Types of Ampullariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

ABSTRACT. The Ampullariidae Gray, 1824 constitute a family of freshwater caenogastropods predominantly distributed in humid tropical and subtropical habitats in Africa, South and Central America and Asia. They include the largest of all freshwater snails and frequently comprise a major portion of the native freshwater mollusc faunas of these regions. Ampullariid taxonomy is confused, primarily because most species were described on the basis of shell morphology alone, which is highly variable within species yet relatively conservative among species within the family. The need for rigorous taxonomic treatment of the group is acute and the basis for such research is comprehensive study of type material. With type or possible type material of 31 nominal species-group taxa of Ampullariidae, belonging to the genera Felipponea Dall, 1919 (1 taxon, South America), Lanistes Montfort, 1810 (6 taxa, Africa), Marisa Gray, 1824 (1, South America), Pila Roding, 1798 (1, Asia; 4 Africa), and Pomacea Perry, 1810 (17, So...