Diaphanoidea

Diaphanoidea is a taxonomic superfamily of small sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.

Species in this superfamily have small, flimsy, almost globular shells, known as paper bubble gastropod shells.

Distribution

Species in this superfamily are found in cold seas, such as the Arctic region, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.

Habitat

The species occur in the sublitoral to abyssal zones.

Shell description

The shell is minute, thin, fragile, colorless to translucent, and usually less than 5 mm in size. The overall shape is ovate, pear-shaped, and bulbous. There is a sunken apex.

Families

Families in the superfamily Diaphanoidea include:

• Diaphanidae Odhner, 1922
• Notodiaphanidae Thiele, 1931

References

External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Diaphanoidea

• Diaphanoidea at the National Center for Biotechnology Information
• Photo of Colpodaspis thompsoni