Cymbuliidae

Cymbuliidae is a family of pelagic sea snails or "sea butterflies", marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cymbulioidea.

Description

Instead of an external calcareous shell, they possess a pseudoconch, consisting of conchiolin, a cartilaginous tissue. The mantle and the gill have disappeared as well. They breathe through the skin. They prefer warm water.

Distribution

Cymbuliidae are found in all marine waters between -54 and 55°N.

Subfamilies

The family Cymbuliidae consists of two following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):

• subfamily Cymbuliinae Gray, 1840
• subfamily Glebinae van der Spoel, 1976

Genera

Genera within the family Cymbuliidae include:

subfamily Cymbuliinae

• Cymbulia Péron & Lesueur, 1810 - type genus of the family Cymbuliidae
• Cymbulia parvidentata Pelseneer, 1888 - Distribution: Bermuda, Oceanic. Length: 35 mm.
• Cymbulia peronii Lamarck, 1819 - Distribution: Florida, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Oceanic. Length: 65 mm.
• Cymbulia sibogae Tesch, 1903 - Distribution: Brazil, Argentina, Oceanic. Length: 24 mm.
• Corolla Dall, 1871

subfamily Glebinae

• Gleba ForsskÃ¥l, 1776 - type genus of the subfamily Glebinae
• Gleba chrysosticta Troschel, 1854: synonym of Corolla chrysosticta (Troschel, 1854)
• Gleba cordata ForskÃ¥l, 1776 - Distribution: Florida, Bermuda, Oceanic. Length: 45 mm.

References