Pomacea

Pomacea
A live individual of Pomacea bridgesii
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Architaenioglossa
Family: Ampullariidae
Subfamily: Pomaceinae
Genus: Pomacea
Perry, 1810
Synonyms
  • Ampullaria (Limnopomus) Dall, 1904
  • Ampullaria (Pomacea) Perry, 1810
  • Ampullarius (Effusa) Jousseaume, 1889
  • Ampullarius (Limnopomus) Dall, 1904
  • Asolene (Surinamia) Clench, 1933
  • Effusa Jousseaume, 1889
  • Limnopomus Dall, 1904
  • Pomacea (Effusa) Jousseaume, 1889
  • Pomacea (Pomacea) Perry, 1810
  • Pomacea (Surinamia) Clench, 1933

Pomacea is a genus of freshwater 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).