''Pterotrachea'' 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. ...

genus of medium-sized to large floating sea slugs,

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 * ...

pelagic

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 ...

mollusc 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 esti ...

s in the family Pterotracheidae, which is in the infraorder Littorinimorpha. As such they are quite closely related to such families as the tritons ( Ranellidae) and the tun shells ( Tonnidae). These pelagic slugs are not at all closely related to the pelagic

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 ...

gastropods such as the sea angels and sea butterflies.

Species

Species within the genus ''Pterotrachea'' include: * '' Pterotrachea coronata'' Forskål, 1775 * '' Pterotrachea hippocampus''

Philippi Philippi (; grc-gre, Φίλιπποι, ''Philippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides ( grc-gre, Κρηνῖδες, ''Krenides'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colon ...

, 1836 * '' Pterotrachea keraudrenii'' J. E. Gray, 1850 * ''

Pterotrachea minuta ''Pterotrachea'' is a taxonomic genus of medium-sized to large floating sea slugs, marine pelagic gastropod molluscs in the family Pterotracheidae, which is in the infraorder Littorinimorpha. As such they are quite closely related to such f ...

'' * ''

Pterotrachea scutata ''Pterotrachea'' is a taxonomic genus of medium-sized to large floating sea slugs, marine pelagic gastropod molluscs in the family Pterotracheidae, which is in the infraorder Littorinimorpha. As such they are quite closely related to such f ...

'' Gegenbaur, 1855 ;''

Taxon inquirendum In biological classification, a ''species inquirenda'' is a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation. The use of the term in English-language biological literature dates back to at least the early nineteenth century. The term t ...

'' * ''

Pterotrachea talismani ''Pterotrachea'' is a taxonomic genus of medium-sized to large floating sea slugs, marine pelagic gastropod molluscs in the family Pterotracheidae, which is in the infraorder Littorinimorpha. As such they are quite closely related to such f ...

'' Vayssière, 1902

References

* * Powell A W B, ''New Zealand Mollusca'', William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979

External links

Niebuhr C. (ed.) (1775). Descriptiones animalium avium, amphibiorum, piscium, insectorum, vermium quae in itinere orientali observavit Petrus Forskål, prof. Haun., post mortem auctoris edidit Carsten Niebuhr. Hauniae [Copengagen], Möller, pp. 1–19 + i-xxxiv + 1-164, 1 ma

Tree of Life: ''Pterotrachea''
{{Taxonbar , from=Q3173911 Pterotracheidae