Phylliroidae

Phylliroidae
Phylliroe bucephalum, Mozambique
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Dendronotacea
Superfamily: Dendronotoidea
Family: Phylliroidae
Menke, 1830
Genera

See Genera

Phylliroidae is a family of nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs or sea slugs, in the superfamily Dendronotoidea.[1] They are highly adapted to a pelagic lifestyle and occur in tropical surface waters around the globe. The two genera assigned to this family, Phylliroe and Cephalopyge, are relatively small in size (up to 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in)), slender and highly transparent. They swim by undulating their whole body. Their foot is very small, which helps to reduce drag. They are carnivores that prey on planktonic jelly fish.[2]

Taxonomy

A 2020 molecular analysis recovered Phylliroidae within Dendronotida (currently referred to as Dendronotoidea).[3]

Genera

The following genera are recognised in the family Phylliroidae:[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Bieler R, Bouchet P, Gofas S, Marshall B, Rosenberg G, La Perna R, Neubauer TA, Sartori AF, Schneider S, Vos C, ter Poorten JJ, Taylor J, Dijkstra H, Finn J, Bank R, Neubert E, Moretzsohn F, Faber M, Houart R, Picton B, Garcia-Alvarez O (eds.). "Phylliroidae Menke, 1830". MolluscaBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
  2. ^ Lalli, Carol M.; Gilmer, Ronald W. (1989). Pelagic Snails: The Biology of Holoplanktonic Gastropod Mollusks. Stanford University Press.
  3. ^ Goodheart, Jessica A.; Wägele, Heike (2020-12-01). "Phylogenomic analysis and morphological data suggest left-right swimming behavior evolved prior to the origin of the pelagic Phylliroidae (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia)". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 20 (4): 657–667. doi:10.1007/s13127-020-00458-9. ISSN 1618-1077.

Further reading

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