This genus is in need of revision, as the species concepts we have used have not been rigorously tested. Unpublished molecular data indicate that the species units we are here using appear to be justified, however they are not accompanied by clear-cut morphological characters that allow separation based on shell characters alone. As the species units appear to be overall concordant with state boundaries, we have used these boundaries to aid in delimiting species. This situation is not ideal, and can only be resolved by additional molecular and morphological studies involving dense sampling.
The taxonomy of Glyptophysa is very poorly understood. This is one of several species of relatively smooth shelled Glyptophysa but this species from Edgbaston Springs in western Queensland has a distinctive shell morphology and is here treated as a distinct, yet unnamed, species.
Glyptophysa sp. (Edgbaston Springs)
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Heterobranchia
Megaorder Hygrophila
Order Lymnaeida
Superfamily Planorboidea
Family Planorbidae
Subfamily: Miratestinae
Genus Glyptophysa Crosse, 1872
Locality: A few springs on Edgbaston Station, W. Queensland.
The taxonomy of Glyptophysa is very poorly understood. A large number of species-group names are available and it is quite possible that more species occur in Australia.
On water weeds, wood and similar substrates in ponds formed by the springs. Biology probably generally similar to other species of Glyptophysa.
Known only from Edgbaston Springs, near Aramac, western Queensland (Lake Eyre Division).
This genus is similar to the common introduced Physa acuta (Physidae) in that both have similar-shaped, sinistral shells. Glyptophysa can be distinguished by the shell not being completely smooth (as it is in Physa), Glyptophysa often having some periostracal ornament and microscopic wrinkles or spiral ridges in the case of Glyptophysa aliciae. Physa has a mottled mantle which can usually be seen through the semi- transparent shell whereas Glyptophysa has a uniformly dark-coloured mantle. The animal of Physa has digitations (finger-like processes) along the mantle edge against the columella whereas this edge is smooth in Glyptophysa. Physa lacks a false gill (pseudobranch) which is present in Glyptophysa and all planorbids. The animal of Glyptophysa, if damaged when alive, has red-coloured blood whereas Physa blood is clear.
Glyptophysa differs from the otherwise similar genus Isidorella in the penial apparatus having a penial stylet and an accessory flagellum. Isidorella lacks a stylet and an accessory structure but the penis has two lobes.
Fensham, R., Ponder, W. & Fairfax , R. (2010). Recovery plan for the community of native species dependent on natural discharge of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin. Report to Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, Brisbane. https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/0cefc83a-3854-4cff-9128-abc719d9f9b3/files/great-artesian-basin-ec.pdf
Fensham, R. J., Ponder, W. F., and Fairfax, R. J. (2008). Recovery plan for the community of native species dependent on natural discharge of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin. Report to Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.
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Rossini, R. A., Fensham, R. J. & Walter, G. H. (2017). Spatiotemporal variance of environmental conditions in Australian artesian springs affects the distribution and abundance of six endemic snail species. Aquatic Ecology 51: 511-529.
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