| Pomacea | |
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| A live individual of Pomacea bridgesii | |
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Ampullariinae
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Ampullariini
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| Genus: | Pomacea |
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Pomacea is a genusoffreshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. The genus is native to the Americas; most species in this genus are restricted to South America.
In the aquarium trade these snails are sometimes called Pomacea or incorrectly Ampullarius, and in English as "[color] mystery snail" or "apple snail".
Some species have been introduced outside their native range and are considered invasive because of their voracious appetite for plants. Because of this, imports involving this genus are restricted in some regions (including the United States) and are entirely banned in others (including the EU).[3]
Species in the genus Pomacea include:
subgenus Effusa Jousseaume, 1889
subgenus Pomacea Perry, 1810
Because of the potential to destroy aquatic and marsh vegetation in the wild, the European Union has banned all imports of snails from the family Ampullariidae, which includes the genus Pomacea.[3]
Similarly, the United States prohibits all members of Ampullariidae except one from being imported or transported interstate, except with a permit for the purposes of research. The sole exception to this is Pomacea diffusa (formerly P. bridgesii) as it is not known to be an agricultural pest.[11]
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