Skalointia

Skalointia is a genus of small, freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, an internal shell that covers the aperture. They are found in the family Hydrobiidae, which includes many other small freshwater snails. The genus Skalointia is native to Europe and Asia, with species ranging from the Iberian Peninsula to the Russian Far East.

The genus was first described by the German malacologist Karl Ludwig Koch in 1848. It is named after the Russian naturalist and entomologist Alexander Skalintzky, who collected many of the type specimens. Skalointia species are typically small, with shells measuring around 2-3 millimeters in length. They have a smooth, rounded shell with a distinct operculum.

The biology of Skalointia species is not well-studied, but they are known to be herbivorous, feeding on algae and other plant material. They are often found in slow-moving or still waters, such as ponds and marshes. The genus is of little economic importance, but it is of interest to malacologists due to its unique morphology and distribution.

Skalointia is a small genus with only a few described species. The most well-known species is Skalointia balthica, which is found in the Baltic Sea region. Other species include Skalointia hungarica, found in Hungary, and Skalointia kochi, found in the Russian Far East. The genus is currently under review, and new species may be described in the future.