Freshwater gastropods of the western part of the Kola Peninsula and northern Karelia (northern Europe)

Abstract

The species composition and distribution of freshwater gastropods in the western part of the Kola Peninsula and northern Karelia has been studied. The explored region lies in the far north of Europe and covers several landscape zones: from the northern taiga to the tundra. In sum, seventeen species were found, for each of them the distribution maps and photographs of intraspecific forms of conchological variability are presented. The taxonomic remarks are also given when appropriate. Gyraulus acronicus (Planorbidae) and Ampullacena balthica (Lymnaeidae) are the most common species in the studied region. Two species ( Ampullacena balthica and Galba truncatula ) have been recorded in the Barents Sea islands off the Kola Peninsula. A single non-indigenous species, Physella acuta (Physidae) has been registered in the studied territory. Based on the results of a comparison of the faunas of gastropods from various areas within the whole territory studied and other regions of northern Europe and Western Siberia, it has been shown that the most dramatic reduction in the species composition occurs during the transition from taiga to tundra landscapes.