Classification

Common Name: Flexed Gyro

Scientific Name: Gyraulus deflectus

Domain: Eukarya
G. deflectus has cells have membrane bound nuclei and possess mitochondria.

Kingdom: Animalia
G. deflectus has cells that lack cell walls. The cells are organized into tissues. These tissues are divided to perform different function. These specialized tissues form organs and organ systems. G. deflectus is diploid and reproduces sexually. This sexual reproduction results in the formation of a hollow ball of cells, which turns into a blastula, then a gastrula (Hickman, 2009).
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Phylum: Molluska
G. deflectus has a head-foot and visceral mass. It has a mantle and mantle cavity, open circulatory system, nervous system, and sensory organs. G. deflectus has spiral cleavage and an indirect lifestyle. It has bilateral symmetry, is triploblastic, and has a coelom (Hickman, 2009).

Class: Gastropoda
G. deflectus has a coiled shell and displays torsion. It has a trochophore and veliger larval stage. Its body consists of a head, visceral mass, foot, mantle, and a shell (Hickman, 2009).
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Order: Pulmonata
G. deflectus lives in freshwater and does not have an operculum. It has a modified mantle, which is used as a lung, and has two tentacles with eyes on them (Hickman, 2009).                         

Family: Planorbidae
G. deflectus is sinistral. The respiratory, reproductive, and excretory system have been pushed to the left side of the body (Burch, 1988). This is due to torsion, where the body cavity is pushed to one side of the body (Hickman, 2009). G. deflectus has a redish color because it uses haemomglobin as a way to carry oxygen through the organism (Burch, 1988).

Genus: Gyraulus                
The height of G. deflectus’ whorl is equal to the height of each side of the organism (Burch, 1988).

Species: Gryaulus deflectus
G. deflectus' whorl outline is not completely round and has a hirsute periostracum. The shell can also tilt to the left side (Burch, 1988).

          
                        This is an image of G. deflectus

The Freshwater Gastropods of North America cites that G. deflectus was classified as a Planorbidae in 1945 by Baker and in 1995 by Hubendick. Gyraulus deflectus has remained a snail since it was classified by Says in 1842. A synonym is Gyraulus hirsutus (Dillon, 2006).

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