Littorinidae

The Littorinidae are a taxonomic family of over 200 species of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Littorinimorpha, commonly known as periwinkles and found worldwide.

Names

In English-speaking countries, gastropod molluscs from other families, such as the Neritidae, are sometimes also commonly known as "winkles" because they are small, round snails that occupy a similar ecological niche.

Taxonomy

These subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005):

Subfamily Littorininae Children, 1834 – synonyms: Echinininae Rosewater, 1972; Tectariinae Rosewater, 1972; Melaraphidae Starobogatov & Sitnikova, 1983
Subfamily Lacuninae Gray, 1857 – synonyms: Risellidae Kesteven, 1903; Cremnoconchinae Preston, 1915; Bembiciidae Finlay, 1928.
Subfamily Laevilitorininae Reid, 1989

Genera within the family Littorinidae include:
;LittorininaeAfrolittorina Williams, Reid & Littlewood, 2003Austrolittorina Rosewater, 1970Cenchritis von Martens, 1900Echinolittorina Habe, 1956 – synonyms: Amerolittorina Reid, 2009; Fossarilittorina Rosewater, 1981; Granulilittorina Habe & Kosuge, 1966; Lineolittorina Reid, 2009Littoraria Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 – 39 speciesLittorina Férussac, 1822 – 18 species – type genusMainwaringia Nevill, 1885Melarhaphe Menke, 1828Nodilittorina von Martens, 1897 – this genus proved to be polyphyletic and in 2003 was divided into:

* Echinolittorina – 59 species worldwide
* Austrolittorina – five species
* Afrolittorina – four species
* Nodilittorina s.s. – the monotypic subgenusPeasiella - Nevill, 1885Tectarius Valenciennes, 1833 – 11 species, its synonym or subgenus includes: Echininus Clench & Abbott, 1942.

;LacuninaeBembicium Philippi, 1846Cremnoconchus Blanford, 1869 – freshwater snails living in waterfalls.Lacuna Turton, 1827 – synonym: Aquilonaria Dall, 1886Pellilitorina Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886Risellopsis Kesteven, 1902
;LaevilitorininaeLaevilacunaria Powell, 1951Laevilitorina Pfeiffer, 1886
subfamily ?Algamorda Dall, 1918Macquariella Finlay, 1927 Rissolitorina Ponder, 1966
;Synonyms:Corneolitorina Powell, 1951: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886 represented as Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886Haloconcha Dall, 1886 is a synonym for Lacunaria Dall, 1885Macquariella Finlay, 1926: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886Rissolittorina Ponder, 1966: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886