Neritidae | |
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An oblique left side view of a live Theodoxus fluviatilis | |
Two shells of the freshwater nerite Theodoxus danubialis , scale bar in mm | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Neritimorpha |
Order: | Cycloneritida |
Superfamily: | Neritoidea |
Family: | Neritidae Rafinesque, 1815 |
Genera | |
See text | |
Diversity [1] | |
About 110 freshwater species, some brackish water species, and some fully marine species |
Neritidae, common name the nerites, is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized saltwater and freshwater snails which have a gill and a distinctive operculum. [2] The family Neritidae includes marine genera such as Nerita, marine and freshwater genera such as Neritina, and freshwater and brackish water genera such as Theodoxus.
The common name "nerite" as well as the family name Neritidae and the genus name Nerita , are derived from the name of Nerites, who was a sea god in Greek mythology.
Neritidae live primarily in the southern hemisphere, but there are some exceptions, such as a genus Theodoxus which can be found in Europe and Northern Africa [3] or Bathynerita naticoidea .
This family consists of the five following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):
Genera, subgenera and species within the family Neritidae include: [5]
Subfamily Neritinae
Subfamily † Neritariinae
Subfamily Neritininae
Subfamily Smaragdiinae
Subfamily † Velatinae
Cymbuliidae is a family of pelagic sea snails or "sea butterflies", marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cymbulioidea.
Pyramidellinae is a taxonomic subfamily of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Turbinidae, the turban snails, are a family of small to large marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Trochoidea.
The Tonnidae are a family of medium-sized to very large sea snails, known as the tun shells. These are marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The name tun refers to the snails' shell shape, which resembles wine casks known as "tuns". While thin, the shells are also strong and lack opercula. They are found in all tropical seas, where they inhabit sandy areas. During the day, they bury themselves in the substrate, emerging at night to feed on echinoderms, crustaceans, and bivalves. Some larger species also capture fish, using their expandable probosces to swallow them whole. Females lay rows of eggs that become free-swimming larvae for several months before settling to the bottom.
Potamididae, common name potamidids are a family of small to large brackish water snails that live on mud flats, mangroves and similar habitats. They are amphibious gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea.
Atlanta is a genus of pelagic marine gastropod molluscs in the family Atlantidae. They are sometimes called heteropods.
Theodoxus is a genus of nerites, small water snails with an operculum, some of which live in freshwater, and some in both freshwater and brackish water, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Truncatella is a genus of very small land snails with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Truncatellidae. These minute snails live in land habitats close to seawater. They walk with a looping action, and the adults have truncated shells. Many of the species are small enough to be considered micromollusks.
The Capulidae, the cap snails or cap shells, are a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. Capulidae is the only family in the superfamily Capuloidea. According to taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Capulidae has no subfamilies.
Neritopsidae is a family of small sea snails and freshwater snails in the clade Cycloneritimorpha.
Micrelenchus is a genus of small sea snails that have shells with pearly interiors and an operculum. They are marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Cantharidinae of the family Trochidae, the top snails or top shells.
Clithon is a genus of freshwater snails or brackish snails that have an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Septaria porcellana borbonica is a subspecies of freshwater snail, a gastropod mollusc in the family Neritidae.
Smaragdia is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Neritinae of the family Neritidae, the nerites.
The Cantharidinae are a taxonomic subfamily of very small to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trochidae, common name top snails.
Asolene is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails.
Neritodryas is a genus of freshwater snails, ; they are gastropod molluscs in the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Neripteron is a genus of brackish water and freshwater snails, an aquatic gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Neritininae of the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Clypeolum is a genus of freshwater snails or brackish snails that have an operculum, aquatic gastropod molluscs in the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Neritona is a genus of small aquatic snails with an operculum, marine, brackish water, and sometimes freshwater gastropod molluscs in the family Neritidae, the nerites.