Haminoeidae, commonly known as the haminoeid bubble snail family, is a
taxonomic
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of sea snails,
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
opisthobranch
Opisthobranchs () is now an informal name for a large and diverse group of specialized complex gastropods which used to be united in the subclass Opisthobranchia. That taxon is no longer considered to represent a monophyletic grouping.
Euopisth ...
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
mollusk
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...
s in the superfamily
Haminoeoidea
Haminoeoidea is a taxonomic superfamily of small sea snails or bubble shells, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the clade Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
These cephalaspideans do have distinct anatomical and mo ...
.
The name of this family has long been controversial, and used to be Atyidae or Atydidae. Another, but incorrect, spelling was Haminaeidae (See (ICZN) 2000. Opinion 1942).
A number of genera have been proposed for this family, but the species are hard to identify (or sometimes impossible to identify) by looking only at the external characteristics. Until the internal
anatomy
Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its ...
of 'wet' specimens has been fully described, the status of many of the genera listed here is uncertain.
Distribution
These bubble snails occur in all warm or temperate seas.
Habitat
These are sand dwellers or they live on muddy bottoms, in bays, estuaries, and close to the shore in tidepools.
Description of the live animal
These are colorful snails, that can partially take the color of the sea floor.
Their large cephalic shield is rounded at the front, but deeply lobed behind. The mantle protrudes behind the shell. The shell is partially or completely enfolded by lateral parapodial (=fleshy winglike outgrowths) lobes.
Shell description
Their
shell
Shell may refer to:
Architecture and design
* Shell (structure), a thin structure
** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses
** Thin-shell structure
Science Biology
* Seashell, a hard ou ...
varies in size according to the species, from 3 mm to 30 mm.
The shell is ovoid, thin and translucent. It may be smooth or have spiral grooves (striae). The umbilical
apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe
* Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe
*Apex ...
is sunken or enclosed and no longer visible. Large
body whorl
The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk.
In gastropods
In gastropods, the b ...
with fine spiral striations. Smooth columella. The thin outer lip of the
aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.
An opt ...
extends beyond the
apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe
* Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe
*Apex ...
of the shell and is thus longer than the body whorl. The aperture narrows posteriorly and is wider anteriorly.
Ecology
These snails are
herbivorous
A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...
. Their diet consists of various kinds of
green alga
The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...
e. They can survive in brackish water.
They are
hermaphrodites
In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes.
Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates) do not have separ ...
. Their
egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
s are deposited in round or oval jellylike strings, attached to
eelgrass Eelgrass is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
* ''Zostera'', marine eelgrass
* ''Vallisneria
''Vallisneria'' (named in honor of Antonio Vallisneri) is a genus of freshwater aquatic plant, commonly called eelgrass, tape grass o ...
Atys cylindricum Atys may refer to:
* Atys (King of Alba Longa), a king of Alba Longa in Roman mythology
* Atys of Lydia, an early king of Lydia, then probably known as Maeonia, and was the father of Lydus
* Atys (son of Croesus), the son of the later King Croesus o ...
'' are known to show biological
fluorescence
Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. It is a form of luminescence. In most cases, the emitted light has a longer wavelength, and therefore a lower photon energy, tha ...
.
Genera and species
Genera within the family Haminoeidae include:
* ''
Aliculastrum
''Aliculastrum'' is a genus of small sea snails or bubble snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs in the family Haminoeidae.
This genus was originally considered to be a subgenus of '' Atys''.
Life habits
These bubble snails are herbivor ...
Bullacta
''Bullacta exarata'', common name the Korean mud snail, is a species of a sea snail or bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haminoeidae, the bubble snails.
''Bullacta exarata'' is a commercially important mollusc which is used ...
'' Bergh, 1901 - with the only species: '' Bullacta exarata'' (Philippi, 1849)
* '' Cylichnatys'' Kuroda & Habe, 1952
* '' Diniatys'' Iredale, 1936
* ''
Haloa
Haloa or Alo (Ἁλῶα) was an Attic festival, celebrated principally at Eleusis, in honour of Demeter (Δήμητρα, η Αλωαίη), protector of the fruits of the earth, of Dionysus, god of the grape and of wine, and Poseidon (Ποσει ...
Haloa
Haloa or Alo (Ἁλῶα) was an Attic festival, celebrated principally at Eleusis, in honour of Demeter (Δήμητρα, η Αλωαίη), protector of the fruits of the earth, of Dionysus, god of the grape and of wine, and Poseidon (Ποσει ...
'' Pilsbry, 1921
* '' Smaragdinella'' A. Adams, 1848
* '' Vellicolla'' Oskars, Too, Rees, P. M. Mikkelsen, Willassen & Malaquias, 2019
* '' Weinkauffia'' Monterosato, 1884
;Genera brought into synonymy:
* ''Atyscaphander'' Annandale, 1924: synonym of ''
Bullacta
''Bullacta exarata'', common name the Korean mud snail, is a species of a sea snail or bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haminoeidae, the bubble snails.
''Bullacta exarata'' is a commercially important mollusc which is used ...
'' Bergh, 1901
* ''Austrocylichna'' Burn, 1974: synonym of '' Roxaniella'' Monterosato, 1884
* ''Dinia'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854: synonym of '' Diniatys'' Iredale, 1936
* ''Haminea'' Gray, 1847: synonym of '' Haminoea'' Turton & Kingston in Carrington, 1830
* ''Limulatys'' Iredale, 1936: synonym of '' Weinkauffia'' Weinkauff, 1873
* ''Nipponatys'' Habe, 1952; synonym of ''
Aliculastrum
''Aliculastrum'' is a genus of small sea snails or bubble snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs in the family Haminoeidae.
This genus was originally considered to be a subgenus of '' Atys''.
Life habits
These bubble snails are herbivor ...
'' Pilsbry, 1896
* ''Sinohaminea'' Tchang, 1933: synonym of ''
Bullacta
''Bullacta exarata'', common name the Korean mud snail, is a species of a sea snail or bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haminoeidae, the bubble snails.
''Bullacta exarata'' is a commercially important mollusc which is used ...
'' Bergh, 1901
* ''Sphaeratys'' F. Nordsieck, 1972: synonym of '' Oxygyrus'' Benson, 1835
* ''Ventomnestia'' Iredale, 1936: synonym of '' Mnestia'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854
;Brought to another family:
* '' Micratys'' Habe, 1952: belongs to the family nassignedCephalaspidea
* '' Mimatys'' Habe, 1952: belongs to the family Alacuppidae.
* '' Mnestia'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; belongs to the family Mnestiidae
*Genus '' Diniatys''
**'' Diniatys dentifer'' A. Adams, 1850 - Distribution: Indo-Pacific, Length : 10 mm, Description : this herbivore is found on the bluegreen algae ''Lyngbya majuscula'', ''Schizothrix'' and ''Hormothamnion''. There is a pointed projection on the columella. The color varies between green and various shades of brown. The two black eyes are on the back of the cephalic shield.
**'' Diniatys monodonta'' A. Adams, 1850
***Distribution: Japan
*Genus ''
Haloa
Haloa or Alo (Ἁλῶα) was an Attic festival, celebrated principally at Eleusis, in honour of Demeter (Δήμητρα, η Αλωαίη), protector of the fruits of the earth, of Dionysus, god of the grape and of wine, and Poseidon (Ποσει ...
''
**'' Haloa binotata'' (H. A. Pilsbry, 1895)
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Haloa constricta'' A. Adams, 1850
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Haloa crocata'' W. H. Pease, 1860
***Distribution : Hawaii
**'' Haloa flavescens'' (A. Adams, 1850)
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Haloa fusca'' W. H. Pease, 1863
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Haloa japonica'' H. A. Pilsbry, 1895 Japanese Paper-bubble
***Distribution : Indo Pacific, Japan
***Length : 10 mm
***Description : species with beautiful colors : glassy white background with tiny white spots and dark patches with orange dots.
**'' Haloa kawamurai'' T. Habe, 1950
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Haloa margaritoides'' T. Kuroda & T. Habe, 1971
***Distribution : Japan
***Length : 7 mm
***Description : intertidal among seaweeds
**'' Haloa nigripunctata'' W. H. Pease, 1868
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Haloa rotundata'' A. Adams, 1850
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Haloa vitrea'' (A. Adams, 1850)
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Haloa yamaguchii'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
*Genus '' Hamineobulla'' Habe, 1950 (''incertae sedis''; may be belong to the family
Bullidae
''Bulla'' is a genus of medium to large hermaphrodite sea snails, shelled marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs. These herbivorous snails are in the suborder Cephalaspidea, headshield slugs, and the order Opisthobranchia.Gofas, S. (201 ...
)
**'' Hamineobulla kawamurai'' Habe, 1950
***Distribution : Okinawa
***Length : 6 mm
***Description : brown animal with short cephalic shield; on the shell there are a few transverse rows with brighter dots
*Genus '' Liloa'' Pilsbry, 1921
Since most of these bubble snails were named on the basis of the shell alone, the occurrence of synonyms among the following species is quite possible.
**'' Liloa brevis'' ( Quoy &
Gaimard
Joseph Paul Gaimard (31 January 1793 – 10 December 1858) was a French naval surgeon and naturalist.
Biography
Gaimard was born at Saint-Zacharie on January 31, 1793. He studied medicine at the naval medical school in Toulon, subsequent ...
, 1833)
***Distribution : Australia
***Description : elongate body; parapodial flaps cover only the front of the thin, fragile shell
**'' Liloa curta'' (A. Adams, 1850)
***Distribution : Western Pacific
***Description : elongate body; the color can vary from a few dark spots on a translucent body, to almost completely dark.
**'' Liloa incisula'' Yokoyama, 1928
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Liloa laeta'' A. A. Gould, 1859
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Liloa nipponensis'' Nomura & Hatai, 1940
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Liloa porcellana'' A. A. Gould, 1859
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Liloa tomaculum'' H. A. Pilsbry, 1951
***Distribution : Hawaiian Islands
**'' Liloa translucens'' A. Adams, 1862
***Distribution : Japan
*Genus '' Limulatys'' Iredale, 1936
**'' Limulatys constrictus'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
***Length : 16 mm
**'' Limulatys crassilabris'' ( J. Thiele, 1925)
***Distribution : S.E. Asia, Thailand
***Length : 8 mm
**'' Limulatys fusiformis'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Limulatys muscarius'' A. A. Gould, 1859
***Distribution : Indo Pacific, Philippines
**'' Limulatys okamotoi'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Indo Pacific
**'' Limulatys ooformis'' T. Habe, 1964 Egg-shaped Bubble
***Distribution : Indo Pacific, Philippines, Thailand
***Length : 20 mm
**'' Limulatys okamotoi'' Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Philippines
***Length : 9 mm
**'' Limulatys reliquus'' Iredale, 1936
***Distribution : New Zealand
**'' Limulatys scobriculatus'' A. Adams, 1862
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Limulatys tortuosus'' A. Adams, 1850
***Distribution : Japan
*Genus '' Micratys'' Habe, 1952
**'' Micratys ovum'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Japan, Philippines
***Length : 2 mm
*Genus ''Mimatys'' Habe, 1952
**'' Mimatys fukuokaensis'' T. Habe, 1952
***Distribution : Japan, Philippines
***Length : 2.5 mm
*Genus '' Nipponatys'' Kurida & Habe, 1952
**'' Nipponatys amakusaensis'' T. Habe & Kikuchi, 1960
***Distribution : Japan
**'' Nipponatys oshimai'' T. Habe & Kikuchi, 1960
**'' Nipponatys volvulina'' A. Adams, 1862
***Distribution : Japan
*Genus '' Sericohaminoea'' Habe, 1952
*Genus '' Sphaeratys'' F. Nordsieck, 1972 (?)
*Genus '' Ventomnestia''
**'' Ventomnestia bizona'' (A. Adams, 1850)
**'' Ventomnestia colorata'' Iredale, 1936
**'' Ventomnestia villica'' (Gould, 1859) (may be a synonym of ''Ventomnestia bizona'')
***Distribution : Guam
***Length : 5.5 mm
***Description : a bubble snail with a great variation in color, from white to brown, but always with a characteristic pattern; heavy shell;
radula
The radula (, ; plural radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food ...
formula : 2.1.2;
*Genus '' Weinkauffia'' A. Adams, 1858
**'' Weinkauffia diaphana'' A. Aradas & Maggiore, 1839
***Distribution : West Africa
***Description : has similar gizzard plates as Atys multistriatus
**'' Weinkauffia turgidula'' Forbes, 1844
***Distribution : Adriatic Sea, Malta, Turkey
***Length : 5 mm
***Description : fossils of this species have been found in sediments of