Members of the Austropyrgus elongatus group are characterised by medium-sized shells with very elongate spires, a straight outline, and convex whorls.
Austropyrgus elongatus differs from the only other species of this group (the W Victorian Austropyrgus eumekes) in the following combination of characters: shell medium in size, spire very elongated, more convex whorls; 4 pairs of basal cusps on central teeth; ctenidium with short efferent branchial blood vessel connecting it to pericardium.
This species is found in sympatry with A. colludens, from which its is distinguished by its more elongate spire.
Austropyrgus elongatus (May, 1921)
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Caenogastropoda
Order Littorinida
Suborder Rissoidina
Superfamily Truncatelloidea
Family Tateidae
Genus Austropyrgus Cotton, 1942
Original name: Potamopyrgus elongatus May, 1921. In May, W. L. (1921). A revised census of the Tasmanian fluviatile Mollusca. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1920: 65–75.
Type locality: Aspley River, south of Bicheno, eastern 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 currently only known from a single location on the Aspley River, south of Bicheno, eastern Tasmania.
Most species of Austropyrgus are geographically isolated and have restricted ranges, and this one is no exception.
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.
