Types of Ampullariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, with Lectotype Designations

Abstract

The caenogastropod family Ampullariidae Gray, 1824, is a family of freshwater snails predominantly distributed in humid tropical and subtropical habitats in Africa, South and Central America, and Asia. The family includes the largest of all freshwater snails and frequently constitutes a major portion of the native freshwater malacofauna of these regions. Ampullariid taxonomy is confused primarily because most species were described on the basis of only shell morphology, which is highly variable within species yet relatively conservative among species within the family. The need for rigorous taxonomic treatment of the group is acute, and a starting point for such research is a comprehensive study of type material. With type or possible type material of 20 nominal species-group taxa of Ampullariidae, belonging to the genera Afropomus Pilsbry and Bequaert, 1927 (1 taxon, from Africa), Felipponea Dall, 1919 (2, South America), Forbesopomus Bequaert and Clench, 1937 (1, Asia), Lanistes Montfort, 1810 (2, Africa), Pila Röding, 1798 (2, Asia), and Pomacea Perry, 1810 (11, South, Central, and North America), as well as 1 incertae sedis taxon in Pila or Pomacea, the U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, has significant holdings, for which this annotated catalogue is provided. To stabilize the nomenclature, lectotypes are designated for eight species-group taxa. No new synonyms are proposed, other than as a result of the provision of a replacement name for elongata Dall, 1921, non d’Orbigny, 1842, nec Rochebrune and Germain, 1904. Accounts are arranged alphabetically by original published species-group name. Information in each account includes original name and combination, citation to the original description, current taxonomic status, type material held by the U.S. National Museum (holotypes, paratypes, syntypes, lectotypes, paralectotypes, and one neotype) with catalogue number(s) and number of specimens in each catalogue lot, type locality, and other remarks or additional information as appropriate. All name-bearing types are illustrated.