Range Description

This is a widespread species in Europe according to Fauna Europea (Bank et al, 2006). Some older distributional data might refer to B. troscheli which is now considered to be a distinct species. Fauna Europaea lists the following countries: Austria, Balearis Islands, Belgium, U.K. - Great Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Serbia.

Czech Republic: Bithynia leachii (Sheppard, 1823) and Bithynia troschelii (Paasch, 1842) are both recorded in the Czech Republic, where both species are restricted to South Moravia; in the floodplains along the Morava River and the Dyje River where both species are very rare.
UK: Bithynia leachii (Sheppard, 1823) is widespread in lowland rivers, but is believed to have declined over the last 50 years (Killeen, pers. comm, 2009). Slovakia: Mainly the Danube and Morava River. Also in the Latorica River and slow flooding canals and oxbows, and fishponds.Germany: Common in the north part. In the southern part only in the River Rhein, Neckar and Chiemsee.
Bulgaria: Bithynia rumelica Wohlberedt, 1911 was considered a synonym of Bithynia (Codiella) leachii by Angelov (2000). Georgiev (2010) noted that it was described as a new species from a thermal spring (water temperature 20° C) in the Rhodopes Mountains near the town of Krichim (Wohlberedt, 1911). The only known such spring is Krichimski Vircheta, near the Vacha River.

This species has a Palaearctic range, occurring principally in the lowlands of northern, central and eastern Europe plus southern Scandinavia. It is widespread within its known range in Europe from Scandinavia to the Iberian Penisula, and from Eire to Ukraine.