Xya variegata (Latreille, 1809)


Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017 [N] Xya variegata: Larva (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Larva (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Larva (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Habitat (galleries in the shore sands) in a sand pit in the valley of the river March where is also found Xya pfaendleri (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Habitat (galleries in the shore sands) in a sand pit in the valley of the river March where is also found Xya pfaendleri (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Habitat in a sand pit in the valley of the river March where is also found Xya pfaendleri (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Habitat in a sand pit in the valley of the river March where is also found Xya pfaendleri (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N] Xya variegata: Habitat in a sand pit in the valley of the river March where is also found Xya pfaendleri (Lower Austria, Drösing, mid-September 2017) [N]

Habitat:
Xya variegata inhabits especially open, sandy shores of ponds, lakes or rivers with only sparse vegetation. It occasionally also occurs in drier environments such as sand pits or inland sand dunes.

Life cycle:
The animals are usually found in their sand galleries. They hibernate and feed on algae and detritus.

Endangerment factors:
Xya variegata is heavily endangered due to stream regulations, shore overbuilding and other negative human influences on its habitats. Sand pits as important secondary habitats must not be recultivated (= back to intense agriculture or forestry, back filling) but should be maintained in an early succession stage with sparse vegetation.

Remarks:
Xya variegata occurs in parts of the warmer Eurasia. In Europe it is found in the South from Spain with some gaps to Greece. In the Southeast the most Northeasterly populations are known from E-Austria and Slovakia. Xya variegata is extinct in Switzerland.



Xya pfaendleri 
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