''Bythinella'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of very small

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which 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 ...

s, an aquatic

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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), ...

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

gonochoristic In biology, gonochorism is a sexual system where there are only 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 c ...

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

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

Amnicola ''Amnicola'' is a genus of very small freshwater snails which have an operculum. ''Amnicola'' species are aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Amnicolidae according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). ...

'' is a close relative, containing

North American North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Ca ...

snails with essentially similar appearance and

ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

. The

scientific name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

means "small ''

Bithynia Bithynia (; Koine Greek: , ''Bithynía'') 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, Pa ...

''"; 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, 1847, is a taxonomic superfamily of small and minute marine snails, belonging to the clade Littorinimorpha.Gofas, S. (2013). Rissooidea. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at htt ...

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 ...

s, and sometimes

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

s or

groundwater Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available freshwater in the world is groundwater. A unit of rock or an unconsolidate ...

, from

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

across central

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

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 ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. In and around

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

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

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and 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 ...

, 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 and inv ...

Species

More than 80

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

and

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

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

morph Morph may refer to: Biology * Morph (zoology), a visual or behavioral difference between organisms of distinct populations in a species * Muller's morphs, a classification scheme for genetic mutations * "-morph", a suffix commonly used in tax ...

s instead of valid

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural 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 nam ...

. Some undescribed species are also known to exist. * '' Bythinella anatolica'' Yıldırım, Kebapçı & Bahadır Koca, 2015 * ''

Bythinella aneliae ''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 ...

'' Georgiev & Stoycheva, 2011 * ''

Bythinella angelovi ''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 & Georgiev, 2011 * '' Bythinella anianensis'' (Paladilhe, 1870) * ''

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

'' 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 ...

'' 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 ''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 ...

'' (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 ...

'' Grossu, 1946 * † '' Bythinella dalmatica'' Brusina, 1897 * ''

Bythinella dedovi ''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 & Georgiev, 2011 * ''

Bythinella dierckingi ''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 & 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'' Jekelius, 1944 * '' 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 ...

'' 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 ...

'' Glöer, 2013 * '' Bythinella friderici'' Boeters & Falkner, 2008 * ''

Bythinella galerae ''Bythinella galerae'' is a species of very small freshwater snail, an Aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Amnicolidae. As of 2002, no living animals had been found. Empty shells were used as the basis for the species descri ...

'' 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 s ...

'' 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 ''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 s ...

'' 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'' 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 ''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 s ...

'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2009 * '' Bythinella rhodopensis'' Glöer & Georgiev, 2011 * ''

Bythinella rilaensis ''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 s ...

'' 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'' 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 ''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 s ...

'' 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

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2929206 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Gastropod genera