This species belongs to the Austropyrgus cooma group, whose members are characterised by generally pupiform to conical, small to medium-sized shells, where the last whorl and base are evenly convex. A. conicus differs from other members of the group in the following combination of characters: shell small, with straight to weakly convex spire outline, convex whorls; central teeth with 2 pairs of basal cusps; pallial vas deferens strongly undulating at prostate gland; penis not pigmented.
This species can be found in sympatry with up to seven species of Austropyrgus (A. lochi, A. juliae, A. stevensmithi, A. smithii, A. mersus, A. rectoides and A. procerus) throughout its currently recognised range, although in any one locality the number of taxa does not exceed three. The shell of this species is most similar to A. smithii, but it is larger and broader than the latter.
Austropyrgus conicus Clark, Miller & Ponder, 2003
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Caenogastropoda
Order Littorinida
Suborder Rissoidina
Superfamily Truncatelloidea
Family Tateidae
Genus Austropyrgus Cotton, 1942
Original name: Austropyrgus conicus Clark, Miller & Ponder, 2003. In Clark, S. A., Miller, A. C. & Ponder, W. F. (2003). Revision of the snail genus Austropyrgus (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae): A morphostatic radiation of freshwater gastropods in southeastern Australia. Records of the Australian Museum Supplement 28: 1–109.
Type locality: Chester Creek, tributary of Arthur River, Tasmania.
In streams on water weeds, hard substrata (rocks etc.) and crawling on litter and sediment. Can be locally abundant. Assumed to feed by scraping bacteria and microalgae. Lay solitary capsules containing a single egg. Direct development.
This species is found in streams and rivers in the northwest corner of Tasmania.
While most species of Austropyrgus are geographically isolated and have restricted ranges, this one has a reasonably wide range in the north-western part of Tasmania where it is sympatric with several other species of Austropyrgus (see Diagnostic features).
Clark, S. A., Miller, A. C. & Ponder, W. F. (2003). Revision of the snail genus Austropyrgus (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae): a morphostatic radiation of freshwater gastropods in southeastern Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 28: 1–109.
