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The following taxonomic scheme is largely framed after Robert Barnes Invertebrate Zoology 5th Ed., with modifications from http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/Main/Classification/35476.htm Snails Commonly (and not) Encountered in the Marine Pet-Fish Interest: The Class Gastropoda, the Snails: are divided into two Subclasses: Prosobranchia and Opisthobranchia, Subclass Prosobranchia: In turn divided into three living Orders: Archaeogastropoda, Mesogastropoda and Neogastropoda. Marine, freshwater and terrestrial. Name refers to the position of the internal organs and mantle cavity; anterior vs. the opisthobranchs where these are located posteriorly in the body. Aquatic species with one or two gills, Most have a shell and operculum (closeable cover). Most are dioecious (separate sexes). Order More primitive forms. Include abalones, limpets, turbans, neritids. Inadvanced species, typically with two bipectinate gills (right one may be reduced or absent), two auricle, two nephridia (osphradium simple, ridgelike). Superfamily Pleurotomariacea: Slit shells and Abalones. Have shells with a notch, slit or openings, and two gills. Pleurotomatia, Perotrochus, Scissurella, Haliotis
Superfamily Fissurellacea: Keyhole Limpets. Have shells with just one (apical) hole, and two gills. Emarginula, Diodora, Fissurella. Superfamily Patellacea (Docoglossa): Limpets that lack a hole or notch in their shells. Have a single auricle, single bipectinate gill, secondary gills, or may have no gills. Acmaea, Collisella, Patelloia, Lottia, Patella, Cellana, Lepeta. Superfamily Trochaea: Top shells, Turbans, Star shells. Conical shells, possess an operculum, single bipectinate gill. Topshells and Turbans. Genera of note: Astraea, Margarites, Tegula, Trochus, Turbo, Astraea. Family Turbinidae: Turbo Snails
Superfamily Neritacea: Globose operculate snails. Single nephridium and complex reproductive structures sometimes distances this group from other archaeogastropods by taxonomists, but do have a single bipectinate gill. Nerita, Neritina, Theodoxus, terrestrial Helicinidae.
Order Mesogastropoda: Intermediate Gastropods. Four Superfamilies. Have simple monopectinate gills, one auricle, one nephridium and their osphradia are simple (ridgelike). Have complex reproductive structures (usually a penis). Their radulas (rasping "tongues") are taenioglossate (with seven teeth per transverse row). Principally marine, but many freshwater and terrestrial species as well. Superfamilies Cyclophoracea and Vivparacea. All terrestrial, lack gills. Includes the freshwater aquarium snails of the genera Viviparus, Pomacea and Pila. Superfamily Littoinacea: Intertidal Littoinidae; Littorina, Tectarius, Lacuna and terrestrial Pomatiasidae; Pomatias. Superfamily Rissocea: A large grouping of small conical marine, freshwater and terrestrial snails. Hydrobia, Bulimus, Rissoa, Alvania, Cingula. Superfamily Cerithiacea. Turret Shells, Worms Shells. Marine, freshwater. Have pointed shells, small, generally less than an inch in length. Turritelidae; Turritella. Vermetidae; Vermetus, Serpulorbis, Petaloconchus, Dendropoma. Siliquaridae; Siloquaria, Caecum, Goniobasis, Pleuroceta, Cerithrium, Bittium, Batillaria.
Superfamily Epitoniacea: Pelagic Violet Snails; Janthina. Superfamily Eulimacea. Predators, commensals and parasites of echinoderms. Eulima, Stilifer, Entoconcha, Entocolax, Enteroxenos. Superfamily Calyptreacea: Limpet like snails and Slipper shells. Protandrous. Most have a cap-like or limpet like shell. Capulus, Calyptraea, Crepidula. Superfamily Cypraecea: Cowries. Spires enclosed in last whorl of shells. Cypraea, Trivia... Family Cypraeidae: Cowries.
To: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 :
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