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Family BITHYNIIDAE Gray, 1857


Compiler and date details

February 2012 - D. Beechey & A. Mututantri

Introduction

The family Bithyniidae is characterised by the small to medium-sized, globose, variously sculptured shell with a raised spire, thick calcareous operculum, bifurcate penis and filter-feeding habit. This family of operculate gastropods is found in freshwaters of Eurasia, Africa and Australia. In Australia, members of the family are found mainly in the inland, on the east coast, and in the northern regions where they prefer backwaters and billabongs, but they are also common over most of NSW north of Sydney. The monograph of Australian species was published by Ponder (2003).

Alternative family names were used to the group, but Bithyniidae is established in Opinion 475 from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. Taylor (1966) argued that bithyniids were allied to the Viviparidae, however any resemblance is due to convergence (Ponder 1988).

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
01-Jun-2021 LITTORINIMORPHA Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975 19-Mar-2019 MODIFIED
01-Jun-2021 RISSOOIDEA 01-Dec-2015 MODIFIED Mr Des Beechey (AM) Ms Anouk Mututantri (AM)
12-Feb-2010 (import)