Physidae, Fitzinger, 1833

Jindal, Rajinder & Wats, Meenu, 2021, Systematic descriptions and seasonal variations of mollusc in Chandigarh (U. T., India) and its surrounding freshwater bodies, International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 9 (3), pp. 165-173 : 168

Family: Physidae

Physidae is the family of freshwater pulmonates and is found world-wide. The shells of this family are always sinistral (coiling to the left or anticlockwise spirally coiled), comparatively small with an acute and posteriorly directed spire and distinguished by lack of an operculum. In India, the family is represented by only one genus, Physa .

Physa acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)

Taxonomic description- Shell sinistral, non-operculate, elongate-ovate, thin, light fawn coloured, smooth, moderately lustrous and translucent; fine, close set lines of growth; protoconch distinct; number of whorls 5, regularly and rapidly decreasing in size; apex pointed; spire short; sutures slightly impressed; aperture large, about three-fourth of shell’s total length; outer lip thin, slightly deflected out; umbilicus closed; parietal callus wide, columella well-marked.