Current knowledge on the habitat distribution of freshwater snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Bulgaria
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Date
2026-02-01
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Plovdiv University Press "Paisii Hilendarski"
Abstract
This review article proposes a systematic classification of freshwater snail habitats in Bulgaria and synthesizes current data on species distribution across these environments. Based on the Palaearctic Habitat Classification and refined by hydrological and environmental parameters, fourteen distinct habitat types were identified. Analysis reveals that cold-water springs harbor the highest species richness (53 species), followed by eutrophic standing waters (36 species), the Danube River (30 species), and subterranean systems (30 species). In contrast, anthropogenic and oligotrophic mountain habitats exhibit significantly lower diversity, ranging from 2 to 12 species. The findings underscore the critical role of springs and subterranean waters as biodiversity hotspots and provide a foundational ecological framework for the future monitoring and conservation of Bulgaria’s unique malacofauna.
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Keywords
malacofauna, Balkans, ecology, species, diversity