''Bythinella'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of very small

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks that live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs t ...

s, an

aquatic Aquatic means relating to water; living in or near water or taking place in water; does not include groundwater, as "aquatic" implies an environment where plants and animals live. Aquatic(s) may also refer to: * Aquatic animal, either vertebrate ...

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusk Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Bythinellidae Bythinellidae is a family of small freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the order Littorinimorpha Littorinimorpha is a large order of snails, gastropods, consisting primarily of sea snails ( marine species), bu ...

(according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These

gonochoristic In biology, gonochorism is a sexual system where there are two sexes and each individual organism is either male or female. The term gonochorism is usually applied in animal species, the vast majority of which are gonochoric. Gonochorism contras ...

snail A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gas ...

s are small animals, with a shell length of about 2–4 mm.Bichain ''et al.'' (2007) '' Amnicola'' is a close relative, containing

North American North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the sou ...

snails with essentially similar appearance and

ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...

. The

scientific name In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

means "small ''

Bithynia Bithynia (; ) was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), adjoining the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. It bordered Mysia to the southwest, Paphlagonia to the northeast a ...

''"; the latter snail genus is somewhat similar at a casual glance (though much larger) but not at all closely related among the

Rissooidea Rissooidea (originally named Rissoacea by Gray in 1847) is a Taxonomic rank, superfamily of tiny marine (ocean), marine snails.Gofas, S. (2013). Rissooidea. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia. ...

Distribution

The present genus occurs in

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

s, and sometimes

cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...

s or

groundwater Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and Pore space in soil, soil pore spaces and in the fractures of stratum, rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available fresh water in the world is groundwater. A unit ...

, from

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

across central

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

to the

Aegean Region The Aegean region () is one of the 7 Geographical regions of Turkey, geographical regions of Turkey. The largest city in the region is İzmir. Other big cities are Manisa, Aydın, Denizli, Muğla, Afyonkarahisar and Kütahya. Located in w ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. In and around

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

a particularly high diversity of these snails is found. Due to the limited range and special and easily destroyed

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

, these snails are liable to become

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

Species

More than 80

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

and

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

are recognized at present. However, it is not at all clear that all of those recognized as good species are actually that distinct, and some in fact seem to be local morphs instead of valid

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and ...

. Some undescribed species are also known to exist. * '' Bythinella anatolica'' Yıldırım, Kebapçı & Bahadır Koca, 2015 * '' Bythinella aneliae'' Georgiev & Stoycheva, 2011 * '' Bythinella angelovi'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella anianensis'' (Paladilhe, 1870) * ''

Bythinella austriaca ''Bythinella austriaca'' is a species of very small freshwater snail with an operculum (gastropod), operculum, an Aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Amnicolidae. Distribution The distribution of this species is Carpathian ...

'' (Frauenfeld, 1856) * '' Bythinella badensis'' * '' Bythinella bavarica'' * † '' Bythinella bearnensis'' Cossmann & Peyrot, 1918 * '' Bythinella bicarinata'' - synonyms: ''B. dunkeri'', ''B. lalindei'', ''B. moulinsii'', ''B. poujolensis'' * ''

Bythinella blidariensis ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella bouldouyrensis'' Girardi, 2015 * '' Bythinella bouloti'' Girardi, Bichain & Wienin, 2002 Girardi H., Bichain J. M. & Wienin M. (2002) "Description de deux nouvelles espèces de Bythinella (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) de l’exsurgence de Castelbouc (Lozère, France)". ''Documents Malacologiques'' 3: 43-54. * ''

Bythinella calimanica ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Falniowski, Szarowska & Sirbu, 2009 * '' Bythinella calquierensis'' Girardi & Boeters, 2015 * '' Bythinella carcasonis'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * '' Bythinella carinulata'' * '' Bythinella cebennensis'' (Dupuy, 1851) - synonym: ''B. anianensis'') * '' Bythinella charpentieri'' (Roth, 1855) * '' Bythinella chinensis'' Liu & Zhang, 1979 * † '' Bythinella contemta'' Brusina, 1897 * † '' Bythinella cvijici'' Pavlović, 1935 * † '' Bythinella cyclothyra'' (Boettger, 1869) * '' Bythinella cylindrica'' * ''

Bythinella dacica ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Grossu, 1946 * † '' Bythinella dalmatica'' Brusina, 1897 * '' Bythinella dedovi'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella dierckingi'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella dispersa'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella drimica'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella dromensis'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * '' Bythinella elenae'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * † '' Bythinella elongata'' Roshka, 1973 * † '' Bythinella eugenii'' (Deshayes, 1862) * '' Bythinella eurystoma'' (Paladilhe, 1870) * '' Bythinella eutrepha'' (Paladilhe, 1867) * † '' Bythinella falloti'' Degrange-Touzin, 1892 * ''

Bythinella falniowskii ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * ''

Bythinella feheri ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella friderici'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * '' Bythinella galerae'' Girardi, Bichain & Wienin, 2002 * ''

Bythinella georgievi ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella gibbosa'' (Moquin-Tandon, 1856) * '' Bythinella gloeeri'' Georgiev, 2009 * '' Bythinella golemoensis'' Glöer & Mrkvicka, 2015 * '' Bythinella gregoi'' Glöer & Erőss, 2015 * '' Bythinella grossui'' Falniowski, Szarowska & Sirbu, 2009 * '' Bythinella guranensis'' (Paladilhe, 1870) * '' Bythinella hansboetersi'' Glöer & Pešić, 2006 * '' Bythinella intermedia'' * '' Bythinella istanbulensis'' Yıldırım, Kebapçı & Yüce, 2015 * '' Bythinella istoka'' Glöer & Pešić, 2014 * '' Bythinella izvorica'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella kapelana'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella kazdaghensis'' Odabaşi & Georgiev, 2014 * '' Bythinella kleptuzica'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella lancevelei'' Locard, 1894 * '' Bythinella luteola'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella magdalenae'' Yıldırım, Kebapçı & Bahadır Koca, 2015 * '' Bythinella magna'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella major'' (Pascal, 1873) * '' Bythinella margritae'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella marici'' Glöer & Pešić, 2014 * '' Bythinella markovi'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2009 * † '' Bythinella megarensis'' Bukowski, 1896 * '' Bythinella melovskii'' Glöer & Slavevska-Stamenković, 2015 * '' Bythinella micherdzinskii'' Falniowski, 1980 * '' Bythinella molcsanyi'' H. Wagner, 1941 * ''

Bythinella muranyii ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a ...

'' Glöer & Erőss, 2015 * '' Bythinella nipponica'' Mori, 1937 * '' Bythinella nonveilleri'' Glöer, 2008 * '' Bythinella occasiuncula'' Boeters & Falkner, 2001 * '' Bythinella opaca'' (Gallenstein, 1848) * '' Bythinella pannonica'' * '' Bythinella padiraci'' * '' Bythinella parvula'' Locard, 1893 * '' Bythinella pesterica'' Glöer, 2008 * † '' Bythinella polita'' (Pavlović, 1927) * '' Bythinella pupoides'' * '' Bythinella radomani'' Falniowski, Szarowska & Sirbu, 2009 * '' Bythinella ravnogorica'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2009 * '' Bythinella rhodopensis'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella rilaensis'' Georgiev & Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella robiciana'' * † '' Bythinella rothi'' (Brusina, 1884) * '' Bythinella rouchi'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * '' Bythinella rouveyrolensis'' Girardi, 2015 * '' Bythinella rubiginosa'' (Boubee, 1833) - synonym: ''B. simoniana'') * ''

Bythinella reyniesii ''Bythinella reyniesii'' is a species of very small freshwater snail, an Aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Amnicolidae. Distribution These snails live in spring (hydrosphere), springs. They were long believed to occur on ...

'' - synonyms: ''B. compressa'', ''B. parvula'' * '' Bythinella samecana'' Clessin, 1911 * '' Bythinella schmidtii'' * † '' Bythinella scitula'' Brusina, 1892 * '' Bythinella serborientalis'' Radoman, 1976 * '' Bythinella servainiana'' (Paladilhe, 1870) * '' Bythinella sirbui'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella slaveyae'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella smolyanica'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella srednogorica'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2009 * '' Bythinella stoychevae'' Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella syntriculus'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * ''

Bythinella szarowskae ''Bythinella'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Bythinellidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). These gonochoristic snails are small animals, with a sh ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella taraensis'' Glöer & Pešić, 2010 * '' Bythinella temelkovi'' Georgiev & Glöer, 2014 * '' Bythinella thermophila'' Glöer, Varga & Mrkvicka, 2015 * '' Bythinella turca'' (Radoman, 1976) * '' Bythinella ullaensis'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * '' Bythinella valkanovi'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella vesontiana'' * '' Bythinella utriculus'' (Paladilhe, 1874) * '' Bythinella viridis'' (Poiret, 1801) * '' Bythinella viseuiana'' Falniowski, Szarowska & Sirbu, 2009 * † '' Bythinella vitrellaeformis'' Lörenthey, 1902 * '' Bythinella walkeri'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2009 * '' Bythinella wantanensis'' Kang, 1983 * '' Bythinella wilkei'' Yıldırım, Kebapçı & Bahadır Koca, 2015 * '' Bythinella wufengensis'' Kang, 1983 * ''Bythinella'' sp. 'Dufort-Lacapelette' * ''Bythinella'' sp. 'Padirac' * ''Bythinella'' sp. 'Rogues' * '' Bythinella bertrandi'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella jourdei'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella pujolensis'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella rondelaudi'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella troyana'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella vimperei'' Bernasconi, 2000 * '' Bythinella wawrzineki'' Bernasconi, 2002 * '' Bythinella geisserti'' Boeters & Falkner, 2003

Footnotes

References

* (2007): A gleam in the dark: Phylogenetic species delimitation in the confusing spring-snail genus ''Bythinella'' Moquin-Tandon, 1856 (Gastropoda: Rissooidea: Amnicolidae). '' Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.'' 45(3): 927–941. PDF fulltext
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2929206 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Gastropod genera