''Pachychilus'',

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contra ...

the jute snails, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which 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 ...

s with an operculum, aquatic gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is es ...

in the family

Pachychilidae Pachychilidae, common name pachychilids, is a taxonomic family of freshwater snails, gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha.Gofas, S. (2014). Pachychilidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies. ...

. ''Pachychilus'' is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nomina ...

of the family Pachychilidae.

Distribution

The distribution of species in the genus ''Pachychilus'' includes: *

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

(2 species),

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

, and others.

Species

Species within the genus ''Pachychilus'' include: * † ''

Pachychilus anagrammatus ''Pachychilus anagrammatus'' was a species of freshwater snail during the Pliocene or Upper Miocene that lived in what is now Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States ...

'' Dall, 1913 * ''

Pachychilus apheles ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' F. G. Thompson, 1967 * ''

Pachychilus apis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (I. Lea & H. C. Lea, 1851) * ''

Pachychilus atratus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * † ''

Pachychilus caboblanquensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' Weisbord, 1962 * † ''

Pachychilus cancelloides ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Aldrich, 1911) * † ''

Pachychilus canoasensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' Olsson, 1931 * ''

Pachychilus chrysalis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Brot, 1872) * ''

Pachychilus cinereus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Morelet, 1849) * ''

Pachychilus conicus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (d'Orbigny, 1842) * '' Pachychilus corpulentus'' F. G. Thompson, 1967 * ''

Pachychilus corvinus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Morelet, 1849) * '' Pachychilus cumingii'' I. Lea & H. C. Lea, 1851 * ''

Pachychilus dalli ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry, 1896 * † ''

Pachychilus dimorphica ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Woods, 1922) * ''

Pachychilus explicatus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' P. Fischer & Crosse, 1892 * ''

Pachychilus fuentesi ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Aguayo, 1936 * † ''

Pachychilus fulvus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' Garvie, 2013 † * ''

Pachychilus gassiesii ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Reeve, 1860) * '' Pachychilus glaphyrus'' (Morelet, 1849) * ''

Pachychilus godmanni ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Tristram, 1863) * '' Pachychilus gracilis'' Tristram, 1864 * † ''

Pachychilus gracillimus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Pilsbry & Olsson, 1935) * ''

Pachychilus graphium ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Morelet, 1849) * ''

Pachychilus hellerii ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Brot, 1872) * '' Pachychilus hinkleyi'' (W. B. Marshall, 1920) * ''

Pachychilus humerosus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an Operculum (gastropod), operculum, aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachy ...

'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * ''

Pachychilus immanis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Morelet, 1851) * ''

Pachychilus indiorum ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Morelet, 1849

* '' Pachychilus intermedius'' (von dem Busch, 1844) * ''

Pachychilus jansoni ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' H. Adams, 1871 * ''

Pachychilus lacustris ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Morelet, 1849) * '' Pachychilus laevisimus'' (G.B. Sowerby I, 1824) * ''

Pachychilus largillierti ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Philippi, 1843) * ''

Pachychilus larvatus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Brot, 1877) * ''

Pachychilus liebmanni ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Philippi, 1848) * ''

Pachychilus moctezumensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an Operculum (gastropod), operculum, aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachy ...

'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * ''

Pachychilus monachus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * '' Pachychilus nigratus'' (Poey, 1858) - endemic to Villa Clara, CubaVázquez A. A. & Perera S. (2010). "Endemic Freshwater molluscs of Cuba and their conservation status". ''

Tropical Conservation Science Mongabay (mongabay.com) is a conservation news web portal that reports on environmental science, energy, and green design, and features extensive information on tropical rainforests, including pictures and deforestation statistics for countr ...

'' 3(2): 190-199
HTMPDF
* '' Pachychilus obeliscus'' (Reeve, 1861) * ''

Pachychilus oerstedii ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Mörch, 1861 * ''

Pachychilus olssoni ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry, 1950 * ''

Pachychilus panucula ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Morelet, 1851) * ''

Pachychilus pasionensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry, 1956 * '' Pachychilus pilsbryi'' E. von Martens, 1899 * ''

Pachychilus planensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (I. Lea, 1858) * '' Pachychilus pleurotoma'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * '' Pachychilus pluristriatus'' (Say, 1831) * ''

Pachychilus polygonatus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (I. Lea & H. C. Lea, 1851) * '' Pachychilus potomarchus'' Pilsbry, 1893 * ''

Pachychilus pottsianus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Hinkley, 1920 * ''

Pachychilus pyramidalis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Morelet, 1849) * ''

Pachychilus radix ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Brot, 1872) * ''

Pachychilus rasconensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Thiele, 1928 * ''

Pachychilus rivorosai ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry, 1893 * ''

Pachychilus rubidus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (I. Lea, 1857) * ''

Pachychilus rusticulus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (von dem Busch, 1858) * ''

Pachychilus salvini ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Tristram, 1863) * ''

Pachychilus sargi ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1875) * † '' Pachychilus satillensis'' (Aldrich, 1911) * '' Pachychilus saussurei'' (Brot, 1860) * '' Pachychilus schiedeanus'' (Philippi, 1843) * ''

Pachychilus schumoi ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Pilsbry, 1931 * ''

Pachychilus subexaratus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Crosse & P. Fischer, 1891 * ''

Pachychilus subnodosus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (Philippi, 1847) * '' Pachychilus suturalis'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * † ''

Pachychilus tarataranoides ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an Operculum (gastropod), operculum, aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachy ...

'' (O. Haas, 1942) * † ''

Pachychilus terebriformis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' (J. Morris, 1859) * ''

Pachychilus tristis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910 * ''

Pachychilus turati ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

'' (A. Villa & G. B. Villa, 1854) * ''

Pachychilus vallesensis ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Hinkley, 1907 subgenus '' Pachychiloides'' Wenz, 1939 * † ''

Pachychilus lawtoni ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The dis ...

'' Perrilliat, Vega, Espinosa & Naranjo-Garcia, 2008Perrilliat M. D. C., Vega F. J., Espinosa B. & Naranjo-Garcia E. (2008). "Late Cretaceous and Paleogene Freshwater Gastropods from Northeastern Mexico". ''

Journal of Paleontology The ''Journal of Paleontology'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering the field of paleontology. It is published by the Paleontological Society. Indexing The ''Journal of Paleontology'' is indexed in: *BIOSIS Previews *Science Citatio ...

'' 82(2): 255-266. . - fossil from Northeastern Mexico ;Species brought into synonymy: * ''Pachychilus aquatilis'' (Reeve, 1859): synonym of ''

Doryssa aquatilis ''Doryssa'' is a genus of freshwater snails which have an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pachychilidae. Distribution These freshwater snails are endemic to South America. Species Species within the genus ''Doryssa'' i ...

'' (Reeve, 1859) * ''Pachychilus drakei'' Arnold & Hannibal in Hannibal, 1912 †: synonym of ''

Goniobasis drakei ''Pleurocera'' is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae.Neubauer, Thomas A. (2014). Pleurocera Rafinesque, 1818. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www ...

'' (Arnold & Hannibal in Hannibal, 1912) † (new combination) * ''Pachychilus glaphyra'' (Morelet, 1849): synonym of ''Pachychilus glaphyrus'' (Morelet, 1849) (incorrect gender of species epithet) * ''Pachychilus indifferens'' Crosse & P. Fischer, 1891: synonym of ''Pachychilus corvinus indifferens'' Crosse & P. Fischer, 1891 (unaccepted rank) * ''Pachychilus lawsoni'' Hannibal, 1912 †: synonym of ''

Lymnaea lawsoni ''Lymnaea'' is a genus of small to large-sized air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Lymnaeinae ( of the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.Bouchet, P.; Rosenberg, G. (2013). Lymnaea Lamarck, 179 ...

'' (Hannibal, 1912) † (new combination) * ''Pachychilus parvum'' I. Lea, 1857: synonym of '' Rehderiella parva'' (I. Lea, 1857) (original combination) * ''Pachychilus pila'' Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910: synonym of '' Amnipila pila'' (Pilsbry & Hinkley, 1910) (original combination) * ''Pachychilus renovatus'' (Brot, 1862): synonym of ''Pachychilus cumingii'' I. Lea & H. C. Lea, 1851 (replacement name for Pachychilus cumingii I. Lea & H. C. Lea, 1851 as a secondary homonym) * ''Pachychilus reticancellata'' ic†: synonym of ''Pachychilus recticancellata'' (Kobayashi & Suzuki, 1939) † (incorrect subsequent spelling) * ''Pachychilus suavis'' Dall, 1913 †: synonym of ''

Goniobasis suavis ''Pleurocera'' is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pleuroceridae.Neubauer, Thomas A. (2014). Pleurocera Rafinesque, 1818. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www ...

'' (Dall, 1913) † * ''Pachychilus tristrami'' Crosse & P. Fischer, 1892: synonym of ''Pachychilus gracilis'' Tristram, 1864 (invalid: unnecessary replacement name for ''Pachychilus gracilis'') * ''Pachychilus violaceus'' (Preston, 1911) - endemic to the area from

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains ...

Baracoa Baracoa, whose full original name is: ''Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa'' (“Our Lady of the Assumption of Baracoa”), is a municipality and city in Guantánamo Province near the eastern tip of Cuba. It was visited by Admiral Christop ...

, Cuba: synonym of ''Pachychilus nigratus'' (Poey, 1858) (junior synonym) * ''Pachychilus vulneratus'' P. Fischer & Crosse, 1892: synonym of ''Pachychilus chrysalis'' (Brot, 1872) (junior synonym)

Human use

One of the

Maya peoples The Maya peoples () are an ethnolinguistic group of indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. The ancient Maya civilization was formed by members of this group, and today's Maya are generally descended from people who lived within that historical re ...

, the

Lacandon people The Lacandon are one of the Maya peoples who live in the Jungle (terrain), jungles of the Mexican state of Chiapas, near the southern border with Guatemala. Their homeland, the Lacandon Jungle, lies along the Mexican side of the Usumacinta River ...

, now Mexico's native peoples from state

Chiapas Chiapas (; Tzotzil and Tzeltal: ''Chyapas'' ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas), is one of the states that make up the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 124 municipalities ...

, use the Chiapas species

, known locally as "t’unu", as a type of protein supplement to their diet when animal protein is unavailable.Nations J. D. (1979). ''Snail Shells and Maize Preparation: A Lacandon Maya Analogy''.

American Antiquity The professional journal ''American Antiquity'' is published by Cambridge University Press for the Society for American Archaeology, an organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas. The journal is considered to be the flagship j ...

44.3: 568-571. In addition, the shells from this "chuti" snail have great nutritional value, as they provide

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

and slaked

lime Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a color between yellow and green Lime may also refer to: Botany ...

when burnt. They are often preferred as a lime source over local limestone or other freshwater snail species for their purity as an alkali. The slaked lime is added to

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn ( North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. ...

during the process of making maize dough for tortillas, pozole, and other foods. Slaked lime allows the release of

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha ...

s such as

tryptophan Tryptophan (symbol Trp or W) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Tryptophan contains an α-amino group, an α-carboxylic acid group, and a side chain indole, making it a polar molecule with a non-polar aromati ...

and

lysine Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated &minu ...

and the vitamin

niacin Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...

, which would otherwise be unavailable from the maize (unable to be metabolized) if the lime were not added.

References

External links

Lea, I.; Lea, H. C. (1851). Description of a new genus of the family Melaniana, and of many new species of the genus Melania, chiefly collected by Hugh Cuming, Esq., during his zoological voyage in the East , and now first described. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 18: 179-197

Pilsbry, H. A. (1893). Notes on a collection of shells from the State of Tabasco, Mexico. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 44: 338-341, pl. 14

Fischer, P. & Crosse, H. (1870-1902). Études sur les mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles du Mexique et du Guatemala. Mission scientifique au Mexique et dans l'Amerique Centrale. Recherches zoologiques, Partie 7 Volume 1: 702 pp., pls 1-31; volume 2: 731 pp., pls 32-72. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale. Published in 17 livraisons
{{Commons category

Pachychilus ''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae. ''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae. Distribution The distri ...

Taxa named by Isaac Lea Gastropod genera