Haminoeidae


Haminoeidae, commonly known as the haminoeid bubble snail family, is a taxonomic family of sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Haminoeoidea.
The name of this family has long been controversial, and used to be Atyidae or Atydidae. Another, but incorrect, spelling was Haminaeidae.
A number of genera have been proposed for this family, but the species are hard to identify by looking only at the external characteristics. Until the internal anatomy of 'wet' specimens has been fully described, the status of many of the genera listed here is uncertain.

Distribution

These bubble snails occur in all warm or temperate seas.

Habitat

These are sand dwellers or they live on muddy bottoms, in bays, estuaries, and close to the shore in tidepools.

Description of the live animal

These are colorful snails, that can partially take the color of the sea floor.
Their large cephalic shield is rounded at the front, but deeply lobed behind. The mantle protrudes behind the shell. The shell is partially or completely enfolded by lateral parapodial lobes.

Shell description

Their shell varies in size according to the species, from 3 mm to 30 mm.
The shell is ovoid, thin and translucent. It may be smooth or have spiral grooves. The umbilical apex is sunken or enclosed and no longer visible. Large body whorl with fine spiral striations. Smooth columella. The thin outer lip of the aperture extends beyond the apex of the shell and is thus longer than the body whorl. The aperture narrows posteriorly and is wider anteriorly.

Ecology

These snails are herbivorous. Their diet consists of various kinds of green algae. They can survive in brackish water.
They are hermaphrodites. Their eggs are deposited in round or oval jellylike strings, attached to eelgrass or sand.
Atys naucum and Atys cylindricum are known to show biological fluorescence.

Genera and species

Genera within the family Haminoeidae include:Aliculastrum Pilsbry, 1896Atys Montfort, 1810Bakawan Oskars & Malaquias, 2019Bullacta Bergh, 1901 - with the only species: Bullacta exarata Confettiella Oskars, 2024Cylichnatys Kuroda & Habe, 1952Diniatys Iredale, 1936Haloa Pilsbry, 1921Haminella Thiele, 1925Haminoea Turton & Kingston in Carrington, 1830 Lamprohaminoea Habe, 1952Liloa Pilsbry, 1921 Papawera Oskars & Malaquias, 2019Phanerophthalmus A. Adams, 1850 Roxaniella Monterosato, 1884Sericohaminoea Habe, 1952: synonym of Haloa Pilsbry, 1921Smaragdinella A. Adams, 1848Vellicolla Oskars, Too, Rees, P. M. Mikkelsen, Willassen & Malaquias, 2019Weinkauffia Monterosato, 1884
;Genera brought into synonymy:Alicula Ehrenberg, 1831: synonym of Aliculastrum Pilsbry, 1896 Atyscaphander Annandale, 1924: synonym of Bullacta Bergh, 1901Austrocylichna Burn, 1974: synonym of Roxaniella Monterosato, 1884Cryptophthalmus Ehrenberg, 1828: synonym of Phanerophthalmus A. Adams, 1850 Dinia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854: synonym of Diniatys Iredale, 1936Glauconella Gray, 1850: synonym of Smaragdinella A. Adams, 1848Haminaea Gray, 1847: synonym of Haminoea Turton & Kingston in Carrington, 1830Haminoeatys Is. Taki, 1951: synonym of Liloa Pilsbry, 1921 Lathophthalmus Pruvot-Fol, 1932: synonym of Phanerophthalmus A. Adams, 1850Limulatys Iredale, 1936: synonym of Weinkauffia Weinkauff, 1873Linteria A. Adams, 1850: synonym of Smaragdinella A. Adams, 1848Micraenigma S. S. Berry, 1953: synonym of Diniatys Iredale, 1936Naucum Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Atys Montfort, 1810 Nipponatys Habe, 1952; synonym of Aliculastrum Pilsbry, 1896Parahaminoea Kuroda & Habe, 1952: synonym of Haloa Pilsbry, 1921 Penthominea Iredale, 1929: synonym of Haloa Pilsbry, 1921Sao H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854: synonym of Pyrunculus Pilsbry, 1895Sinohaminea Tchang, 1933: synonym of Bullacta Bergh, 1901Tepidatys Iredale, 1936: synonym of Weinkauffia Weinkauff, 1873Sphaeratys F. Nordsieck, 1972: synonym of Oxygyrus Benson, 1835Vitreohaminoea T. Habe, 1952: synonym of Haloa Pilsbry, 1921 Xanthonella Gray, 1850: synonym of Phanerophthalmus A. Adams, 1850
;Brought to another family:Micratys Habe, 1952: belongs to the family Cephalaspidea Mimatys Habe, 1952: belongs to the family Alacuppidae.Mnestia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; belongs to the family Mnestiidae
Since most of these bubble snails were named on the basis of the shell alone, the occurrence of synonyms among the following species is quite possible.