On mangrove plant, Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia, 23.6mm., 1980s.
The « Spiky Trumpet Snail » is a freshwater gastropod widely ranging from Amami Islands, Japan to Indonesia to Yemen. A popular snail for aquarists, it is often seen kept and bred in freshwater aquariums around the world and has been artificially introduced to many countries in the southern Pacific such as New Caledonia and Solomon Islands. There is some uncertainty regarding wherther the African populations are the same species as the Asian ones, and if they have been artificially introduced or not. Although most specimens carry numerous attractive long spines, it is in fact extremely variable in spine growth and strength of sculpture; some specimens lack spines entirely. It is also variable in shell height / width ratio, the depicted specimen is rather fusiform. The ostracum may be white to brown and may carry patterns consisting of dark straight or zigzac lines; overlaid with a thick layer of dark brown to black periostracum. As is the norm for freshwater snails, the apex is usually corroded away in adults. It is a comrn.on algae-grazing herbivorous gastropod inhabiting freshwater streams as well as some brackish estuaries. Typical shell length around 25mm., very large specimens may exceed 35mm.