keawjam|title=The Apple Snails of Thailand (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Pilidae)|degree=PhD|year=1986|institution=University of Michigan|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/303428750|access-date=8 May 2025|id={{ProQuest|303428750}} }}</ref>{{rp|107}}

==Species== Species within the genus ''Pila'' include: {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''Pila africana'' (v. Martens, 1886)<ref name="applesnail.net">[https://www.applesnail.net/content/pila.htm "''Pila''"]. The apple snail website, Accessed 16 May 2011.</ref><ref name="Brown 1994"/> * ''Pila ampullacea'' (Linnaeus, 1758) - type species<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994"/> * ''Pila aperta'' (Philippi, 1849) <ref>Malacologia v.59-60 (2015-2017); Institute of Malacology. - University of Michigan. Museum of Zoology. Mollusk Division.</ref> * † ''Pila assermoensis'' (Jodot, 1953) * ''Pila bruguieri'' (Deshayes, 1830) * † ''Pila busserti'' Harzhauser & Neubauer in Harzhauser et al., 2017 * ''Pila cecillei'' (Philipi, 1848)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994"/> * † ''Pila celebensis'' (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834) * † ''Pila colchesteri'' Cox, 1933 * ''Pila decocta'' (Mabille, 1887) * † ''Pila falloti'' (Jodot, 1953) * † ''Pila faujasii'' (Serres, 1829) * † ''Pila fukamiensis'' Iwasaki, 1980 * † ''Pila gauthieri'' (Jodot, 1953) * ''Pila globosa'' (Swainson, 1822)<ref name="applesnail.net"/> * ''Pila gracilis'' (I. Lea, 1856) * † ''Pila lapparenti'' (J.-C. Fischer, 1963) * ''Pila mizoramensis'' Sil, Basak, Karanth & Aravind, 2021 * † ''Pila mutungi'' Van Damme & Pickford, 1995 * † ''Pila neuberti'' Harzhauser & Neubauer in Harzhauser et al., 2016 * ''Pila nevilliana'' (Annandale & Prashad, 1921) * † ''Pila nipponica'' T. Kobayashi & K. Suzuki, 1937 * ''Pila occidentalis'' (Mousson, 1887)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994"/> * ''Pila olea'' (Reeve, 1856) * ''Pila ovata'' (Olivier, 1804)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994">Brown D. S. (1994). ''Freshwater Snails of Africa and their Medical Importance''. Taylor & Francis. {{ISBN|0-7484-0026-5}}.</ref> * ''Pila pesmei'' (Morelet, 1889)<ref name="applesnail.net"/> * ''Pila pygmaea'' (Récluz, 1851) * ''Pila robsoni'' Prashad, 1925 * ''Pila saxea'' (Reeve, 1856)<ref name="applesnail.net"/> * ''Pila scutata'' (Mousson, 1848)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref>Bouchet, P. (2013). ''Pila scutata'' (Mousson, 1848). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=739934 on 2017-11-23</ref> * ''Pila speciosa'' (Philippi, 1849)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994"/> * † ''Pila tikarkasensis'' (J.-C. Fischer, 1963) * ''Pila turbinis'' (I. Lea, 1856) * ''Pila virens'' (Lamarck, 1822)<ref name="applesnail.net"/> * ''Pila virescens'' (Deshayes, 1824) * ''Pila wernei'' (Philipi, 1851)<ref name="applesnail.net"/><ref name="Brown 1994"/> {{div col end}}

;Synonyms: * ''Pila aldersoni'' Pain, 1946: synonym of ''Pomacea aldersoni'' (Pain, 1946) (original combination) * ''Pila angelica'' (Annandale, 1920): synonym of ''Pila celebensis'' (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834) * ''Pila brohardi'' (Granger, 1892):<ref name="applesnail.net"/> synonym of ''Pila virescens'' (Deshayes, 1824) * ''Pila conica'' (Wood, 1828): synonym of ''Pila scutata'' (Mousson, 1848) * ''Pila gradata'' (E. A. Smith, 1881): synonym of ''Pila ovata'' (Olivier, 1804) * ''Pila hollingsworthi'' T. Pain, 1946: synonym of ''Pomacea hollingsworthi'' (Pain, 1946) (original combination) * ''Pila polita'' (Deshayes, 1830): synonym of ''Pila virescens'' (Deshayes, 1824) * † ''Pila selvensis'' (Vidal, 1917) †: synonym of † ''Selvovum selvense'' (Vidal, 1917)

;Taxa inquirenda: * ''Pila congoensis'' Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927 * ''Pila huberi'' Thach, 2020 (debated synonym) * ''Pila microglypta'' Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927 * † ''Pila pisum'' (Coquand, 1860) * ''Pila theobaldi'' (Hanley, 1876)

==Ecology== ''Pila'' species are a host of a trematode ''Multicotyle purvisi''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Alevs|first1=Philippe V.|last2=Vieira|first2=Fabiano M.|last3=Santos|first3=Cláudia P.|last4=Scholz|first4=Tomáš|last5=Luque|first5=José L.|date=2015-02-12|title=A Checklist of the Aspidogastrea (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of the World|url=http://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3918.3.2|journal=Zootaxa|language=en|volume=3918|issue=3|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3918.3.2|issn=1175-5334|pmid=25781098|pages=339–96|url-access=subscription|hdl=11104/0249438|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

==Human use== The shells of ''Pila'' are used in traditional ethnomedicine for weakness by Saharia people in Rajasthan, India.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Mahawar | first1 = M. M. | last2 = Jaroli | first2 = D. P. | year = 2007 | title = Traditional knowledge on zootherapeutic uses by the Saharia tribe of Rajasthan, India | journal = Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine | volume = 3 | issue = 1| page = 25 | doi = 10.1186/1746-4269-3-25 | pmid = 17547781 | pmc = 1892771 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

''Pila ampullacea'' and ''Pila pesmei'' are some of the rice field snail species traditionally eaten in Thailand that have been displaced by the invasive golden apple snail, ''Pomacea canaliculata''.<ref>''Heavy Predation on Freshwater Bryozoans by the Golden Apple Snail, Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck, 1822 (Ampullariidae)''; The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 6(1): 31-36, May 2006</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/33450 Swainson, W. (1840). A treatise on malacology or shells and shell-fish. London, Longman. viii + 419 pp.] * [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11806897 Repelin, J. (1902). Description des faunes et des gisements du Cénomanien saumâtre ou d'eau douce du Midi de la France. Annales du Musée d'histoire naturelle de Marseille. Section de Géologie. 7: 1-133] * [https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13585626 Lamarck, J.B.M. (1799). Prodrome d'une nouvelle classification des coquilles, comprenant une rédaction appropriée des caractères géneriques, et l'établissement d'un grand nombre de genres nouveaux. Mémoires de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris. 1: 63-91] * [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/10571 Montfort P. (Denys de). (1808-1810). Conchyliologie systématique et classification méthodique des coquilles. Paris: Schoell. Vol. 1: pp. lxxxvii + 409 [1808]. Vol. 2: pp. 676 + 16 ,1810] * [https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25129402 Cowie, R. H. & Thiengo, S. C. (2003). The apple snails of the Americas (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Ampullariidae: Asolene, Felipponea, Marisa, Pomacea, Pomella): A nomenclatural and type catalog. Malacologia. 45(1): 41-100.] * [https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3940.1.1 Cowie R.H. (2015). The recent apple snails of Africa and Asia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Ampullariidae: Afropomus, Forbesopomus, Lanistes, Pila, Saulea): a nomenclatural and type catalogue. The apple snails of the Americas: addenda and corrigenda. Zootaxa. 3940(1): 1-92] * [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51778400#page/76/mode/1up enson, W. H. (1829). Description of the animal of Ampullaria, a genus of freshwater Testacea, with a notice of two species inhabiting the freshwaters of the Gangetic Provinces. Gleanings in Science. 1(2): 52-54.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pila (gastropod)}} Category:Pila (gastropod) Category:Taxa named by Peter Friedrich Röding