Aplustridae (original) (raw)

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Family of gastropods

Aplustridae
Live couple of Micromelo undatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Superfamily: Acteonoidea
Family: AplustridaeGray, 1847
Genera
See text.
Synonyms
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]

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

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.

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 within the family Aplustridae include:[1]

  1. ^ a b 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