Finding of the regionally extremely rare spring snail <i>Marstoniopsis insubrica </i>(Gastropoda: Amnicolidae) in the Olshanka River and its conservation status in Ukraine

Abstract

Though spring snail Marstoniopsis insubrica is widespread in Europe it has been rarely recorded in Ukraine yet only in the northwestern part. Newly found specimen of M. insubrica in the central part of Ukraine (Olshanka River, middle part of the Dnieper basin) extending the south-eastern limit of the species distribution range. All known records of M. insubrica in Ukraine are restricted to several isolated occurrences and snails are occurring solitary. As of today only few specimens accumulated in the Ukrainian museums collections over the century. It evidences this is regionally extremely rare species. Considering rarity, populations’ low-density and occurrences on a very edge of the species natural range M. insubrica we recommend to include this species into the next edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine with an endangered conservation status.