Freshwater Gastropoda in Diyala River: A Study on Diversity, Distribution, and Environmental Variation

, Nabaa

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Proceedings of International Conference on Applied Innovation in IT · 2025/06/27 · Vol. 13 · Issue 2 · pp. 961–966

Freshwater Gastropoda in Diyala River: A Study on Diversity, Distribution, and Environmental Variation

Nabaa Rashid Azeez and Khansaa S. Farman

📄 Download PDF DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.25673/120628">10.25673/120628</a>

Abstract

This field study investigated the diversity, spatiotemporal distribution, and environmental relations of freshwater gastropods in the Diyala River (Iraq). Monthly surveys were conducted from September 2024 to March 2025 at three stream sites (Mahroot, Al-Saria, Rose), recording gastropod densities and water quality variables (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and electrical conductivity). Six gastropod species were identified: Physa acuta, Melanopsis costata, Theodoxus jordani, Melanoides tuberculata, Bellamya bengalensis, and Lymnaea sp., with species richness varying from 4 to 6 across sites. The most abundant taxa were Melanoides tuberculata and Bellamya bengalensis. In contrast, Melanopsis costata and Theodoxus jordani were exclusive to Al-Saria in late winter. Community structure changed seasonally, with Melanoides tuberculata peaking in autumn and Bellamya bengalensis, Lymnaea sp., and Physa acuta increasing in winter. Temperature ranged from

Keywords

Freshwater Gastropods Snails Diversity Environmental Factors Diyala River.

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