Trochidrobia inflata

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Trochidrobia inflata is a tiny freshwater snail in the Tateidae family that is endangered and found only in Australia. The name inflata comes from its inflated shell. It has a small umbilicus (the little opening at the shell’s base) and a relatively tall, pointed shell.

Compared with its close relative Trochidrobia minuta, T. inflata is usually larger (up to about 1.7 mm across), has a wider shell opening, and a taller shell.

The snail’s body is very small and it moves by gliding on mucus, like other snails. Its shell is made of calcium carbonate.

Reproduction is sexual. It feeds on algae that grow on submerged surfaces, including periphyton and epiphyton. The species provides food for animals such as crayfish, turtles, ducks, muskrats, geese, otters, and fish.

Defense: it retracts into its shell using the opening’s cover, called the operculum.

Life cycle: like other freshwater snails, it lays eggs. The eggs hatch after about a week, the young reach maturity in 4–7 weeks, and the typical lifespan is about one year.

Habitat and distribution: T. inflata lives in freshwater, specifically in shallow water at the lower parts of artesian spring outflows. It is endemic to the Freeling Springs complex in the northern Lake Eyre region of northern South Australia and does not occur in other springs. It shares its range with T. minuta and Fonscochlea species.