Springsnails (herein, genus pyrgulopsis) are tiny (1-5 MM) aquatic snails that are usually found in springhabitats

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will receive $123,316 through a Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 8 under the Candidate Species Conservation program. The University will evaluate several populations of Pyrgulopsis springsnails in Texas to describe any new species based on examination of DNA, shell, and internal anatomical features. The goal is to help prevent the need to federally list candidate or at-risk species by securing key species information. Work will be completed by December 2026 to assess springsnail lineages that preliminary data indicate may be distinct from currently named species. Findings could involve formal descriptions of new springsnail species in scientific literature if supported by evidence.

Nevada is home to a surprising diversity of springsnails, and many are endemic to a single spring.springsnails are often highly abundant (e.g., >1,000 per square meter) in springs and can be found grazing on thealgae that grows on rocks in the water. The ecology of these springsnails is not well known, but their dominantpresence in many springs suggests they likely have important roles in their ecosystem. Other freshwater snails(those with gills and usually an operculum) are known to affect algal and periphyton biomass and nutrientcycling.there are numerous species of springsnails already described from nevada. However, a recent study usingmitochondrial DNA data indicated nevada springs could potentially host a unique species distinct from thosecurrently named. These were previously included in the P. Kolobensis species complex and are referred to as"lineage C" in recent work. Springsnails from new localities cannot be reliably identified to species usingmorphology alone. However, the taxonomy of springsnails is still in flux, and additional phylogenetic researchusing mitochondrial and genomic data and anatomical examination is needed to verify which springsnail species arevalid and describe any new species that are encountered. In this project we propose to evaluate several populations of spring snails that preliminary data indicate may benew species. This evaluation will involve examination of snail DNA, shell, and internal anatomical features. Thecombination of these lines of evidence will be used to describe any new species if they are supported by thesedata.