Today I went to see the rarest snails in the world. These critically endangered mollusks exist only in a little pond in Banff. Since it's a sulphur hot spring, the whole area smells of snail farts.

In other news, I sold another poem.
https://bowvalleynaturalists.org/natural-history/snails/ #snail #CriticallyEndangered #SpeciesAtRisk #molluscs #mollusk #FreshwaterSnail #WildlifePhotography #PoetryCommunity

Austropeplea (Lymnaea) lessoni, a freshwater snail, is often found on plants and floating on the surface of deeper water, such as stagnant pools and irrigation ditches, feeding on algae. Round, fragile shell 10–25 mm long (papershell snail). This species does not transmit liver fluke.

Lymnaeidae are hermaphrodites capable of self-fertilisation but typically eggs are fertilised in both parents during copulation. Eggs are laid in a gelatinous mass. If you live in NSW and suspect the presence of introduced pest snails in your pond habitat, the NSW DPI State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory may help with positive identification (1800 675 623).

#Pond #Snail #Biodiversity #FreshwaterSnail #Nature #AustropepleaLymnaeaLessoni #Molluscs #Gastropods #NSW #Australia