Physella acuta is a species of small, left-handed or sinistral, air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquaticgastropodmollusk in the family Physidae. Common names include European physa, tadpole snail, bladder snail, and acute bladder snail. In addition, Physa acuta, Physa heterostropha and Physa integra are synonyms of Physella acuta.
Snails in the family Physidae have shells that are sinistral, which means that if the shell is held with the aperture facing the observer and the spire pointing up, then 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.
Distribution
It was once thought that the indigenous distribution of Physella acuta is Mediterranean. However, when Physella heterostropha is considered to be a synonym, then the indigenous distribution of the species includes North America. Physella acuta is a common species which is common in all of North America and Europe. The species seems to have first spread through the Mediterranean regions and then more slowly into Northern Europe.
Cuba - native, also with Tarebia granifera it is the most common freshwater snail in Cuba
Ecology
Habitat
This species lives in freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and swamps. Physella acuta is frequently found in anthropogenic reservoirs, occurring in warm water discharges from power stations and in some rivers, but very rarely and not numerously in clay pit ponds. It can survive well under temporary harsh conditions, as long as they are short-lived.
These snails eat dead plant and animal matter and various other detritus. Because Physella acuta forages mainly on epiphytic vegetation and on the macrophytes, whereas other gastropods exploit the algal cover or phytobentos on the bottom, competition between Physella acuta and other gastropods appears to be minimal.
Interspecific relationship
This species successfully co-exists with other alien gastropods: for example with Potamopyrgus antipodarum in many streams, lakes and ponds in New Zealand and with Lithoglyphus naticoides in the Danube River.
