Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863): a freshwater snail cryptic invader in Brazil revealed by morphological and molecular data

The results of our study confirm the occurrence of the cryptic invader Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) in Brazil, a species of worldwide geographical distribution and with poorly known morphology that is pervasive in several countries. Specimens were collected in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. We describe their morphology, and analyze the similarity of haplotypes generated from these samples with those previously obtained for F. fragilis. Shell morphology was compared by light and scanning microscopy. Soft parts of stained dissected specimens were studied under the stereomicroscope. Molecular analysis was performed on three specimens from each sample using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene. Based on a comprehensive analysis, including both morphological and molecular methodologies, we were able to identify the examined specimens as F. fragilis.