''Semisulcospira libertina'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs ...

with an operculum, an aquatic

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the family

Semisulcospiridae Semisulcospiridae, common name semisulcospirids, is a family of freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks with an operculum, in the superfamily Cerithioidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Semisulcospiridae J. P. E. Morri ...

. Widespread in east Asia, it lives in China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. In some countries it is harvested as a food source. It is medically important as a

vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

clonorchiasis Clonorchiasis is an infectious disease caused by the Chinese liver fluke (''Clonorchis sinensis'') and two related species. Clonorchiasis is a known risk factor for the development of cholangiocarcinoma, a neoplasm of the biliary system. Sympt ...

paragonimiasis Paragonimiasis is a food-borne parasitic disease caused by several species of lung flukes belonging to genus ''Paragonimus''. Infection is acquired by eating crustaceans such as crabs and crayfishes which host the infective forms called metacerca ...

metagonimiasis Metagonimiasis is a disease caused by an intestinal trematode, most commonly ''Metagonimus yokagawai'', but sometimes by ''M. takashii'' or ''M. miyatai''. The metagonimiasis-causing flukes are one of two minute flukes called the heterophyids. Met ...

and others.

Taxonomy

The type specimens were collected by American scientist

William Stimpson William Stimpson (February 14, 1832 – May 26, 1872) was a noted American scientist. He was interested particularly in marine biology. Stimpson became an important early contributor to the work of the Smithsonian Institution and later, direc ...

during the

North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition The North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition, also known as the Rodgers-Ringgold Expedition was a United States scientific and exploring project from 1853 to 1856. Commander Cadwalader Ringgold (1802–1867) led the expedition until ...

(1853–1856). This species was originally described under the name ''Melania libertina'' by American malacologist

Augustus Addison Gould Augustus Addison Gould (April 23, 1805 – September 15, 1866) was an American conchologist and malacologist. Biography Born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, he was the son of music teacher Nathaniel Duren Gould (1781–1864) who was also noted ...

in 1859. The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''libertina'' is from Latin language and means a "

freedwoman A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...

". ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

of the genus ''Semisulcospira'' by

subsequent designation The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the In ...

Kuroda Kuroda (written: lit. "black ricefield") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese painter * Akinobu Kuroda 黒田明伸, Japanese historian * Chris Kuroda, lighting designer and operator for the band Phish and J ...

(1963) and Habe (1965) considered ''S libertina'' a synonym of ''Semisulcospira bensoni''. The "''S. libertina''

species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

" consist of three species: ''S. libertina'', '' S. reiniana'' and '' S. kurodai'', according to Davis (1969). Placement of ''S. kurodai'' within this species complex was confirmed by Oniwa and Kimura in 1986.

Distribution

This species occurs in: *

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

: continental South Korea and Jeju Island. * Central China:

Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...

, East China:

Anhui Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...

Fujian Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...

Jiangxi Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...

and South China:

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

. *

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

* widespread in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

It is the most common freshwater snail in Japan. * This species was also reported from the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. The type locality was listed as "Simoda and Ousima" by Gould in 1859, that means two localities: Shimoda City in Honshu and

Amami Ōshima , also known as Amami, is the largest island in the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa. It is one of the Satsunan Islands. The island, 712.35 km2 in area, has a population of approximately 73,000 people. Administratively it is d ...

in Ryukyu Islands. Davis (1979) identified the presumed type locality Inozawa River, Inozawa Section, Shimoda City,

Izu Peninsula The is a large mountainous peninsula with a deeply indented coastline to the west of Tokyo on the Pacific coast of the island of Honshu, Japan. Formerly known as Izu Province, Izu peninsula is now a part of Shizuoka Prefecture. The peninsul ...

Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northea ...

, Honshu.
Site 1 in Figure 4
) Miura et al. (2013) studied mitochondrial haplotypes of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' from Korea and from Japan. Mixed haplotypes in Korea suggest long-distance palaeo-migration across the

Korea Strait The Korea Strait is a sea passage in East Asia between Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The strait is split by the Tsushima Island into the Western Channel and t ...

from Japan to Korea. Shells of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' were also found in the Nojiri-ko Formation at the

Lake Nojiri is in the town of Shinano, Kamiminochi District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Second to Lake Suwa among lakes in Nagano Prefecture, Nojiri is a resort, the location of the first pumped-storage hydroelectricity in Japan, and the site of a Japanese P ...

in Central Japan from the age of 27,000 years BP.

Description

The shell has 4–6

whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral d ...

, while the

apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...

of the shell is usually eroded. The

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

is long. The aperture is continuous and the apertural

lip The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...

is simple. Umbilicus is closed. The shell of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is very variable. There are seven or more (up to 12) basal cords (spiral

sculptures Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

at the base of the

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk. In gastropods In gastropods, the b ...

). There are sometimes transverse ribs present on the shell sculpture: 12–18 ribs per penultimate whorl.

Periostracum The periostracum ( ) is a thin, organic coating (or "skin") that is the outermost layer of the shell of many shelled animals, including molluscs and brachiopods. Among molluscs, it is primarily seen in snails and clams, i.e. in gastropods and ...

is smooth. The color of the shell is usually light yellow, but it can be light brown very rarely. The

is darker yellowish-brown. Number of shells is banded with purple brown spiral bands, either with one band, two bands, or three bands. The average width of the shell of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is – . The average height of the shell is – in Japan. In Korea, the average width of the shell of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is 12.55–19.37 mm. Chang Y. J., Chang H. J. & Kim J. J. (2001). "Relative Growth of the Melanin Snail, ''Semisulcospira libertina libertina'' and Monthly Composition of Larval Stages in its Brood Pouch". '' Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences'' 34(2): 131–136
abstract
with PDF link. The average height of the shell is 6.44–9.20 mm. The average total wet weight is 0.24–0.86 g. The average weight of the shell is 0.16–0.62 g. The average weight of the meat is 0.09–0.39 g. The extrema dimensions were measured in another locality in Korea: The total wet weight ranges from 0.30 g (shell height 9.87 mm) to 1.55 g (shell height 22.57 mm). Mineral composition of the shell of this species is as follows: 52.9%

CaO Cao or CAO may refer to: Mythology *Cao (bull), a legendary bull in Meitei mythology Companies or organizations * Air China Cargo, ICAO airline designator CAO *CA Oradea, Romanian football club *CA Osasuna, Spanish football club *Canadian Assoc ...

, 0.77% SiO₂, 0.36% Na₂O, 0.06% Al₂O₃, 0.05% Fe₂O₃, 0.01%

MgO Magnesium oxide ( Mg O), or magnesia, is a white hygroscopic solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclase and is a source of magnesium (see also oxide). It has an empirical formula of MgO and consists of a lattice of Mg2+ ions and O2− ions ...

and 0.01% P₂O₅. There is 45.44% of

citrulline The organic compound citrulline is an α-amino acid. Its name is derived from ''citrullus'', the Latin word for watermelon. Although named and described by gastroenterologists since the late 19th century, it was first isolated from watermelon in 1 ...

of free amino acids (amino acids in blood).

Nelson Annandale Thomas Nelson Annandale CIE FRSE (15 June 1876, in Edinburgh – 10 April 1924, in Calcutta) was a British zoologist, entomologist, anthropologist, and herpetologist. He was the founding director of the Zoological Survey of India. Life The el ...

depicted the operculum and

radula The radula (, ; plural radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food ...

of this species in 1924. Ko ''et al.'' (2001) described the radula of this species in detail. The shape of the operculum is ovate and the profile of the shape of the operculum is flat. Coiling of the operculum is paucispiral. Nucleus of the operculum is eccentric. Cephalic tentacles are short (approximately the same size as the length of the

snout A snout is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw. In many animals, the structure is called a muzzle, rostrum, or proboscis. The wet furless surface around the nostrils of the nose of many mammals is c ...

). The

reproductive system The reproductive system of an organism, also known as the genital system, is the biological system made up of all the anatomical organs involved in sexual reproduction. Many non-living substances such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones are als ...

in a male has the following parts: testis, vas deferens, the spermatophore organ.Nakano D. & Nishiwaki S. (1989). "Anatomical and histological studies on the reproductive system of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' (Prosobranchia: Pleuroceridae)". ''Venus'' 48(4): 263–273
CiNii
There is no penis. The reproductive system in a female has the following parts: ovary, the pallial oviduct, the spermatophore bursa, the seminal receptacle and the brood pouch. The diploid

chromosome number Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...

of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is 2n=36.Davis G. M. (1969). "A taxonomic study of some species of ''Semisulcospira'' in Japan (Mesogastropoda: Pleuroceridae)". ''

Malacologia ''Malacologia'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of malacology, the study of mollusks. The journal publishes articles in the fields of molluscan systematics, ecology, population ecology, genetics, molecular genetics, evolution, an ...

'' 7
211
294. The complete

mitochondrial genome Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA or mDNA) is the DNA located in mitochondria, cellular organelles within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial D ...

of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is known since 2015. Its length is 15,432 bp. It was the first mitochondrial genome resolved within the whole superfamily

Cerithioidea The Cerithioidea is a superfamily of marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod containing more than 200 genera. The Cerithoidea are included unassigned in the subclass Caenogastropoda. The original name of this superfamily was Cerithiacea, ...

. ''

Semisulcospira reiniana ''Semisulcospira reiniana'' is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum (gastropod), operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Semisulcospiridae. Taxonomy ''Semisulcospira reiniana'' belong to the ''Semisulcospira libertina'' ...

'' is very similar species: its embryos are larger and embryos are with ribs, adult shells are more slender, 2n=40. File:Semisulcospira libertina shell 2.png, Drawing of an apertural view of a shell of ''Semisulcospira libertina''. File:Semisulcospira libertina shell 3.png, Drawing of a lateral view of a shell of ''Semisulcospira libertina''. File:Semisulcospira libertina operculum.png, Drawing of an operculum of ''Semisulcospira libertina''. File:Semisulcospira libertina radula.png, Drawing of radular teeth of ''Semisulcospira libertina''

Ecology

Habitat

Habitats of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' include pools, slow flowing rivers, drainage ditches, rice paddies, streams. Kim (1970) studied the habitat of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' in Korea. The water temperature is 1.3–22.5 °C. The pollution tolerance value is 3 (on scale 0–10; 0 is the best water quality, 10 is the worst water quality). High concentration of

cadmium Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, silvery-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Like zinc, it demonstrates oxidation state +2 in most of ...

may affect behavior of this species.

Feeding habits

''Semisulcospira libertina'' is

polyphagous Feeding is the process by which organisms, typically animals, obtain food. Terminology often uses either the suffixes -vore, -vory, or -vorous from Latin ''vorare'', meaning "to devour", or -phage, -phagy, or -phagous from Greek φαγε ...

species and a

grazer Grazer may refer to: *grazer, an animal that grazes *Grazer, a native or inhabitant of Graz *GRAZER, the shoegaze band GRAZER Astronomy *Earth Grazer, Earth-grazing fireball that enters the Earth's atmosphere and leaves again *Mercury grazer, ast ...

. It feeds mainly on

phytoplankton Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems. The name comes from the Greek words (), meaning 'plant', and (), meaning 'wanderer' or 'drifter'. Ph ...

and

detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commun ...

Chemoautotrophic A Chemotroph is an organism that obtains energy by the oxidation of electron donors in their environments. These molecules can be organic ( chemoorganotrophs) or inorganic (chemolithotrophs). The chemotroph designation is in contrast to phototro ...

bacteria are probable food source of ''Semisulcospira libertina'', because δ¹³C and δ³⁴S values were lower than in other invertebrates on the site. There are 0.032 mg/g of

carotenoids Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, ...

in the body of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' (shell exclude). Carotenoids composition include:

β-Carotene β-Carotene is an organic, strongly coloured red-orange pigment abundant in fungi, plants, and fruits. It is a member of the carotenes, which are terpenoids (isoprenoids), synthesized biochemically from eight isoprene units and thus having 40 ...

45%,

lutein Lutein (;"Lutein"

zeaxanthin Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, goji ( wolfberries), ...

12%,

canthaxanthin Canthaxanthin is a keto-carotenoid pigment widely distributed in nature. Carotenoids belong to a larger class of phytochemicals known as terpenoids. The chemical formula of canthaxanthin is C40H52O2. It was first isolated in edible mushrooms. It ...

6.5%, (3S,3'S)-

astaxanthin Astaxanthin is a keto- carotenoid within a group of chemical compounds known as terpenes. Astaxanthin is a metabolite of zeaxanthin and canthaxanthin, containing both hydroxyl and ketone functional groups. It is a lipid-soluble pigment with r ...

6.5%, (3S)- adonirubin,

echinenone Echinenone is a xanthophyll, with formula C40H54O. It is found in some cyanobacteria. It is synthesized from β-carotene by the enzyme beta-carotene ketolase (or CrtW). It has also been isolated from sea urchins Sea urchins () are spiny, g ...

3%, α-Carotene 2%, (3S,3'R)- adonixanthin 1%, fritschiellaxanthin 0.5%, traces of

diatoxanthin Diatoxanthin is a type of xanthophyll Xanthophylls (originally phylloxanthins) are yellow pigments that occur widely in nature and form one of two major divisions of the carotenoid group; the other division is formed by the carotenes. The name ...

fucoxanthin Fucoxanthin is a xanthophyll, with formula C42H58O6. It is found as an accessory pigment in the chloroplasts of brown algae and most other heterokonts, giving them a brown or olive-green color. Fucoxanthin absorbs light primarily in the blue-green ...

, fucoxanthinol, and other carotenoids 4.5%. Beta-carotene is probably originated from

green algae The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...

and from

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blu ...

. Lutein is from green algae. Zeaxanthin is from cyanobacteria. Other non-trace carotenoids are probably their oxidative metabolites.

Life cycle

''Semisulcospira libertina'' is

gonochoristic In biology, gonochorism is a sexual system where there are only two sexes and each individual organism is either male or female. The term gonochorism is usually applied in animal species, the vast majority of which are gonochoric. Gonochorism c ...

, which means that each individual animal is distinctly male or female. ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is

ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous and live-bearing viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develop insi ...

. The whole larval development occur in the brood pouch of the female. Egg develops into the

trochophore A trochophore (; also spelled trocophore) is a type of free-swimming planktonic marine larva with several bands of cilia. By moving their cilia rapidly, they make a water eddy, to control their movement, and to bring their food closer, to captur ...

, preveliger,

veliger A veliger is the planktonic larva of many kinds of sea snails and freshwater snails, as well as most bivalve molluscs (clams) and tusk shells. Description The veliger is the characteristic larva of the gastropod, bivalve and scaphopod ...

, and to the juvenile. There is much of yolk in the embryo.Nakano D. (1990). "A method of embryo culture and an outline of development of the ovoviviparous freshwater snail ''Semisulcospira libertina'' (Prosobranchia: Pleuroceridae)". ''Venus'' 49: 107–119
CiNii
The development from the egg to the veliger lasts 17 days in the temperature 25 ℃. The full development lasts about 8 months in winter and about 2 months in summer. Embryos are without ribs on the shell, but they usually have 1–2 spiral cords. The color of embryo is brown, sometimes yellow. The female has over 80 small embryos in its brood pouch. Average number of embryos is 58–124 embryos in July. Average number of embryos is 222–570 embryos in November. A single female will usually gave birth to about 607–858 during one year. Recorded maximum was 1535 newborn snails in one year. Female gave birth to newborn snails in temperature from 12 ℃ to 24 ℃. Takami A. (1991). "カワニナ属 3 種の産仔頻度, 産仔数と新生貝の大きさ he Birth Frequency, Number and Size of Newborns in the Three Species of the Genus ''Semisulcospira'' (Prosobranchia: Pleuroceridae). ''Venus'' 50(3): 218–232
CiNii
Birth of snails occur mainly in two periods: in March–May and in September–October. Newborn snails have a width of the shell 0.60–0.99 mm (maximum 1.22 mm). The height of a shell of a newborn snail is up to 1.73 mm. The shell of newborn snails has 2.0–3.5 whorls. The life span is about 2 years.

Parasites

Parasites of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' include the following flukes. Some of them are medically important: *

Opisthorchiidae Opisthorchiidae is a family of digenean trematodes. Opisthorchiidae have cosmopolitan distribution. The most medically important species in the family Opisthorchiidae are ''Clonorchis sinensis'', ''Opisthorchis viverrini'', and '' Opisthorchis ...

: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first

intermediate host In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' (symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include a ...

for ''

Clonorchis sinensis ''Clonorchis sinensis'', the Chinese liver fluke, is a liver fluke belonging to the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes. It infects fish-eating mammals, including humans. In humans, it infects the common bile duct and gall bladder, feeding on ...

'' in China.

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

(1995). ''Control of Foodborne Trematode Infection''. WHO Technical Report Series. 849
PDF part 1PDF part 2
page 125. * Paragonimidae: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first intermediate host for ''

Paragonimus westermani ''Paragonimus westermani'' (Japanese lung fluke or oriental lung fluke) is the most common species of lung fluke that infects humans, causing paragonimiasis. Human infections are most common in eastern Asia and in South America. Paragonimiasis m ...

''. *

Heterophyidae Heterophyidae is a family of intestinal trematodes in the order Plagiorchiida. Description: " Tegument covered by spines. Oral sucker not armed or armed by cyrcumoral spines. Pharynx presented. Genital synus presented. Ventral and genital suc ...

: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first intermediate host for ''

Metagonimus miyatai ''Metagonimus miyatai'' is a species of a Trematoda, trematode, or fluke worm, in the family Heterophyidae. It is a human parasite causing metagonimiasis. Distribution This species occurs in Japan and Korea.Chai J. Y., Darwin Murrell K. & Lymb ...

'' and ''

Metagonimus yokogawai ''Metagonimus yokogawai'' is a species of a Trematoda, trematode, or fluke worm, in the family Heterophyidae. It is a human parasite causing metagonimiasis. It is among a few species of ''Metagonimus'' that cause metagonimiasis diseases (other ...

''. * Heterophyidae: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first intermediate host for ''

Centrocestus armatus ''Centrocestus armatus'' is a species of trematodes, or fluke worms, in the family Heterophyidae. Distribution This species occurs in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Southeast Asia. Life cycle The first intermediate hosts of ''Centrocestus armatus'' i ...

'' and ''

Centrocestus formosanus ''Centrocestus formosanus'' is a trematode parasite of Asian origin that has found its way into North American streams and rivers. It not only affects the fountain darter but many species of commercially important fishes. It is also capable of i ...

''. *

Philophthalmidae Philophthalmidae is a family of trematodes in the order Plagiorchiida. Genera *'' Cloacitrema'' Yamaguti, 1935Yamaguti, S. (1935). Studies on the helminth fauna of Japan. Part 5. Trematodes of birds. III. ''Japanese Journal of Zoology'', 6, 159� ...

: Cercariae of ''

Philophthalmus ''Philophthalmus'' is a genus of trematodes belonging to the family Philophthalmidae. The species of this genus are found in America and Australia. Species: *'' Philophthalmus andersoni'' *'' Philophthalmus attenuatus'' *'' Philophthalmus cot ...

'' sp. were found in ''Semisulcospira libertina'' in Japan. * Liolopidae: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first intermediate host for '' Liolope copulans''. * Derogenidae: Cercariae of '' Genarchopsis goppo'' were found in ''Semisulcospira libertina'' in Japan. * Lecithodendriidae: ''Semisulcospira libertina'' serves as the first intermediate host for '' Acanthatrium hitaensis''. Shinagawa et al. (2001) studied the metabolism and activity of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' infected by trematodes. Bacteria ''

Neorickettsia risticii ''Neorickettsia risticii'', formerly ''Ehrlichia risticii,'' is an obligate intracellular gram negative bacteria that typically lives as an endosymbiont to parasitic flatworms, specifically flukes. ''N. risticii'' is the known causative agent of ...

'' was detected in cercaria from ''Semisulcospira libertina'' in Korea.

Predators

Predators of ''Semisulcospira libertina'' include

fireflies The Lampyridae are a family (biology), family of Elateroidea, elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are bioluminescence, light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, ...

, such as aquatic larvae of firefly ''

Luciola cruciata ''Nipponoluciola cruciata'', known as "genji-botaru" (ゲンジボタル) in Japanese, is a species of firefly found in Japan. Its habitat is small ditches and streams, and its larvae are aquatic. It was formerly known as ''Luciola cruciata'' but ...

''.

Human use

Culinary

Japan

This species is used in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

. File:Semisulcospira libertina dish.jpg, Japanese food with ''Semisulcospira libertina''

Korea

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...

, ''daseulgi-guk'' () is a type of ''

guk ''Guk'' (), also sometimes known as ''tang'' (), is a class of soup-like dishes in Korean cuisine. ''Guk'' and ''tang'' are commonly grouped together and regarded as the same type of dish, although ''tang'' can sometimes be less watery than ...

'' (soup) made with ''Semisulcospira libertina''. File:Daseulgi 2.jpg, Blanched ''daseulgi'' File:Daseulgi broth.jpg, ''Daseulgi''

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups, ...

File:다슬기국.jpg, ''Daseulgi-

'' (soup) File:Daseulgi-buchimgae.jpg, ''Daseulgi-

buchimgae ''Buchimgae'' (), or Korean pancake, refers broadly to any type of pan-fried ingredients soaked in egg or a batter mixed with other ingredients. More specifically, it is a dish made by pan-frying a thick batter mixed with egg and other ingredie ...

'' (pancake)

Medicinal

Korea

This species is used as medicinal species in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

practices on

gastrointestinal disorder Gastrointestinal diseases (abbrev. GI diseases or GI illnesses) refer to diseases involving the Human gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal tract, namely the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum, and the accessory org ...

s in Korea. Juice, panbroiled, powder, and simmer from the whole ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is used for cure of gastroenteric trouble in

Jirisan National Park Jirisan National Park ( ko, 지리산국립공원, 智異山國立公園) is a national park in South Korea, located on the boundaries of Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do. It is also located bordering the towns of Namwon, Gurye, a ...

, Korea. Simmer from the whole ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is used for cure of

indigestion Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier t ...

in Jirisan National Park. ''Semisulcospira libertina'' is also used as clear soup with flour dumplings, infusion, juice, soup or as simmer for cure liver-related ailments in traditional medicine in the Southern Regions of Korea. The non-intentional exposure to shell powder from this species caused the first reported

silicosis Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis. Silicos ...

of such origin in 2012.

References

External links

*

{{Taxonbar, from=Q8000629 Semisulcospiridae Gastropods of Asia Edible molluscs Invertebrates of China Invertebrates of Korea Fauna of the Philippines Invertebrates of Taiwan Gastropods described in 1859

Taxonomy

Distribution

Description

Ecology

Habitat

Feeding habits

Life cycle

Parasites

Predators

Human use

Culinary

Japan

Korea

Medicinal

Korea

References

Further reading

External links