Aporrhaidae Explained

Aporrhaidae is a family of sea snails commonly called the "pelican's foot snails." The taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005^[1] categorizes Aporrhaidae as marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.

Aporrhaids are commercially important, especially in traditional fisheries.^[2]

Description

Aporrhaids have a large lip with finger-like extensions, and a small operculum. They do not have movable eyes. Instead, their eyes are fixed at the base of each tentacle.^[3]

The mollusk has one narrow foot, which renders its motion interrupted as the foot must raise the shell a tiny bit in each single movement, simultaneously pushing it forward. The motion must be repeated again and again for the mollusk to travel.^[4]

Habitat

Aporrhaidae live on muddy and sandy bottoms, sometimes in very large populations.

Subfamilies

Subfamilies in the family Aporrhaidae include:

• Aporrhainae Gray, 1850 - synonym: Chenopidae Deshayes, 1865
• Arrhoginae Popenoe, 1983 - synonyms: Alariidae Koken, 1889 (inv.); Dicrolomatidae Korotkov, 1992
• † Harpagonidae Pchelintsev, 1963
• † Perissopterinae Korotkov, 1992 - synonym: Struthiopterinae Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995
• † Spinigerinae Korotkov, 1992 (inv.)

Genera

There are only two Recent genera:^{[5] [6]}

• Aporrhais da Costa, 1778
• Arrhoges Gabb, 1868
• † Dicroloma Gabb, 1868
• † Drepanocheilus Meek, 1864
• † Hemichenopus Steinmann & Wilckens, 1908
• † Struthioptera Finlay & Marwick, 1937

Fossil genera within the family Aporrhaidae include:

• Alarimella Saul, 1998
• Anchura Conrad, 1860
• Antarctohoges Stilwell & Zinsmeister, 1992
• Araeodactylus Harris & Burrows, 1891
• Auriala Hacobjan, 1976
• Austroaporrhais Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995
• Bicorempterus Gründel, 2001
• Ceratosiphon Gill, 1870
• Cultrigera Böhm, 1885
• Cuphosolenus Piette, 1876
• Cuphotifer Piette, 1876
• Cyclomolops Gabb, 1868
• Diarthema Piette, 1864
• Digitolabrum Cossmann, 1904
• Dimorphosoma Gardner, 1875
• Graciliala Sohl, 1960
• Goniocheila Gabb, 1868
• Helicaulax Gabb, 1868
• Kangilioptera Rosenkrantz, 1970
• Kaunhowenia Abdel Gawad, 1986
• Latiala Sohl, 1960
• Lispodesthes White, 1875
• Maussenetia Cossmann, 1904
• Mexopus Kiel & Perrilliat, 2001
• Monocuphus Piette, 1876
• Perissopter Tate, 1865
• Peruchilus Olsson, 1931
• Pietteia Cossmann, 1904
• Platyoptera Conrad, 1855
• Pseudanchura Kollmann, 2005
• Pterocerella Meek, 1864
• Pugioptera Pchelincev, 1953
• Strombopugnellus Koch, 1911
• Struthiochenopus Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995
• Teneposita Loch, 1989
• Tessarolax Gabb, 1864
• Tibiaporrhais Elder, 1990
• Toarctocera Gründel, Nützel & Schulbert, 2009^[7] - type species: Rostellaria subpunctata - Toarctocera subpunctata (von Munster in Goldfuss, 1826–1844)
• Trilemma Blagovetshenskiy & Shumilkin, 2006
• Tulochilus Finlay & Marwick, 1937
• Tundora Stephenson, 1941
• Ueckeritzella Gründel, 1998
• Wateletia Cossmann, 1889

References

• Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp.

External links

• • • Gastropoda Stromboidea - Ulrich Wieneke and Han Stoutjesdijk

Notes and References

1. Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. . ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp. http://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/ref.php?refid=78278
2. Web site: Shells aporrhaidae . 2009-03-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050305202014/http://www.sportesport.it/shellsGA18.htm . 2005-03-05 .
3. Web site: Aporrhaidae (Pelicans Foot) . 2009-03-07 . 2019-02-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190222020611/http://shells.tricity.wsu.edu/ArcherdShellCollection/Gastropoda/Aporrhaidae.html . dead .
4. Web site: TrekNature | A Pelican's foot for Ahmet Photo.
5. Gofas, S. (2012). Aporrhaidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=22988 on 2012-09-27
6. Kronenberg, G.C. 1991: The Recent species of the family Aporrhaidae. Vita marina, 41(2): 73-84.
7. Gründel, J., Nützel A. & Schulbert C. (24 July) 2009. Toarctocera (Gastropoda, Aporrhaidae): a new genus from the Jurassic (Toarcian/Aalenian) of South Germany and the early evolutionary history of the family Aporrhaidae. Paläontologische Zeitschrift (online), PDF