Vitta virginea (Linnaeus, 1758)

Rogers, D. Christopher & Cruz-Rivera, Edwin, 2021, A preliminary survey of the inland aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Journal of Natural History 55 (13 - 14), pp. 799-850 : 806-807

Vitta virginea (Linnaeus, 1758)

This species is reported as common in the Caribbean ( Quintero-Galvis and Castro 2013), but we found it only in one location. This species was common in the lower reaches of Dorothea ghut, covering large boulders with as many as thirty per square metre. It occurred in both the primary channel and in pools cut off from the main flow. These pools often had high amounts of decomposing vegetation. Between the main channel and peripheral cut off pools, we found this snail in water with pH ranges from 6.5 to 8.5.

Thiaridae Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774)

This is one of two globally invasive freshwater snail species and is endemic to eastern Africa, portions of the Middle East, and southern and southeastern Asia ( Facon et al. 2003). It is widespread through the American tropics, including the Caribbean, where it has been introduced as an agent of biocontrol to compete with Biomphalaria glabrata , the intermediate host of the schistosomiasis parasite ( Pointier et al. 2011; Hewitt and Willingham 2019). It has been reported previously from St John ( Muchmore 1993; Smith and Brousseau 1996) and St Thomas ( Nemeth et al. 2007). It is also a popular aquarium subject. We found M. tuberculata to be widespread in freshwaters of St. Thomas Island, occurring in all ghuts at all elevations, natural ponds and impoundments, as well as in ditches, drains, water gardens, and artificial fishponds in residential and commercial areas. This was the most widespread and abundant freshwater species on the Island.

Cochliopidae Pyrgophorus coronatus (Pfeiffer, 1840)

We found specimens referable to this species in an upper reach of Turpentine Run ghut (St. Thomas). The taxon has been reported widely from the Caribbean Islands, and Mexico south to Venezuela, but it needs to be examined to determine if it represents multiple species ( Thompson 2011). It has previously been reported from brackish and freshwaters in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico ( Ferguson and Richards 1963; Smith and Brousseau 1996).

Lymnaeidae

Two species are reported from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. One we found (see below) the other Lymnaea cubensis (Pfeiffer, 1839) , also known from Cuba, Puerto Rico and St. Croix ( Simpson 1895; Ferguson and Richards 1963; Harry and Hubendick 1964; Thompson 2011) was not encountered in our surveys.