While they are not particularly strong swimmers, the foot of these organisms is modified into wing-like structures, called parapodia that they employ for locomotion.[5] Additionally, like other Pteropods of the order Gymnosomata,[6] Notobrachaeidae lack shells entirely as adults.[7][8] However, they do possess a shell earlier on in their lives.[8] They are also defined by how they possess a posterior gill, strong jaws, grasping tentacles that frequently possess suckers resembling those of cephalopods, and usually buccal cones as well.[9]
Behavior
Like other members of the clade Gymnosomata, Notobrachaeidae are highly specialized holoplanktonic carnivores.[10] In other words, they spend their entire lives hunting in the water column and cannot swim against the column.[10] Also like other members of this clade, Notobrachaeidae feed are very specific prey, with a species in this clade usually specializing in hunting one specific genus of thecosomes, which are also known as "sea butterflies," and form a sister clade to Gymnosomata with the primary difference being how adults of that clade possess shells into adulthood while Gymnosomata do not.[8][10]
Distribution
Members of this family are found globally throughout the upper reaches of the water column, in the pelagic zone, most commonly the epipelagic zone.[8] Following the trend of Pteropods in general, they tend to have the highest species diversity tropical and subtropical latitudes but are less abundant under these conditions.[8] Conversely, they are more abundant but possess less variety in terms of species closer to the north and south poles.[8] However, even in the tropics, they generally appear in high concentrations, resulting in their frequently playing important roles in planktonic food webs.[4][5][11]
Genera and species
Genera and species in the family Notobranchaeidae include:
MicrodontaBonnevie, 1913: synonym of NotobranchaeaPelseneer, 1886 (invalid: junior homonym of MicrodontaDejean, 1835 [Coleoptera]; Schleschia is a replacement name)
PrionoglossaTesch, 1950: synonym of NotobranchaeaPelseneer, 1886
SchleschiaStrand, 1932: synonym of NotobranchaeaPelseneer, 1886
References
↑ Karlsson, Lars. Opisthobranchia: A taxonomic and biological review with emphasis on the families Chromodorididae and Phyllidiidae together with field notes from South East Sulawesi, Indonesia (Undergraduate thesis in biology). University of Linköping.
↑ Spoel, S. van der; Pafort-Van Iersel, T. (1985). "Note on the taxonomy of the family Notobranchaeidae and description of Notobranchaea bleekerae n. sp., a species new to science (Gastropoda, Pteropoda)". Basteria. 49: 29–36.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Pierrot-Bults, Annelies & Peijnenburg, K. (2015). Pteropods. Encyclopedia of marine geosciences. 1-10.
↑ Spoel, S. van der; Newman, L.; Estep, K. (n.d.). "Family Notobranchaeidae". Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
1 2 3 Lemus, E., Sanvicente-Añorve, L., Hermoso-Salazar, M, Flores-Coto, C. (2014). "The holoplanktonic Mollusca from the southern Gulf of Mexico Part 2: pteropods" (PDF). Cahiers de Biologie Marine. 55: 241–258 – via ResearchGate.
↑ Ballesteros, M.; Madrenas, E.; Pontes, M. (n.d.). "Gymnosomata". OPK Opistobranquis. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
Bouchet, P., Rocroi, J.-P. (2005). Classification and nomenclature of gastropod families. Malacologia. 47(1-2): 1-397 ISBN3-925919-72-4.
Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M. J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213
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