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Page last updated
Thu 17 July 2025

The Freshwater Mussels (Unionoida) of the World (and other less consequential bivalves)

FM(U)otW(aolcb) is the web version of the MUSSEL Project Database. Follow the links to browse the data or use the custom Google search field. Either way, you win!

Bivalvia | Sphaerioida | Sphaerioidea | Sphaeriidae | Sphaeriinae

genus Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777: synonymy
     69 Recent valid species (69 total species)

Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777
Scopoli, 1777. Intro. His. Nat., etc.: 397.
Type species: Tellina cornea Linnaeus, 1758 = Sphaerium corneum

Nux Humphrey, 1797
Humphrey, 1797. Mus. Col.: 59.

Cyclas Lamarck, 1799
Bruguière, 1797. Encycl. Méth. 2: 301.
Lamarck, 1799. Mém. Soc. Hist. Nat. 1: 84.
(renamed Cycladea Rafinesque, 1815)
Type species: Tellina cornea Linnaeus, 1758 = Sphaerium corneum

Musculium Link, 1807
Link, 1807. Beschr. Natr. Samml. Univ. Rostock 3: 152.
Type species: Tellina lacustris Müller, 1774 = Sphaerium lacustre

Cornea Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811
Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811. Mag. Ges. Nat. Fr. Berlin 5: 56.
(renamed Corneocyclas Blainville, 1818)
Type species: Cornea communis Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811 (monotypy) = Sphaerium corneum

Cycladea Rafinesque, 1815
Rafinesque, 1815. Analyse Nat.: 146.
(new name for Cyclas Lamarck, 1799)

Corneocyclas Blainville, 1818
‘Féruss.’ Blainville, 1818. Dict. Sci. Nat. 12: 278.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Cyclas Lamarck, 1799; new name for Cornea Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811)

Amesoda Rafinesque, 1820
Rafinesque, 1820. Ann. Gén. Sci. Phys. 5 (13): 319.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Cyclas Lamarck, 1799; renamed Amesodon Agassiz, 1846)
Type species: Cyclas similis Say, 1817 = Sphaerium simile

Phymesoda Rafinesque, 1820
Rafinesque, 1820. Ann. Gén. Sci. Phys. 5 (13): 319.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Cyclas Lamarck, 1799)

Cycladites Krueger, 1823
Krueger, 1823. Gesch. d. Urwelt. 165: 469.

Amesodon Agassiz, 1846
Agassiz, 1846. Nomencl. Zool. Index Univ.: 17.
(new name for Ameroda Rafinesque, 1820; new name for Amesoda Rafinesque, 1820)

Cyrenastrum Bourguignat, 1854
Bourguignat, 1854. Rev. Mag. Zool. 6: 668.
Bourguignat, 1854. Rev. Mag. Zool. 6: 674.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)
Type species: Cyclas solida Normand, 1844 (orig. desig.) = Sphaerium solidum

Sphaeriastrum Bourguignat, 1854
Bourguignat, 1854. Rev. Mag. Zool. 6: 668.
Bourguignat, 1854. Rev. Mag. Zool. 6: 674.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)
Type species: Cyclas rivicola Lamarck, 1818 = Sphaerium rivicola

Securilla Drouët, 1855
Drouët, 1855. Mém. Soc. Roy. Sci. Liége 10: 164.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Cyclas Brug.)

Calyculina Clessin, 1872
Clessin, 1872. Malak. Blatt. 19: 159.
Westerlund, 1873. Fauna Moll. Terr. Fluv. Suec. Norv. Dan. (2): 490, 515.
Type species: Cyclas calyculata Draparnaud, 1806 = Sphaerium lacustre

Carneola Westerlund, 1873
Westerlund, 1873. Fauna Moll. Terr. Fluv. Suec. Norv. Dan. (2): 490.
(error for Corneola Westerlund, 1873)

Rivicoliana Servain, 1888
Servain, 1888. Bull. Soc. Malac. France 5: 309.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)
Type species: Cyclas rivicola Lamarck, 1818 = Sphaerium rivicola

Lacustriana Servain, 1888
Servain, 1888. Bull. Soc. Malac. France 5: 312.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)

Primella Cooper, 1892
Cooper, 1892. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3: 82.

Pseudocorbicula Dautzenberg, 1908
Dautzenberg, 1908. J. de Conch. 56: 32.
Type species: Pseudocorbicula alluaudi Dautzenberg, 1908 = Sphaerium nyanzae

Serratisphoerium Germain, 1909
Germain, 1909. Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 1: 114.
Type species: Sphaerium courteti Germain, 1904 = Sphaerium hartmanni

Sphaerinova Iredale, 1943
Iredale, 1943. Austral. Zool. 10: 195.
Type species: Sphaerium macgillivrayi E.A. Smith, 1882 = Sphaerium tasmanicum

Nucleocyclas Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968
Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968. Moll. & Role in Ecosyst.: 14.
Type species: Cyclas nucleus Studer, 1820 = Sphaerium nucleus

Parasphaerium Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968
Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968. Moll. & Role in Ecosyst.: 14.
Type species: Sphaerium rectidens Starobogatov & Streletzkaja, 1967 = Sphaerium nitidum

Clessinicyclas Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968
Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968. Moll. & Role in Ecosyst.: 15.
Type species: Cyclas scaldiana Normand, 1844 = Sphaerium nucleus

Paramusculium Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968
Alimov & Starobogatov, 1968. Moll. & Role in Ecosyst.: 15.
Type species: Cyclas transversa Say, 1829 = Sphaerium transversum

Herringtonium Clarke, 1973
Clarke, 1973. Malacologia 13(1-2): 148.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)
Type species: Cyclas occidentale Lewis, 1856 (orig. desig.) = Sphaerium occidentale

Asiocyclas Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986
Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986. unknown publication: ??.
Type species: Cyclas asiatica Martens, 1864 = Sphaerium asiaticum

Asiomusculium Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986
Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986. unknown publication: ??.
Type species: Cyclas calyculata var. inflata Middendorff, 1851 = Sphaerium asiaticum

Morimusculium Starobogatov, 1986
Starobogatov, 1986. unknown publication: ??.
Type species: Sphaerium miyadii Mori, 1933 = Sphaerium miyadii

Parvimusculium Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986
Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986. unknown publication: ??.
Type species: Cyclas creplini Dunker, 1845 = Sphaerium lacustre

Shadinicyclas Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986
Starobogatov & Korniushin, 1986. unknown publication: ??.

Sibirisphaerium Slugina et al., 1994
Slugina & Starobogatov in Slugina et al., 1994. Ruthenica 4(2): 124.
Type species: Sphaerium (Corneola) westerlundi Westerlund, 1873 = Sphaerium corneum

Pseudopisidium Korniushin, 1995
Korniushin, 1995. J. Moll. Studies 61: 167.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Musculium Link, 1807)
Type species: Pisidium incomitatum Kuiper, 1966 (orig. desig.) = Sphaerium incomitatum

Musculum Paetel, 1875
‘Link’ of Authors.
Paetel, 1875. Fam. Gatt. Moll.: 130.
Contreras-Arquieta, 2000. Mexicoa 2(1): 45.
(error for Musculium Link, 1807)

Physemoda Prime, 1852
‘Rafinesque’ of Authors.
Prime, 1852. Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6(3): 348.
Prime, 1860. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 12: 267.
Prime, 1865. Smithsonian Misc. Coll. (145): 59.
(error for Phymesoda Rafinesque, 1820)

Cyclus Jurine, 1817
Jurine, 1817. Helvet. Almanac: 37.
Anton, 1837. Arch. Naturg. 3 (1): 284.
(error for Cyclas Lamarck, 1799)

Ameroda Rafinesque, 1820
Rafinesque, 1820. Ann. Gén. Sci. Phys. 5 (13): 319.
(error for Amesoda Rafinesque, 1820; renamed Amesodon Agassiz, 1846)

Phymeroda Rafinesque, 1820
Rafinesque, 1820. Ann. Gén. Sci. Phys. 5 (13): 319.
(error for Phymesoda Rafinesque, 1820)

Cyclos Krueger, 1823
Krueger, 1823. Gesch. d. Urwelt. 165: 469.
(error for Cyclas Lamarck, 1799)

Cyglas Oken, 1835
Oken, 1835. Allg. Naturges.: 303.
(error for Cyclas Lamarck, 1799)

Amisoda Deshayes, 1854
Deshayes, 1854. Cat. Bivalves Brit. Mus. part 1: 261.
(error for Amesoda Rafinesque, 1820)

Musculium Adams & Adams, 1857
Adams & Adams, 1857. Gen. Rec. Moll. 2(31-32): 165, 451.
(reference to Musculium Link, 1807)

Corneola Westerlund, 1873
Westerlund, 1873. Fauna Moll. Terr. Fluv. Suec. Norv. Dan. (2): 503.
(homonym of Held, 1837 [Gastrop.])
Type species: Tellina cornea Linnaeus, 1758 = Sphaerium corneum

Solidiana Servain, 1888
Servain, 1888. Bull. Soc. Malac. France 5: 310.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)

Corneana Servain, 1888
Servain, 1888. Bull. Soc. Malac. France 5: 311.
(intro'd as sub-gen. of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)

Caliculina Fischer & Crosse, 1894
Fischer & Crosse, 1894. Miss. Sci. Mexique, Rech. Zool. 2(16): 651.
(error for Calyculina Clessin, 1872)

Cornecyclas Hesse, 1916
Hesse, 1916. Nachr. Bl. Dtsch. Malak. Ges. 48: 123.
(error for Corneocyclas Blainville, 1818)
Type species: Cornea communis Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811 = Sphaerium corneum

Musculinum Müller, 1921
Müller, 1921. Arch. Moll. 52: 188.
(error for Musculium Link, 1807)

Spaerium Schlesch, 1925
Schlesch, 1925. Arch. Moll. 57(3): 93.
(error for Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)

Spoerium Bowler-Kelley, 1928
Bowler-Kelley, 1928. C. R. Assoc. Franç. Avanc. Sci. 52: 454.
(error for Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777)

Serratisphaerium Thiele, 1934
Thiele, 1934. Handb. Syst. Weichtierk. 3: 853 [1297].
Vinarski & Kantor, 2016. Analyt. Cat. Fr. Brack. Moll. Russia: 85.
(error for Serratisphoerium Germain, 1909)
Type species: Sphaerium courteti Germain, 1904 = Sphaerium hartmanni

Taxonomic History (since 1900)

Sphærium — Martens (1900), Pilsbry (1904), E.A. Smith (1906)
Sphærium (s.s.) — Dall (1903)
Sphærium (Musculium) — Dall (1903), Pilsbry (1904)
Sphærium (s.s. sec. Sphæriastrum) — Dall (1903)
Sphærium (s.s. sec. Cyrenastrum) — Dall (1903)
Sphærium (Corneola) — Pallary (1909)
Sphaerium — Annandale & Prashad (1921), Pilsbry & Bequaert (1927), F.C. Baker (1928), Srinivasa Rao (1928), van Benthem Jutting (1931), ... Saito et al. (2022), Bespalaya et al. (2022), Breure et al. (2022), Prié et al. (2023), Czaja et al. (2023)
Pisidium — Pilsbry (1924), Kuiper (1966)
Sphaerium (Corneola) — Pallary (1924)
Pseudocorbicula — Pilsbry & Bequaert (1927), Thiele (1934)
Eupera — Pilsbry & Bequaert (1927), Mansur & Meier-Brook (2000)
Sphaerium (s.s.) — Thiele (1934), Zhadin (1965), Clarke (1973), Burch (1975), Subba Rao (1989), ... Starobogatov et al. (2004), Bank (2006), Vinarski & Kantor (2016), Fuentealba-Jara et al. (2017), Bespalaya et al. (2023)
Sphaerium (Musculium) — Thiele (1934), Zhadin (1965), Clarke (1973), Lee & Ó Foighil (2003), Stunžėnas et al. (2011), Bespalaya et al. (2023)
Sphaerium (Amesoda) — Thiele (1934), Falkner et al. (2001), Lee & Ó Foighil (2003), Bespalaya et al. (2023)
Sphaerium (Sphaeriastrum) — Thiele (1934), Zhadin (1965), Mansur & Meier-Brook (2000)
Sphaerium (Cyrenastrum) — Thiele (1934), Zhadin (1965), Falkner et al. (2001), Korniushin & Glaubrecht (2002), Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Sphaerium (Serratisphaerium) [sic] — Thiele (1934)
Sphaerium (Herringtonium) — Clarke (1973), Burch (1975), Cooley & Ó Foighil (2000), Korniushin & Glaubrecht (2002), Lee & Ó Foighil (2003), Fuentealba-Jara et al. (2017), Bespalaya et al. (2023)
Musculium — Burch (1975), Mackie et al. (1980), Kuiper (1983), Kuiper et al. (1989), Turgeon et al. (1998), ... Kondakov et al. (2020), Saito et al. (2022), Clewing et al. (2022), Czaja et al. (2023), Wu et al. (2023)
Sphaerium (Sphaerinova) — B.J. Smith (1992), Cooley & Ó Foighil (2000), Lee & Ó Foighil (2003), Fuentealba-Jara et al. (2017), Bespalaya et al. (2023)
Musculium (Pseudopisidium) — Korniushin (1995)
Musculium (s.s.) — Korniushin (2000), Falkner et al. (2001), Starobogatov et al. (2004), Bank (2006), Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Musculum [sic] — Contreras-Arquieta (2000)
Musculium (Sphaerinova) — Korniushin (2000)
Sphaerium (Nucleocyclas) — Falkner et al. (2001), Bank (2006), Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Sphaerium (Parasphaerium) — Falkner et al. (2001), Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Sphaerium (Rivicoliana) — Korniushin & Glaubrecht (2002), Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Rivicoliana — Starobogatov et al. (2004), Kantor et al. (2010)
Amesoda (Clessinicyclas) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Musculium (Parvimusculium) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Amesoda (Cyrenastrum) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Paramusculium — Starobogatov et al. (2004), Kantor et al. (2010)
Amesoda (Asiocyclas) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Sphaerium (Sibirisphaerium) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Parasphaerium — Starobogatov et al. (2004), Kantor et al. (2010)
Musculium (Morimusculium) — Starobogatov et al. (2004)
Amesoda — Kantor et al. (2010)
Nucleocyclas — Kantor et al. (2010)
Musculium (Paramusculium) — Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
Euglesa (Conventus) — Vinarski & Kantor (2016)
“Sphaerium (S)” — Fuentealba-Jara et al. (2017)

 
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