Aplustridae

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Aplustridae
Micromelo undatus Reunion.jpg
Live couple of Micromelo undatus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Superfamily: Acteonoidea
Family: Aplustridae
Gray, 1847
Genera

See text.

Synonyms
  • Aplustrinae J. E. Gray, 1847 superseded rank
  • Bullinidae Gray, 1850
  • Hydatinidae Pilsbry, 1895 (inv.)
  • † Nonacteoninidae Bandel, 1994
  • † Sulcoactaeonidae Gründel, 1997

The Aplustridae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or bubble snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Acteonoidea. [1]

Contents

The former name of this family, Hydatinidae (Pilsbry, 1893) has been declared invalid. [2]

Description

The soft parts of animals in this family are brightly colored.

The oval bubble-shaped shell is thin and fragile and has a sunken spire. The shell is white or beige-colored with colored bands or stripes.

There is no operculum.

Life habits

The soft parts of the animal cannot retract completely into the shell, and therefore these animals depend for their defense on swimming and camouflage. They are specialised feeders, eating cirratulinid polychaete worms.

Genera

Genera within the family Aplustridae include: [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Aplustridae Gray, 1847 . Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 8 January 2019.
  2. Bouchet, P.; Rocroi, J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda,J.; Hausdorf,B.; Ponder, W.; Valdes, A.; Warén, A. (2005). Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. ISBN   3-925919-72-4. 397 pp