# Physa

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{{Short description|Genus of gastropods}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Physa fontinalis.jpg
|image_caption = Five [shells](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''[Physa fontinalis](/source/Physa_fontinalis)''
|display_parents = 3
|taxon = Physa
|authority = [Draparnaud](/source/Jacques_Philippe_Raymond_Draparnaud), 1801<ref>[Draparnaud J. P. R.](/source/Jacques_Philippe_Raymond_Draparnaud) (1801). Tableau des mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de la France. – pp. [1–2], 1–116. Montpellier, Paris. (Renaud; Bossange, Masson & Besson).</ref>
|type_species = ''Bulla fontinalis''
|type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
|synonyms =
* ''Laurentiphysa'' <small>Taylor, 2003</small> (a junior synonym)
* ''Limnea (Physa)'' <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
* ''Physa (Diastropha)'' <small>Gray, 1840</small>
* ''Physa (Gyrina)'' <small>Schumacher, 1817</small>
* ''Physa (Laurentiphysa)'' <small>Taylor, 2003</small> (a junior synonym)
* ''Physa (Mediterraneophysa)'' <small>Starobogatov & Budnikova, 1976</small> (a junior synonym)
* ''Physa (Physa)'' <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
* ''Physa (Ussuriphysa)'' <small>Starobogatov & Prozorova, 1989</small>
* ''Rivicola'' <small>Fitzinger, 1833</small> (Invalid: junior objective synonym of ''Physa'', with the same type species)
}}

'''''Physa''''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing [freshwater snail](/source/freshwater_snail)s, [aquatic](/source/Aquatic_animal) [pulmonate](/source/pulmonate) [gastropod](/source/gastropod) [mollusc](/source/mollusc)s in the subfamily Physinae of the family [Physidae](/source/Physidae).<ref name="WoRMS">MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Physa Draparnaud, 1801. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=181551 on 2021-06-26</ref>

These snails eat [alga](/source/alga)e, [diatom](/source/diatom)s and detritus.

== Anatomy ==
Members of the freshwater pulmonate family [Physidae](/source/Physidae) possess a complex of muscles that is unique amongst gastropods. This complex was given the name "physid musculature". The physid musculature has two main components, the physid muscle ''sensu stricto'' and the fan muscle. The physid musculature is responsible for a unique ability of physids to rapidly flick their shells from side to side — a reaction that frequently enables them to escape predation.

==Shell description==
These small snails, like all the species in the family Physidae, have [shells](/source/gastropod_shell) that are sinistral, which means that when the shell is held with the spire pointing up and the aperture facing the viewer, then the aperture is on the left-hand side.

The shells of ''Physa'' species have a long and large [aperture](/source/Aperture_(mollusc)), a pointed [spire](/source/Spire_(mollusc)), and no [operculum](/source/Operculum_(gastropod)). The shells are thin and corneous, and rather transparent.

==Species==
Species in the genus include:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}} 
* † ''[Physa aplexoides](/source/Physa_aplexoides)'' <small>Yen, 1969</small> 
* ''[Physa arachleica](/source/Physa_arachleica)'' <small>Starobogatov & Prozorova, 1989</small>
* † ''[Physa aravanica](/source/Physa_aravanica)'' Zharnyl'skaya, 1965 
* {{extinct}} ''[Physa aridi](/source/Physa_aridi)'' <small>Mezzalira, 1974</small> – fossil from Brazil<ref name="Simone & Mezzalira 1994">Simone L. R. L. & Mezzalira S. (1994). "Fossil Molluscs of Brazil". ''[Boletim do Instituto Geológico](/source/Boletim_do_Instituto_Geol%C3%B3gico)'' '''11''': 1–202.</ref>
* † ''[Physa bacca](/source/Physa_bacca)'' <small>Pan & Zhu, 2007</small> †
* † ''[Physa beijiangensis](/source/Physa_beijiangensis)'' <small>W. Yü & X.-Q. Zhang, 1982</small> †
* † ''[Physa boreaui](/source/Physa_boreaui)'' <small>Coquand, 1860</small> 
* † ''[Physa bullatula](/source/Physa_bullatula)'' <small>White, 1886</small> 
* † ''[Physa canadensis](/source/Physa_canadensis)'' <small>Whiteaves, 1885</small> 
* † ''[Physa carletoni](/source/Physa_carletoni)'' <small>Meek, 1873</small>
* † ''[Physa cenomanensis](/source/Physa_cenomanensis)'' <small>Repelin, 1902</small> 
* † ''[Physa cepedaensis](/source/Physa_cepedaensis)'' <small>Perrilliat & Vega in Perrilliat et al., 2008</small> 
* † ''[Physa changleensis](/source/Physa_changleensis)'' <small>Youluo, 1978</small> 
* † ''[Physa changzhouensis](/source/Physa_changzhouensis)'' <small>W. Yü, 1977</small> 
* ''[Physa chippevarum](/source/Physa_chippevarum)'' <small>(Taylor, 2003)</small>
* ''[Physa clarkei](/source/Physa_clarkei)'' <small>Ingersoll, 1875</small>
* † ''[Physa cokevillensis](/source/Physa_cokevillensis)'' <small>Yen, 1954</small>
* † ''[Physa conispira](/source/Physa_conispira)'' <small>Yen & Reeside, 1946</small> 
* † ''[Physa copei](/source/Physa_copei)'' <small>White, 1877</small> 
* ''[Physa dalmatina](/source/Physa_dalmatina)'' <small>Küster, 1844</small>
* † ''[Physa debilula](/source/Physa_debilula)'' <small>Gu in Gu & Wang, 1989</small> 
* † ''[Physa delecta](/source/Physa_delecta)'' <small>Nicolas, 1891</small> †
* † ''[Physa doeringi](/source/Physa_doeringi)'' <small>Doello-Jurado, 1927</small> 
* † ''[Physa doliolum](/source/Physa_doliolum)'' <small>Matheron, 1843</small> 
* † ''[Physa felix](/source/Physa_felix)'' <small>White, 1878</small> 
* ''[Physa fontinalis](/source/Physa_fontinalis)'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> – Fountain bladder snail – type species
* † ''[Physa fuxinensis](/source/Physa_fuxinensis)'' <small>X.-H. Yu, 1987</small> 
* † ''[Physa galei](/source/Physa_galei)'' <small>Russell, 1926</small> 
* † ''[Physa galloprovincialis](/source/Physa_galloprovincialis)'' <small>Matheron, 1843</small> 
* † ''[Physa gaoyouensis](/source/Physa_gaoyouensis)'' <small>W. Yü, 1977</small> 
* † ''[Physa gardanensis](/source/Physa_gardanensis)'' <small>Matheron, 1843</small> 
* † ''[Physa globosa](/source/Physa_globosa)'' <small>Yen, 1954</small> 
* † ''[Physa gracilis](/source/Physa_gracilis)'' <small>Nicolas, 1891</small> 
* ''[Physa hankensis](/source/Physa_hankensis)'' <small>Starobogatov & Prozorova, 1989</small>
* † ''[Physa jingangkouensis](/source/Physa_jingangkouensis)'' <small>H.-Z. Pan, 1983</small> 
* † ''[Physa kanabensis](/source/Physa_kanabensis)'' <small>White, 1876</small>
* † ''[Physa lacryma](/source/Physa_lacryma)'' <small>F. Sandberger, 1871</small> 
* † ''[Physa lacteana](/source/Physa_lacteana)'' <small>Russell, 1935</small> 
* † ''[Physa liaoxiensis](/source/Physa_liaoxiensis)'' <small>X.-H. Yu, 1987</small> 
* † ''[Physa longiuscula](/source/Physa_longiuscula)'' <small>Meek & Hayden, 1856</small> 
* ''[Physa megalochlamys](/source/Physa_megalochlamys)'' <small>Taylor, 1988</small> – Cloaked physa
* ''[Physa meneghinii](/source/Physa_meneghinii)'' <small>Sacco, 1886</small> †
* {{extinct}} ''[Physa mezzalirai](/source/Physa_mezzalirai)'' <small>Ghilardi, Carbonaro & Simone, 2011</small> – fossil from Brazil<ref name="Ghilardi Carbonaro & Simone 2011">Ghilardi R. P., Carbonaro F. A. & Simone L. R. L. (2011). "''Physa mezzalirai'', a new cretaceous basommatophoran from Adamantina formation, Brazil". ''Strombus'' '''18'''(1–2): 1–14. [http://www.conchasbrasil.org.br/strombus/fillcookie.asp?file=018p7abs.pdf abstract].</ref>
* † ''[Physa michaudii](/source/Physa_michaudii)'' <small>Matheron, 1843</small> 
* † ''[Physa micra](/source/Physa_micra)'' <small>Yen & Reeside, 1946</small> 
* † ''[Physa minima](/source/Physa_minima)'' <small>Repelin, 1902</small>
* † ''[Physa miqueli](/source/Physa_miqueli)'' <small>Caziot, 1905</small> 
* ''[Physa mirollii](/source/Physa_mirollii)'' <small>Taylor, 2003</small>
* † ''[Physa montanensis](/source/Physa_montanensis)'' <small>Yen, 1951</small> 
* † ''[Physa naucatica](/source/Physa_naucatica)'' <small>Zharnyl'skaya, 1965</small> 
* † ''[Physa nebrascensis](/source/Physa_nebrascensis)'' <small>Meek & Hayden, 1856</small> 
* † ''[Physa nisidai](/source/Physa_nisidai)'' <small>Suzuki, 1941</small> 
* † ''[Physa nucleus](/source/Physa_nucleus)'' <small>Repelin, 1902</small> 
* † ''[Physa obtusiconica](/source/Physa_obtusiconica)'' <small>X.-H. Yu, 1987</small> 
* †''[Physa orientalis](/source/Physa_orientalis)'' <small>G.-X. Zhu, 1980</small> 
* † ''[Physa paravitimensis](/source/Physa_paravitimensis)'' <small>G.-X. Zhu, 1980</small> 
* † ''[Physa patula](/source/Physa_patula)'' <small>Nicolas, 1891</small> 
* † ''[Physa pijiagouensis](/source/Physa_pijiagouensis)'' <small>X.-H. Yu, 1987</small>
* ''[Physa pumilia](/source/Physa_pumilia)'' <small>Conrad, 1834</small>
* † ''[Physa pygmaea](/source/Physa_pygmaea)'' <small>Nicolas, 1891</small> 
* †''[Physa rhomboidea](/source/Physa_rhomboidea)'' <small>Meek & Hayden, 1856</small> 
* † ''[Physa ringentis](/source/Physa_ringentis)'' <small>Youluo, 1978</small> 
* † ''[Physa saxarubrensis](/source/Physa_saxarubrensis)'' <small>Russell, 1957</small> 
* † ''[Physa secalina](/source/Physa_secalina)'' <small>Evans & Shumard, 1856</small> 
* † ''[Physa shakengensis](/source/Physa_shakengensis)'' <small>W. Yü & X.-Q. Zhang, 1982</small> 
* † ''[Physa shandongensis](/source/Physa_shandongensis)'' <small>H.-Z. Pan, 1983</small> 
* † ''[Physa shantungensis](/source/Physa_shantungensis)'' <small>Yen, 1969</small> 
* † ''[Physa simeyrolsensis](/source/Physa_simeyrolsensis)'' <small>Repelin, 1902</small> 
* † ''[Physa sinensis](/source/Physa_sinensis)'' <small>Yen, 1969</small> 
* ''[Physa skinneri](/source/Physa_skinneri)'' <small>Taylor, 1954</small>
* ''[Physa streletzkajae](/source/Physa_streletzkajae)'' <small>Starobogatov & Budnikova, 1967</small>
* † ''[Physa subacuta](/source/Physa_subacuta)'' <small>Benoist, 1873</small> 
* † ''[Physa subcylindrica](/source/Physa_subcylindrica)'' <small>Repelin, 1902</small> 
* ''[Physa taslei](/source/Physa_taslei)'' <small>Bourguignat, 1860</small>
* † ''[Physa tenuicostata](/source/Physa_tenuicostata)'' <small>H.-J. Wang, 1982</small> 
* † ''[Physa usitata](/source/Physa_usitata)'' <small>White, 1895</small>
* ''[Physa vernalis](/source/Physa_vernalis)'' <small>Taylor et Jokinen, 1984</small>
* † ''[Physa walcotti](/source/Physa_walcotti)'' <small>Yen & Reeside, 1946</small> 
* † ''[Physa wealdiana](/source/Physa_wealdiana)'' <small>Coquand, 1856</small> 
* † ''[Physa wichmanni](/source/Physa_wichmanni)'' <small>Parodiz, 1961</small> 
* † ''[Physa zhuoxianensis](/source/Physa_zhuoxianensis)'' <small>Yü & Pan, 1982</small> 
* ''Physa'' sp., [Lake Winnipeg Physa](/source/Lake_Winnipeg_Physa), lives in [Manitoba](/source/Manitoba) in Canada. It was classified as endangered by [COSEWIC](/source/COSEWIC). COSEWIC recommendation has been forwarded to the [Minister of the Environment of Canada](/source/Minister_of_the_Environment_(Canada)) and a decision for listing at the [List of Wildlife Species at Risk](/source/List_of_Wildlife_Species_at_Risk) of the Canadian [Species at Risk Act](/source/Species_at_Risk_Act) was pending in 2005.<ref>COSEWIC. 2005. [http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/virtual_sara/files/species/clwsa%5F0505%5Fe%2Epdf Canadian Species at Risk]. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 64 pp., page 13.</ref>
{{div col end}}

;Synonyms:
* ''Physa acuta'' <small>Draparnaud, 1805</small>, ''Physa heterostropha'' <small>(Say, 1817)</small>, ''Physa integra'' <small>(Haldeman, 1841)</small> and ''Physa natricina'' <small>Taylor, 1988</small> are synonyms of ''[Physella acuta](/source/Physella_acuta)'' (Draparnaud, 1805)
* ''Physa ancillaria'' <small>(Say, 1825)</small> – Pumpkin Physa:<ref name="NatureServe">"''Physella''". [NatureServe](/source/NatureServe) Explorer, accessed 9 April 2010.</ref> synonym of ''[Physella ancillaria](/source/Physella_ancillaria)'' (Say, 1825) (original combination)
* ''Physa carolinae'' <small>Wethington, Wise & Dillon, 2009</small>:<ref>Wethington A. R., Wise J. & Dillon R. T. (2009). "Genetic and morphological characterization of the Physidae of South Carolina (Pulmonata: Basommatophora), with description of a new species". ''[The Nautilus](/source/The_Nautilus_(journal))'' '''123''': 282–292. [http://dillonr.people.cofc.edu/WethingtonWiseDillon09.pdf PDF] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823235308/http://dillonr.people.cofc.edu/WethingtonWiseDillon09.pdf |date=2012-08-23 }}.</ref><!-- from Johns Island, South Carolina  by Amy Wethington in ditch, then confirmed at the University of Alabama<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100407024708/http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/apr/03/snail-sleuthsc-of-c-researchers-find-lowcountry/ postandcourier.com] </ref>--> synonym of ''[Physella carolinae](/source/Physella_carolinae)'' <small>(Wethington, Wise & Dillon, 2009)</small>
* ''Physa concolor'' <small>Haldeman, 1841</small>: synonym of ''[Physella gyrina](/source/Physella_gyrina)'' <small>(Say, 1821)</small>
* ''Physa columbiana'' <small>(Hemphill, 1890)</small> is a synonym for ''[Physella columbiana](/source/Physella_columbiana)'' <small>(Hemphill, 1890)</small>
* ''Physa gyrina'' <small>(Say, 1821)</small> is a synonym for ''[Physella gyrina](/source/Physella_gyrina)'' <small>(Say, 1821)</small>
* ''Physa hordacea'' <small>(I. Lea, 1864)</small>: synonym of ''[Physella hordacea](/source/Physella_hordacea)'' <small>(I. Lea, 1864)</small>
* ''Physa jennessi'' <small>Dall, 1919</small>: synonym of ''[Beringophysa jennessi](/source/Beringophysa_jennessi)'' <small>(Dall, 1919)</small>
* ''Physa lordi'' <small>(Baird, 1863)</small>: synonym of ''[Physella lordi](/source/Physella_lordi)'' <small>(Baird, 1863)</small>
* ''Physa marmorata'' <small>Guilding, 1828</small><ref name="Appleton 2005"/> – synonyms: ''Physa mosambiquensis'' Clessin, 1886 and ''Physa waterloti'':<ref name="Appleton 2005">Appleton C. C. & Dana P. (2005). "Re-examination of ''Physa mosambiquensis'' Clessin, 1886 and its relationship with other Aplexinae (Pulmonata: Physidae) reported from Africa". ''[African Invertebrates](/source/African_Invertebrates)'' '''46''': 71–83. [http://www.africaninvertebrates.org.za/Aplleton2005_43.aspx abstract] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104065454/http://www.africaninvertebrates.org.za/Aplleton2005_43.aspx |date=2010-11-04 }}</ref> synonym of ''[Stenophysa marmorata](/source/Stenophysa_marmorata)'' <small>(Guilding, 1828)</small>
* ''Physa natricina'' <small>Taylor, 1988</small>: synonym of ''[Physella natricina](/source/Physella_natricina)'' <small>(D. W. Taylor, 1988)</small>
* ''Physa nuttalli'' <small>I. Lea, 1864</small>: synonym of ''[Physella gyrina](/source/Physella_gyrina)'' <small>(Say, 1821)</small>
* ''Physa propingua'' <small>(Tryon, 1865)</small>: synonym of ''[Physella propinqua](/source/Physella_propinqua)'' <small>(Tryon, 1865)</small>
* ''Physa sibirica'' <small>Westerlund, 1876</small>: synonym of ''[Sibirenauta sibirica](/source/Sibirenauta_sibirica)'' <small>(Westerlund, 1876)</small>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

* Janus, Horst, 1965. ‘’The young specialist looks at land and freshwater molluscs’’, Burke, London

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* http://www.animalbase.uni-goettingen.de/zooweb/servlet/AnimalBase/list/species?taxongenus=301
* Dillon R. T., Wethington A. R. & Lydeard C. (2011). "The evolution of reproductive isolation in a simultaneous hermaphrodite, the freshwater snail ''Physa''". ''[BMC Evolutionary Biology](/source/BMC_Evolutionary_Biology)'' '''11''': 144. {{doi|10.1186/1471-2148-11-144|doi-access=free}}.

{{Taxonbar|from=Q147452}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Physidae
Category:Gastropod genera
Category:Sinistral (left-coiled) gastropods
Category:Taxa named by Jacques Draparnaud

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Physa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.