''Physella'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic

pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an Order (biology), order, and before that a Class (biology), subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a Respiratory system of gastro ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s in the family Physidae. These snails eat

alga Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...

diatom A diatom ( Neo-Latin ''diatoma''), "a cutting through, a severance", from el, διάτομος, diátomos, "cut in half, divided equally" from el, διατέμνω, diatémno, "to cut in twain". is any member of a large group comprising se ...

s and other

detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts comm ...

Shell description

Snails in the family

Physidae Physidae, common name the bladder snails, is a monophyletic taxonomic family of small air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Lymnaeoidea .MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. 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 gastropod mollusk in the family Physidae. Common names include European physa, tadpole snail, bladder snail, and acute bladder snai ...

'' (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, US, that provides proprietary wildlife conservation-related data, tools, and services to private and government clients, partner organizations, and the public. Nat ...

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 ''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 ...

'' (P. Fischer & Crosse, 1886) - Texas Physa * ''

Physella cooperi ''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 ...

'' (Tryon, 1865) - Olive Physa * ''

Physella costata ''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 ...

'' (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'' (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)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3021485 Physidae Taxa named by Samuel Stehman Haldeman

Shell description

Species

See also

References