There are more species of freshwater mollusks – well over 5,000 – than all the mammal species of the world. Mollusks are also arguably the most endangered freshwater fauna on the planet. Yet few references exist for researchers, shell enthusiasts, and general readers who are interested in learning more about these fascinating creatures. In Freshwater Mollusks of the World, Charles Lydeard and Kevin S. Cummings fill that void with contributions from dozens of renowned mollusk experts.

Touching on 34 families of freshwater gastropods (snails) and 9 families of freshwater bivalves (mussels and clams), each chapter provides a synthesis of the latest research on the diversity and evolutionary relationships of the family. Freshwater Mollusks of the World also includes

- a look at how evolving DNA sequencing data techniques help shed light on mollusk taxonomy
- distribution maps of each family's biogeographic locales
- a representative photo and distribution map for each of the freshwater mollusk families
- the latest information on each family's conservation status—and how to reverse the habitat destruction, modification, and pollution that threatens it
- a discussion of the ecological and economic damages caused by invasive mollusk species, as well as their role as disease vectors

Mollusks provide us with amazing biogeographical insights: their ancient fossil record goes back over 500 million years, and their distribution patterns are a reflection of past continental and climate changes. The only comprehensive summary of systematic and biodiversity information on freshwater mollusk families throughout the world, Freshwater Mollusks of the World is a must for malacologists, limnologists, ichthyologists, stream ecologists, biogeographers, and conservation biologists.

Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction and Overview Charles Lydeard and Kevin S. Cummings
2. Neritiliidae Schepman, 1908 Yasunori Kano
3. Neritidae Rafinesque, 1815 Yasunori Kano and Hiroaki Fukumori
4. Ampullariidae Gray, 1824 Robert H. Cowie and Kenneth A. Hayes
5. Viviparidae Gray, 1847 Bert Van Bocxlaer and Ellen E. Strong
6. Hemisinidae Fischer & Crosse, 1891 Matthias Glaubrecht and Marco T. Neiber
7. Melanopsidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 Marco T. Neiber and Matthias Glaubrecht
8. Pachychilidae Fischer & Crosse, 1892 Marco T. Neiber and Matthias Glaubrecht
9. Paludomidae Stoliczka, 1868 Marco T. Neiber and Matthias Glaubrecht
10. Pleuroceridae P. Fischer, 1885 Ellen E. Strong and Charles Lydeard
11. Semisulcospiridae Morrison, 1952 David C. Campbell
12. Thiaridae Gill, 1871 (1823) Matthias Glaubrecht and Marco T. Neiber
13. Amnicolidae Tryon, 1863 Stephanie A. Clark
14. Assimineidae H. & A. Adams, 1856 Hiroshi Fukuda
15. Bithyniidae Gray, 1857 Winston Ponder
16. Cochliopidae Tryon, 1866 Stephanie A. Clark
17. Helicostoidae Pruvot-Fol, 1937 Thomas Wilke
18. Hydrobiidae Stimpson, 1865 Thomas Wilke and Diana Delicado
19. Lithoglyphidae Tryon, 1866 Stephanie A. Clark
20. Moitessieriidae Bourguignat, 1863 Thomas Wilke
21. Pomatiopsidae Stimpson, 1865 Thomas Wilke
22. Stenothyridae Tryon, 1866 Stephanie A. Clark
23. Tateidae Thiele, 1925 Winston Ponder
24. Valvatidae Gray, 1840 Catharina Clewing and Christian Albrecht
25. Glacidorbidae Ponder, 1986 Winston Ponder
26. Tantulidae Rankin, 1979, and Acochlidiidae Kuthe, 1935 Timea P. Neusser and Michael Schroedl
27. Chilinidae Dall, 1870 Diego E. Gutierrez Gregoric
28. Latiidae Hutton, 1882 Christian Albrecht
29. Lymnaeidae Rafinesque, 1815 Maxim V. Vinarski, Catharina Clewing, and Christian Albrecht
30. Acroloxidae Thiele, 1931 Bjoern Stelbrink, Alena A. Shirokaya, and Christian Albrecht
31. Bulinidae P. Fischer & Crosse, 1880 Christian Albrecht, Bjoern Stelbrink, and Catharina Clewing
32. Burnupiidae Albrecht, 2017 Christian Albrecht and Catharina Clewing
33. Physidae Fitzinger, 1833 Amy R. Wethington and Charles Lydeard
34. Planorbidae Rafinesque, 1815 Christian Albrecht, Bjoern Stelbrink, and Catharina Clewing
35. Cyrenidae Gray, 1840 Rudiger Bieler and Paula M. Mikkelsen
36. Dreissenidae Gray, 1840 Nathaniel T. Marshall and Carol A. Stepien
37. Sphaeriidae Deshayes, 1855 (1820) Taehwan Lee
38. Unionidae Rafinesque, 1820, and the General Unionida Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings
39. Margaritiferidae Henderson, 1929 Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings
40. Hyriidae Swainson, 1840 Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings
41. Etheriidae Deshayes, 1832 Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings
42. Mycetopodidae Gray, 1840 Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings
43. Iridinidae Swainson, 1840 Daniel L. Graf and Kevin S. Cummings