Their minute shell is often colored. They are characterized by a calcareous operculum, a lobe on the upper surface of the neck. The ctenidium, the respiratory gill-comb, is very broad. They have a ciliary feeding habit. The kidney has a large extension towards the mantle.
Genera
Genera in the family Bithyniidae include:
Alocinna Annandale & Prashad, 1919
Bithynia Leach, 1818 - type genus
Subgenus Bithynia Leach, 1818
Subgenus Codiella Locard, 1894
† Celekenia Andrusov, 1902
Boreoelona Starobogatov & Streletzkaja, 1967
Congodoma Mandahl-Barth, 1968
† Daciella Wenz, 1942
Digoniostoma Annandale, 1920
Emmericiopsis Thiele, 1928
† Euchilus Sandberger, 1870
† Ferebithynia Kókay, 2006
Funduella Mandahl-Barth, 1968
Gabbiella Mandahl-Barth, 1968
Hydrobioides Nevill, 1884
Incertihydrobia Verdcourt, 1958
Jubaia Mandahl-Barth, 1968
Limnitesta Mandahl-Barth, 1974
Myosorella Annandale, 1919
Neosataria Kulkarni & Khot, 2015
Neumayria de Stefani, 1877
Parabithynia Pilsbry, 1928
Parafossarulus Annandale, 1924
Pseudobithynia Glöer & Pešić, 2006
Pseudovivipara Annandale, 1918
Sierraia Conolly, 1929
† Tylopoma Brusina, 1882
Wattebledia Crosse, 1886
Genera brought into synonymy
Bithinia Leach, 1818: synonym of Bithynia Leach, 1818
Bulimus Scopoli, 1777: synonym of Bithynia Leach, 1818
Bythinia Stein, 1850: synonym of Bithynia Leach, 1818
Digyrcidum Locard, 1882: synonym of Bithynia Leach, 1818
Gabbia Tryon, 1865: synonym of Bithynia (Gabbia) Tryon, 1865 represented as Bithynia Leach, 1818
Paraelona Beriozkina & Starobogatov, 1994: synonym of Bithynia Leach, 1818
