This is one of several species of Austropyrgus found in the southern half of New South Wales. They are all very similar, being separated on small differences in size and shape of the shells and in anatomical details. They have elongate-conic shells with adults having a slightly thickened aperture and the operculum bears several pegs. Like most species of Austropyrgus, it is geographically isolated and has a restricted range. This species is found around Bega and Tathra.
Austropyrgus tathraensis is most similar to A. sparsus, A. wombeyanensis, A. buchanensis and A. abercrombiensis. It differs from A. sparsus in lacking a simple outer lip (i.e, it is not reflected). From A. wombeyanensis it differs in its slightly narrower shell and in some radular differences while A. buchanensis has a slightly broader shell and some anatomical differences.
Austropyrgus tathraensis Clark, Miller & Ponder, 2003
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Caenogastropoda
Order Littorinida
Suborder Rissoidina
Superfamily Truncatelloidea
Family Tateidae
Genus Austropyrgus Cotton, 1942
Original name: Austropyrgus tathraensis 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 Wapengo Creek, on Tathra-Bermagui Road, New South Wales.
In small 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.
Small streams in coastal areas around Bega and Tathra, New South Wales.
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.
