European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

The widespread distribution of Euglesa pulchella and its localised threats justify an assessment of Least Concern at both the European level and the level of the EU27 Member States. However, the species is threatened in at least some parts of its range and this should be monitored.

This species is Palearctic in its distribution, mostly in lowland northern Europe. It occurs in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark (mainland) (not mapped), Finland, Estonia, Latvia (not mapped), Lithuania (not mapped), Kaliningrad (Russia), Poland, Republic of Ireland (Eire), Great Britain (UK), Northern Ireland (UK) (not mapped), Netherlands, Belgium, France (mainland), Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Belarus, and Ukraine (northern mainland), and marginally extends into western European Russia (Kuiper et al. 1989, Welter-Schultes 2012). Kuiper et al. (1989) questioned the Iceland records.

Its range extends east out of the European region to the Kolyma River in Siberia.

The population trends of this species are unknown at a European scale, however it is locally declining in parts of its range. It has a very patchy distribution in England and Ireland. In France, it is considered a rare species (Mouthon 2017, Prié 2017).

This species is found in good quality, clean waters, in small rivers/large streams, small disused canals, and drainage ditches (especially those with a flow) (Kileen et al. 2004). It can also be found in springs, lakes and ponds and occurs much less frequently in large, managed canals and slow-flowing rivers. It does not tolerate periodical droughts, absence of water movement or hypertrophical conditions (Welter-Schultes 2012).

The principal threats to this species are pollution of its habitats through eutrophication or other chemical sources, alteration of water courses, changes to flow regimes, over-frequent dredging and the effect of invasive species (e.g. predatory fish). This species is considered to be one of the most sensitive species in this genus to pollution (Mouthon 1996). Climate change is threatening freshwater habitats. The introduction of Corbicula fluminea is known to have a strong impact on Sphaerid populations (Ilarri et al. 2011). The Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) has also been observed as an invasive species with negative impacts on E. pulchella (Doega J., per. data).

There is no known trade in this species.

There are no known conservation actions in place for this species. Habitat monitoring and more data on population trends are required, and habitat management and invasive species control would be beneficial to this species.

In Germany it is considered Critically Endangered (Welter-Schultes 2012), and it is extinct in Bavaria. In Norway and in Sweden the species is Least Concern (ArtsDatabanken 2020, Artsdatabanken 2021).