Bythinella austriaca ( Frauenfeld, 1857 )

Marković, Vanja, Gojšina, Vukašin, Novaković, Boris, Božanić, Milenka, Stojanović, Katarina, Karan-Žnidaršič, Tamara & Živić, Ivana, 2021, The freshwater molluscs of Serbia: Annotated checklist with remarks on distribution and protection status, Zootaxa 5003 (1), pp. 1-64 : 14

11. Bythinella austriaca ( Frauenfeld, 1857)

Findings in Serbia.

Bythinella austriaca: Filipović (1954) ; Tomić (1959).

Common name. Austrian spring snail.

Morphology. Minute snails (ovoid cylindric shell up to 3 mm high). It has 3.5–4.5 regularly increasing whorls separated by deep suture almost perpendicular to the columella and blunt apex. More details in Glöer (2002: 164, figs 198–201).

Distribution and ecology. Central European species preferring cold clean waters with increased carbonate levels (in springs and adjacent brook systems) ( Sturm 2016). In Serbia, it has been reported from few springs (Vrujci, Čočića vrelo and Široke Luke Springs) from central and eastern Serbia.

Other remarks. A wider distribution range of this species, accompanied with quite narrow ecological preferences, low dispersal ability and highly isolated habitats ( Benke et al. 2009; Beran 2010; Sturm 2016), brings possibility for intraspecific diversification. In that regard Glöer (2002) has distinguished four subspecies. On the IUCN Red List it has been assessed as LC ( Fehér et al. 2010).