''Floridobia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of very small

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks that 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 t ...

s (and one species found in brackish coastal marshes) that have an operculum, in the family

Hydrobiidae Hydrobiidae, commonly known as mud snails, is a large cosmopolitan family of very small freshwater and brackish water snails with an operculum, in the order Littorinimorpha.MolluscaBase eds. (2024). MolluscaBase. Hydrobiidae W. Stimpson, 1865. ...

, the mud snails. ''Floridobia'' siltsnails are

dioecious Dioecy ( ; ; adj. dioecious, ) is a characteristic of certain species that have distinct unisexual individuals, each producing either male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproduction is ...

(having separate male and female individuals). Females are usually much larger and more numerous than males. They are believed to have a life-span of about one year. In the relatively warm waters of Florida springs, reproduction occurs year-round. The snails feed on microbial organisms and detritus attached to surfaces. ''Floridobia'' species tolerate low

dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation (symbol SO2) is a relative measure of the concentration of oxygen that is dissolved or carried in a given medium as a proportion of the maximal concentration that can be dissolved in that medium at the given temperature. It can ...

levels found near spring vents, which helps protect then from most fish predators. A study of ''F. floridana'' reported that the increased presence of

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria ( ) are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" () refers to their bluish green (cyan) color, which forms the basis of cyanobacteri ...

in its diet slowed its growth. Cyanobacteria blooms are becoming more common in Florida springs due to excess nitrogen entering the groundwater feeding springs, thus threatening the survival of siltsnails. Species of ''Floridobia'' were classified in the genus '' Cincinnatia'' prior to 2002, based on the structure of the penis. Thompson and Hershler erected the new genus of ''Floridobia'' in 2002, moving 15 species from ''Cincinnatia'', based on the structure of the penis and the female genitalia. A study of

mitochondrial DNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondrion, mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the D ...

in nymphophiline snails published in 2003 found that ''Floridobia'' formed a monophyletic clade, with ''F. winkleyi'' as a

sister A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...

to the Florida ''Floridobia'' species.

Species

Most of the known species in the genus are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to a single spring, a set of springs, or a spring run, in Florida. Species within the genus ''Floridobia'' include: Two possible new ''Floridobia'' species have been identified, but have not been published and accepted as of 2023. ''Floridobia species A'' has been reported from the

Ogeechee River The Ogeechee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 26, 2011 blackwater river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It heads at the confluence of its North and Sout ...

in Georgia. The Waccamaw Floridobia has been reported from

Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina Lake Waccamaw is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,296 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Originally home to Native Americans, Europeans later colonized Lak ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18355658 Hydrobiidae