Reproduction and Shell Growth

 

Reproduction

Bithynia tentaculata are dioecious organisms, meaning they have two sexes. Therefore, they must undergo sexual reproduction. Female faucet snails tend to lay eggs anywhere from May to July because the temperature is above 20°C, which is a favorable temperature for typical growth (Dillon and Watson 2006). Eggs are laid in organized rows of two which can range anywhere from 1 to 77 clumps. Clumps of the eggs can be found on hard substrates such as stones. It takes about three weeks to three months for the eggs to hatch depending on the temperature. Once hatched, a faucet snail can live to be about 18 to 39 months old. The overall lifecycle for Bithynia tentacula is very rapid when compared to other snails, taking about a year to complete (EOL).

 

 

Shell Growth

The shells of faucet snails are beige or brown in color and of average size. Adolescent snails originally have a spiral operculum, but it develops into an oval shape as it matures (EOL). Snails are considered an adult once the shell reaches a height of 8 mm (Kip and Benson 2011). As the mantle gradually secretes the shell, it can continue to go on to be 12 to 15 mm tall and 5 to 7 mm wide. Overall the snail creates five to six whirls in its shell, lacks an umbilicus, has two long tentacles, and a basic foot (EOL). 

           
  

 

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