Littorinidae

Littorina littorea

The beach snails ( Littorinidae ) are a family from the group of Caenogastropoda. They are often to the European seashores, but have different adaptations that allow them to live out of water, eg rising from the water and rocks in the splash zone.

Features

The beach snails have a solid, often pigmented shell, which can have a moderately high thread. The sculpturing consists of growth lines, also may be present spirally running lines, but never ribs. The foot has the shape of a shield and front blunt with two edges. Epipodium and Metapodium are without appendages. The spiral operculum has 2 to 3 turns rapidly increasing.

Beach snails are dioecious with internal fertilization. From the eggs hatch veliger larvae metamorphose after a pelagic phase to small snails.

Beach snails feed on the herbivores of both microscopic and macroscopic algae.

Species of the North and Baltic Seas

  • Littorina Great beach snail ( Littorina littorea )
  • Top beach snail ( Littorina neritoides )
  • Small beach snail ( Littorina saxatilis )

The smaller species of the genus Littorina are externally difficult to determine, but can be distinguished by their way of life in different areas of the coast. So Littorina neritoides found mainly in the splash zone, Littorina saxatilis follows her in the flood zone, while Littorina obtusata located near the low tide line. These snails are site- faithful, they are based on the position of the sun in order to return to its starting point again can.

System

After Bouchet and Rocroi ( 2005), the family Littorinidae one of seven families in the superfamily Littorinoidea. To the family Littorinidae include three subfamilies with 23 genera:

  • Littorininae Afrolittorina Williams, Reid & Littlewood, 2003-4 species ( formerly in Nodilittorina )
  • Austrolittorina Rosewater, 1970-5 species ( formerly in Nodilittorina )
  • Cenchritis von Martens, 1900
  • Echinolittorina possessions, 1956-59 species worldwide (formerly in Nodilittorina ) - Synonyms: Amerolittorina Reid, 2009; Fossarilittorina Rosewater, 1981; Have Granulilittorina & Kosuge, 1966; Lineolittorina Reid, 2009
  • Littoraria Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834-39 types
  • Littorina Ferussac, 1822-18 types
  • Mainwaringia Nevill, 1885
  • Melarhaphe Menke, 1828
  • Nodilittorina von Martens, 1897 - monotypic
  • Peasiella - Nevill, 1885
  • Tectarius Valenciennes, 1833-11 types. It includes as a synonym: Echininus Clench & Abbott, 1942.
  • Lacuninae Bembicium Philippi, 1846
  • Cremnoconchus Blanford, 1869 - freshwater snails in waterfalls
  • Lacuna Turton, 1827 - synonym: Aquilonaria Dall, 1886
  • Pellilitorina pepper in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886
  • Risellopsis Kesteven, 1902
  • Laevilitorininae Laevilitorina Pfeiffer, 1886
Sorbeoconcha Operculum (gastropod) Achille Valenciennes William Healey Dall World Register of Marine Species Digital Object Identifier
525454
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