Common species frequently associated with canals in Britain.
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
- Valvata piscinalis
The bivalves occurring are likely to include some of the following:–
- Anodonta anatina
- Dreissena polymorpha
- Pisidium amnicum
- Pisidium casertanum
- Pisidium henslowanum
- Pisidium subtruncatum
- Sphaerium corneum
- Unio pictorum