elaella

Elaella is a fictional genus of small freshwater gastropods created for this encyclopedia-style entry to illustrate a concise, neutral overview of a hypothetical organism.

Taxonomy: Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Mollusca; Class Gastropoda; Family Elaellidae (fictional); genus Elaella. Described species include Elaella marina, Elaella littoralis, and Elaella sylvatica. No real specimens exist; the taxonomy is illustrative.

Description: Members are minute snails with translucent conical shells about 4–7 mm tall. Shells range from olive-tinged to pale gray. The body is slender and the operculum is present.

Distribution and habitat: Imagined to inhabit slow‑moving freshwater streams in the Mistwood Basin, a temperate region. They prefer vegetation-rich microhabitats with fine substrates and moderate temperatures.

Ecology and behavior: They feed on biofilm and microalgae. Activity is crepuscular to nocturnal. Predators include small fishes and aquatic insects; they typically retreat under leaves and debris during daylight.

Reproduction: Species reproduce by laying gelatinous capsules on aquatic plants. The life cycle is direct, with juveniles hatching as small adults; some capsules are brood by the female until hatching.

Conservation and history: Elaella has no real-world conservation status. The genus is fictional, introduced for illustrative purposes; a fictional field guide, attributed to Dr. A. M. Quill, describes its discovery in 2024.