| Pediculariidae | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Cypraeoidea |
| Family: | Pediculariidae Gray, 1853 |
| Genera | |
|
See text |
|
| Diversity | |
| 20 species | |
Pediculariidae is a family of small to large predatory or parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, the cowries and the cowry allies. As of 2009, it comprises 48 described species of which 20 are regarded as valid by most scientists.
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Simone (2004)[1] placed some genera in the family Pediculariidae which were previously in the family Ovulidae. Comparison of the shell, radula and morphology suggested a closer phylogenetic relationship to the Pediculariidae than to the Lamellariidae, the Eratoidae/Triviidae, or the Ovulidae.[1] However, both the validity of the family Pediculariidae, and its proper position within the superfamily Cypraeoidea, remain controversial.[1]
According to the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the subfamily Pediculariinae was included within the family Ovulidae.
Fehse (2007)[2] raised the subfamily Pediculariinae to the level of family as Pediculariidae, based on morphological research on the radulae, the shell, the soft part morphology and molecular phylogeny research on the 16S ribosomal RNA gene.[2]
The species in this family differ in a radical way from the species in the Ovulidae by the morphology of the first and second marginal teeth in their radula. While these are symmetrical (and even palmaceous) in the Ovulidae, they are asymmetrical, as can be seen in Pseudocypraea adamsonii Sowerby, 1832 (formed like a swatter) or in Jenneria pustulata and Pedicularia sicula (formed like a whip).[3]
These sea snails feed on stony corals (Scleractinia) and hydrozoans.[4]