''Physella'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater
snails
A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gas ...
,
aquatic pulmonate
Pulmonata or pulmonates is an informal group (previously an order, and before that, a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group inclu ...
gastropod
Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...
mollusk
Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...
s in the family Physidae.
These snails eat
algae,
diatom
A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma'') is any member of a large group comprising several Genus, genera of algae, specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. Living diatoms make up a significant portion of Earth's B ...
s and other
detritus
In biology, detritus ( or ) is organic matter made up of the decomposition, decomposing remains of organisms and plants, and also of feces. Detritus usually hosts communities of microorganisms that colonize and decomposition, decompose (Reminera ...
.
Shell description
Snails in the family
Physidae have shells that are sinistral, which means that if the shell is held with the spire pointing up and the aperture facing the observer, the aperture is on the left-hand side.
The shells of ''Physella'' species have a long and large aperture, a pointed spire, and no operculum. The shells are thin and corneous and rather transparent.
Species
Species in the genus include:
* ''
Physella acuta
''Physella acuta'' is a species of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snail, an Aquatic animal, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Physidae. Common names include European physa, tadpole snail, bladder snail, and acute ...
'' (Draparnaud, 1805) - Pewter Physa,
type species, synonyms: ''Physella heterostropha'' (Say, 1817), ''Physella integra'' (Haldeman, 1841)
[Dillon R. T., Wethington A. R., Rhett J. M. & Smith T. P. (2002). "Populations of the European freshwater pulmonate ''Physa acuta'' are not reproductively isolated from American ''Physa heterostopha'' or ''Physa integra''". ''Invertebrate Biology'' 121: 226-234.]
* ''
Physella ancillaria'' (Say, 1825)
* ''
Physella bermudezi'' (Aguayo, 1935) - Lowdome Physa
["''Physella''". ]NatureServe
NatureServe, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, US, that provides proprietary wildlife conservation-related data, tools, and services to private and government clients, partner organizations, and ...
Explorer, accessed 9 April 2010.
* ''
Physella bottimeri'' (Clench, 1924) - Comanche Physa
* ''
Physella boucardi
''Physella'' is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Physidae.
These snails eat algae, diatoms and other detritus.
Shell description
Snails in the fami ...
'' (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1881) - Desert Physa
* ''
Physella columbiana
''Physella'' is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Physidae.
These snails eat algae, diatoms and other detritus.
Shell description
Snails in the fami ...
'' (Hemphill, 1890) - Rotund Physa
* ''
Physella conoidea'' (P. Fischer & Crosse, 1886) - Texas Physa
* ''
Physella cooperi'' (Tryon, 1865) - Olive Physa
* ''
Physella costata'' (Newcomb, 1861) - Ornate Physa
* ''
Physella cubensis'' (Pfeiffer, 1839)
* ''
Physella globosa'' (Haldeman, 1841) - Globose Physa
* ''
Physella gyrina'' (Say, 1821)
* ''
Physella hendersoni'' (Clench, 1925)
* ''
Physella hordacea'' (I. Lea, 1864) - Grain Physa
* ''
Physella humerosa'' (Gould, 1855) - Corkscrew Physa
* ''
Physella johnsoni'' (Clench, 1926) - Banff Springs Snail
* ''
Physella lordi'' (Baird, 1863) - Twisted Physa
* ''
Physella magnalacustris'' (Walker, 1901)
* ''
Physella mexicana
''Physella'' is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Physidae.
These snails eat algae, diatoms and other detritus.
Shell description
Snails in the fami ...
'' (Philippi, 1841) - Polished Physa
* ''
Physella microstriata'' (Chamberlin & E. G. Berry, 1930)
* ''
Physella natricina'' Taylor, 1988
* ''
Physella osculans
''Physella'' is a genus of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, Aquatic animal, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Physidae.
These snails eat algae, diatoms and other detritus.
Shell description
Snai ...
'' (Haldeman, 1841) - Cayuse Physa
* ''
Physella parkeri'' (Currier, 1881) - Broadshoulder Physa
* ''
Physella propinqua'' (Tryon, 1865) - Rocky Mountain Physa
* ''
Physella sayi''
* ''
Physella spelunca'' (Turner & Clench, 1974)
* ''
Physella squalida'' (Morelet, 1851) - Squalid Physa
* ''
Physella traski'' (I. Lea, 1864) - Sculpted Physa
* ''
Physella utahensis'' (Clench, 1925)
* ''
Physella vinosa'' (Gould, 1847) - Banded Physa
* ''
Physella virgata'' (Gould, 1855)
* ''
Physella virginea'' (Gould, 1847) - Sunset Physa
* ''
Physella winnipegensis'' ..., 2004
[(2004) ''Visaya']
1(2)
* ''
Physella wrighti'' Te & Clarke, 1985
* ''
Physella zionis'' (Pilsbry, 1926)
See also
* ''
Physa''
References
{{Authority control
Physidae
Taxa named by Samuel Stehman Haldeman