Hydrobioidea of Poland (Prosobranchia: Gastropoda)

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the Polish Hydrobioidea, which have not been studied so far. The vagueness of both systematic position and relationships within the group is presented, as well as their general morphology and anatomy; the taxonomically useful characters are emphasized. Then there follows a comparative discussion of: reproduction, feeding, parasites and abnormalities caused by them, factors determining distribution (salinity, other elements of water chemism, temperature, water movement, environment stability, substratum, vegetation, competition, anthropopression), ways of expansion, distribution character and inhabited biotopes, origin, and techniques of collection, preservation and study. The key to the genera (Hydrobia, Bythinella, Marstoniopsis, Lithoglyphus and Potamopyrgus) and the keys to the species of Hydrobia and Bythinella are given. The author presents his own concept of speciation and systematics within Bythinella. All the 12 Polish hydrobioid species are described in respect of shell, forms, pigmentation, ctenidium, osphradium, male reproductive organs, penis, female reproductive organs and distribution.

Do diversity patterns of the spring-inhabiting snail Bythinella (Gastropoda, Bythinellidae) on the Aegean Islands reflect geological history?

“…Bythinella may survive some desiccation (e.g. Falniowski, 1987;Szarowska, 2000), which is not necessarily typical of spring-inhabiting fauna, but the snail is certainly not as amphibious as Pseudamnicola. We found Pseudamnicola at some localities creeping above the waterline.…”

“…The genus Bythinella is a group of freshwater, dioecious, oviparous snails that inhabit small springs and subterranean waters (Giusti & Pezzoli, 1977;Falniowski, 1987). The snails have a wide range that extends from the Iberian Peninsula to western Asia and from southern Poland to southern Greece.…”

“…The snails have a wide range that extends from the Iberian Peninsula to western Asia and from southern Poland to southern Greece. The divergence of Bythinella has primarily been studied in western, southern and central Europe (Boeters, 1973(Boeters, , 1998Giusti & Pezzoli, 1977;Falniowski, 1987), but these studies concentrated mostly on external morphology and anatomy, initially of the shell and later, of the soft body parts. However, morphology only cannot be used for the unequivocal delimitation of species because of the limited number of taxonomically useful characters and the high variability of those characters (Falniowski, 1987(Falniowski, , 1992Bichain et al, 2007;Falniowski et al, 2009a).…”

“…The divergence of Bythinella has primarily been studied in western, southern and central Europe (Boeters, 1973(Boeters, , 1998Giusti & Pezzoli, 1977;Falniowski, 1987), but these studies concentrated mostly on external morphology and anatomy, initially of the shell and later, of the soft body parts. However, morphology only cannot be used for the unequivocal delimitation of species because of the limited number of taxonomically useful characters and the high variability of those characters (Falniowski, 1987(Falniowski, , 1992Bichain et al, 2007;Falniowski et al, 2009a). In more recent studies with molecular data, several Bythinella species were identified and also several nominal species were synonymised (Bichain et al, 2007;Haase et al, 2007;Benke et al, 2009;Falniowski et al, 2009aFalniowski et al, , b, 2012bFalniowski & Szarowska, 2011.…”

Pseudamnicola Paulucci, 1878 (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea) from the Aegean Islands: a long or short story?

“…9 Renal and pallial section of the female reproductive organs of Pseudamnicola chia from Khios Island, locality CH02: bc bursa copulatrix, cbc duct of bursa copulatrix, dgp gono-pericardial duct, ga albuminoid gland, gn nidamental gland, gp gonoporus, ov pallial oviduc, ovl loop of (renal) oviduct, rs receptaculum seminis, vc ventral canal the Aegean (Dennis et al 2000;Kasapidis et al 2005). Just as in the central European Bythinella (Falniowski 1987;Falniowski et al 1998Falniowski et al , 1999Szarowska 2000) and the Greek mainland Bythinella (Falniowski and Fig. 10 Penes of Pseudamnicola: A-D Andros, E Naxos, F-G Tinos, H-K Khios (P. chia), L-O Crete (P. brachia), P-S Karpathos (P. pieperi) and T-Z Rhodes (T-W R02, X-Z R06); bar represents 0.5 mm Fig.…”