Theodoxus fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758) – fourth part – |
Here are displayed various specimens from Balkanic rivers and southern Donau drainage basin. |
Eastern Adriatic drainage basin, from north to south: |
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Zadar area, Zrmanja river. On rocks facing the foot of the Gazin Kuk, on the right bank, east of Ogari. 7,7-8mm. In this place, the water is rather saturated in calcium carbonate, forming small tuff barriers across the river and often coating the shells of the local fluviatilis with some limescale deposit. ![]() Original picture of the river, taken from the right bank, provided by R. Crnković (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
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Same spot. 8,2-8,3-8,5-8,5mm. |
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Zadar area, Vrana lake. Specimens collected on the southwestern shore, Drage territory, near the viewpoint from the pinewood. 7,1-8,1mm. Since the end of the XVIIIth century, the lake is connected to the sea via a channel in its southern extremity; as a result, the water is now more or less brackish, depending of the season. Notice the yellow columellar callosities. |
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Vransko jezero: the shore near the viewpoint. Original picture provided by R. Crnković (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
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Šibenik-Knin Comitat, Krka river. At the foot of the watermill, a little downstream the fall at Kovačić. 7-8mm. |
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The collecting spot in the upper Krka river, where the fluviatilis are living. Original picture provided by R. Crnković (HR). – (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Krka river. Specimens feeding on the organic film on roots or leaves of aquatic plants. Original pictures provided by R. Crnković (HR). – (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Krka river. Speciens from Skradin, just upstream the entrance in Prokljan marine lake, Šibenik-Knin Comitat. 5,1-5,95mm. Notice how the repairs to the operculum of the larger specimen changed the shape of the apophysis. |
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Split area. Jadro river, downstream the dam of the emergence. 7,7mm. |
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Same spot. 8,7mm. |
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Same spot. 7,4-8,8mm. |
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Jadro river, near the outlet in Solin territory. 7,3-7,4mm. |
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The Jadro at Solin. Original picture provided by R. Crnković (HR). – (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Split area, Žrnovnica river. Transition to some kind of “saulcyi”, near the emergence. Sizes: 6-6,6mm. Original image of the snails in situ provided by R. Crnković (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
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Žrnovnica river. 7,5-7,8mm. |
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Omiš area, Cetina river. Blato na Cetini, downstream the Pranjčevići dam. 7,9mm. |
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Lower Cetina, near Radmanove Mlinice. 5,8-6,1-6,2-7,1mm. Notice the egg cases placed on subadults. |
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Dubrovnik-Neretva Comitat, Neretva river. On stones and pebbles at the foot of Lučki bridge, Metković. 8-9mm. |
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Same spot. Pale specimen, live collected. The greenish shade is given by the diatoms. 8,55mm. Original pictures provided by R. Crnković (HR). – (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Lower Neretva river. Opuzen, Franjo Tuđman Promenade. Colour and pattern variations. |
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Same spot. 6,7-7mm. |
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Striped specimens from the Crnojevića river, Rijeka Crnojevića settlement, Cetinje, northwestern Skadar drainage basin, SW. Montenegro. 80-87mm. |
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Same spot, 73-76mm, and pattern variations. |
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Top: a large female from Pogradec, southwestern shore of Liqueni i Ohrit (Охридско Езеро), SE. Albania. 8,9mm. Bottom: a smaller male from the same shore. 7,8mm. |
Donau drainage basin and western Black Sea: |
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Black coloured specimens from Novi Sad, Vojvodina Province, northern Serbia. 8,8-10,2mm. In some aspects, such as the colour patterns of both shell and operculum, this population matches the description and figures of Theodoxus velox Anistratenko, 1999 that are presented in Sands & al., 2020; but the shape differs a little: the spire increasing is less marked than in the almost triangular specimens of velox displayed in the article. B. Žiljak legit (RS). Хвала Бранко! |
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Other black coloured specimens, from Petrovaradin, Novi Sad territory. 9-10,5mm. B. Žiljak legit (RS). |
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Jet black coloured specimens, with some relief and coating, from Akbunar rivulet, in the botanical garden of Balčik, Oblast Dobritch, NE. Bulgaria. 6,2-6,4mm. V. Gashtarov legit (BG). Благодаря Виктор! |
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This dark population has quite small shells, like the one that lives in the cold spring at Lamiña Cave, Camou-Cihigue. Original pictures provided by V. Gashtarov (BG). – (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Durankulak coastal lagoon, Obshtina Shabla, northeastern border of Oblast Dobrich. 7,5-9mm. V. Gashtarov legit (BG). |
— return to part 3 or back to the list — |