Habitats of Molluscs: Canals

Common species frequently associated with canals  in Britain.

Canal

In the South, if the canal is relatively unpolluted and contains emergent vegetation at the edges, together with some submerged aquatic vegetation, the common species most frequently found will be similar to those found in lowland rivers.

If, however, the water is of poor quality and/or lacks vegetation, the number of species is likely to be fewer, but may still contain some of the following:–

The gastropods most likely to occur include:–
Bathyomphalus contortus, Gyraulus albus, Lymnaea fusca, Physella acuta, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Radix balthica, Valvata cristata, V. piscinalis.

The bivalves occurring are likely to include some of the following:–
Anodonta anatina, Dreissena polymorpha, Pisidium amnicum, P. casertanum, P. henslowanum, P. subtruncatum, Sphaerium corneum, Unio pictorum

The nomenclature used in the list follows "An annoted list of the non-marine mollusca of Britain and Ireland."  by Dr. Roy Anderson,  2005 in Journal of Conchology Vol. 38: Part 6 pages 607– 637, which may also be accessed from the menu to the left under 'British Non-marine List'