Janthinoidea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Janthinoidea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Janthina janthina sea snail with its bubble raft, washed up on the east shore of the island of Maui | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Clade: | Hypsogastropoda |
| Suborder: | Ptenoglossa |
| Superfamily: | Janthinoidea Lamarck 1810 |
| Families | |
Janthinoidea is a superfamily of sea snails containing wentletraps (Epitoniidae) and surfing snails (Janthinidae). It includes species that have tethered egg masses, some of which are used for flotation.[1]
Molecular evidence supports a tree for Janthinoidea that shows the sequential development of traits for a neustonic life.[1] The wentletraps (Epitoniidae) have tethered egg masses that started to be used for flotation in Recluzia and then totally divorce from its original function for the ovoviviparous Janthina janthina.[1]
