Phylliroidae

Phylliroe bucephalum

The Phylliroidae are a family of medium-sized pelagic species of tree snails in the subordination of the Nudibranch ( Nudibranchia ). The three living in tropical seas caseless snails feed on cnidarians.

Features

The Phylliroidae have an elongated, entirely transparent body on which neither gills are after any back extensions, but they have two smooth rhinophores, sensor, used for smelling and the flow perception. Directly behind these flows on the right side of the back of the anus. The foot is greatly reduced. The multi-row, three-row only at Cephalopyge radula may have a Rhachiszahn with central cusps. A pair of pine is present.

Like other opisthobranch are the Phylliroidae hermaphrodite and have very long vas deferens. The snails copulate each other. The shell-less veliger larvae develop as parasites of jellyfish, which are gradually eaten up by the rapidly growing young animals.

As adults, the screw swim through undulations of the whole body. They prey mainly as plankton living cnidarians.

System

After Bouchet and Rocroi ( 2005), the family Phylliroidae one of nine families in the superfamily Tritonioidea, which in turn is only the partial order Dendronotida. The family Phylliroidae include two genera with three species:

• Péron & Lesueur Phylliroe, 1810 with 2 types: Phylliroe bucephala Lamarck, 1816 and Phylliroe lichtensteinii Eschscholtz, 1825

The genus name Bonneviia Pruvot -Fol, 1929, Boopsis Pierantoni, 1923 Ctilopsis André, 1906, Dactylopus Bonnevie, 1921 and Nectophyllirhoe Hoffmann, 1922 are synonyms of Cephalopyge Hanel, 1905. Phyllirhoe is a misspelling of Phylliroe.