Physella 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 .
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 in the genus include:
Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) - Pewter Physa , type species, synonyms: Physella heterostropha (Say, 1817), Physella integra (Haldeman , 1841)Physella ancillaria (Say, 1825)Physella bermudezi (Aguayo, 1935) - Lowdome PhysaPhysella bottimeri (Clench, 1924) - Comanche PhysaPhysella boucardi (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1881) - Desert PhysaPhysella columbiana (Hemphill, 1890) - Rotund PhysaPhysella conoidea (P. Fischer & Crosse, 1886) - Texas PhysaPhysella cooperi (Tryon, 1865) - Olive PhysaPhysella costata (Newcomb, 1861) - Ornate PhysaPhysella cubensis (Pfeiffer, 1839)Physella globosa (Haldeman, 1841) - Globose PhysaPhysella gyrina (Say, 1821)Physella hendersoni (Clench, 1925)Physella hordacea (I. Lea, 1864) - Grain PhysaPhysella humerosa (Gould, 1855) - Corkscrew PhysaPhysella johnsoni (Clench, 1926) - Banff Springs SnailPhysella lordi (Baird, 1863) - Twisted PhysaPhysella magnalacustris (Walker, 1901)Physella mexicana (Philippi, 1841) - Polished PhysaPhysella microstriata (Chamberlin & E. G. Berry, 1930)Physella natricina Taylor, 1988Physella osculans (Haldeman, 1841) - Cayuse PhysaPhysella parkeri (Currier, 1881) - Broadshoulder PhysaPhysella propinqua (Tryon, 1865) - Rocky Mountain PhysaPhysella sayi Physella spelunca (Turner & Clench, 1974)Physella squalida (Morelet, 1851) - Squalid PhysaPhysella traski (I. Lea, 1864) - Sculpted PhysaPhysella utahensis (Clench, 1925)Physella vinosa (Gould, 1847) - Banded PhysaPhysella virgata (Gould, 1855)Physella virginea (Gould, 1847) - Sunset PhysaPhysella winnipegensis ..., 2004Physella wrighti Te & Clarke, 1985Physella zionis (Pilsbry, 1926)
