Olivellidae

Olivella biplicata with schneepflugartigem Propodium

The dwarf olive shells ( Olivellidae ) are a family of small, exclusively marine snails that live mainly in warmer seas.

Features

The olive-shaped body of the dwarf olive snails have a smooth, glossy surface and are often provided with a color pattern. The length of the housing opening only takes up one third to half of the total body length. Unlike the olive snails have the dwarf olive snails no sensor and no eyes, just as they lack Besides salivary glands. The operculum is usually horny and closes the whole case mouth.

Dissemination and lifestyle

Most species of dwarf olive snails are partly to be found in tropical and subtropical waters of North and South America in a temperate climate in North America. Some species live on the coasts of Australia.

The dwarf olive snails inhabit as soft bottom dwellers sandy and muddy ground, where they feed on meiofauna and microfauna, including foraminifers. While American species are found in the intertidal zone and below, depth live the Australian species below the intertidal zone to about 100 meters.

System

The Olivellidae family forms according to Bouchet & Rocroi (2005 ) together with the family of olive snails ( Olividae ) the superfamily Olivoidea. The Zwegrolivenschnecken include three genera:

• Jana Oliva Sterba & Lorenz, 2005
• Olivella Swainson, 1831
• Olivellopsis Thiele, 1929

The following species are synonyms:

• Dactylidia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Olivella Swainson, 1831
• Janoliva [sic ]: synonym of Jana Oliva Sterba & Lorenz, 2005

The dwarf olive snails are calculated by Ponder & Lindberg (1997 ) nor to the family Olividae within the superfamily Muricoidea. Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) as they lead already own family in the superfamily Olivoidea.