Family
haminoeid bubble snails
Haminoeidae
- Species in the gallery
- 5
- Genera
- 5
Back to superfamily Haminoeid bubble snailsBack to order Bubble shells and headshield slugsBack to the gallery
Description
Haminoeidae are bubble snails in the order Cephalaspidea, with genera such as Haminoea, Lamprohaminoea, Atys, Phanerophthalmus and Smaragdinella. They are common in tropical and temperate seas worldwide, often in shallow water on sand, mud or algae; several Haminoea species occur in Israel, including Indo-Pacific species that entered via the Suez Canal. Most are herbivores feeding on algae and diatoms.
Identification
Small slugs with a thin, fragile, bubble-like shell that is partly or largely covered by the body. A flattened head shield, with no tentacles, is used for ploughing through sediment, and side flaps (parapodia) wrap around the shell. Colours are usually translucent, green or brown, though Lamprohaminoea species are brightly patterned.
Genera
5 species
Sources (2)
Share link: https://seaslugs.org.il/family/Haminoeidae/