This species belongs to the Austropyrgus rectus group, with members characterised by small to medium-sized, narrow to broad shells, with spires of average length to very elongate, a straight outline and typically flattened to slightly convex whorls. The coiled oviduct has one or more bends, loops or twists.
Austropyrgus rectoides differs from the other members of this group in the following combination of characters: shell of medium size, broad, with flattened whorls; penis not pigmented; pallial vas deferens straight or slightly undulating at prostate gland.
This species is found in sympatry with five other species of Austropyrgus (A. conicus, A. procerus, A. juliae, A. lochi and A. mersus) throughout its currently recognised range, with up to three in any one location. It can be separated from all these species by its larger, broader shell.
Austropyrgus rectoides Clark, Miller & Ponder, 2003
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Caenogastropoda
Order Littorinida
Suborder Rissoidina
Superfamily Truncatelloidea
Family Tateidae
Genus Austropyrgus Cotton, 1942
Original name: Austropyrgus rectoides 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: Tributary of Fixters Creek, at northern end of Brittons Swamp, 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 known from a number of small coastal streams and rivers of northern and western Tasmania, including Hunter Island.
Although most species of Austropyrgus are geographically isolated and have restricted ranges, a few - such as A. rectoides - have wider ranges.
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.
