Diaphanidae is a taxonomic family of small sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the superfamily Diaphanoidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
Diaphanidae | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Order: | Cephalaspidea |
Superfamily: | Diaphanoidea |
Family: | Diaphanidae Odhner, 1922 |
The little-known species in this family have small, flimsy, almost globular shells, known as paper bubble gastropod shells.
Species in this family are found in cold seas, such as the Arctic region, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.
The species occur in the sublittoral to abyssal zones.
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.
Genera within the family Diaphanidae include: