Littorinidae

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

Littorinidae
Two shells of the common periwinkle Littorina littorea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:	Littorinoidea
Family:	Littorinidae Children, 1834
Subfamilies
Littorininae Children, 1834 Lacuninae Gray, 1857 Laevilitorininae Reid, 1989
Diversity
Two freshwater species and numerous marine species.

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:

Littorininae

• Afrolittorina Williams, Reid & Littlewood, 2003
• Austrolittorina Rosewater, 1970
• Cenchritis von Martens, 1900
• Echinolittorina Habe, 1956 – synonyms: Amerolittorina Reid, 2009; Fossarilittorina Rosewater, 1981; Granulilittorina Habe & Kosuge, 1966; Lineolittorina Reid, 2009
• Littoraria Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 – 39 species
• Littorina Férussac, 1822 – 18 species – type genus
• Mainwaringia Nevill, 1885
• Melarhaphe Menke, 1828
• Nodilittorina 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 subgenus
• Peasiella - Nevill, 1885
• Tectarius Valenciennes, 1833 – 11 species, its synonym or subgenus includes: Echininus Clench & Abbott, 1942.

Lacuninae

• Bembicium Philippi, 1846
• Cremnoconchus Blanford, 1869 – freshwater snails living in waterfalls.
• Lacuna Turton, 1827 – synonym: Aquilonaria Dall, 1886
• Pellilitorina Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886
• Risellopsis Kesteven, 1902

Laevilitorininae

• Laevilacunaria Powell, 1951
• Laevilitorina Pfeiffer, 1886

subfamily ?

• Algamorda Dall, 1918
• Macquariella Finlay, 1927 (?)
• Rissolitorina Ponder, 1966

Synonyms

• Corneolitorina Powell, 1951: synonym of Laevilitorina (Laevilitorina) Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886 represented as Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886
• Haloconcha Dall, 1886 is a synonym for Lacunaria Dall, 1885
• Macquariella Finlay, 1926: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886
• Rissolittorina Ponder, 1966: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Littorinidae.

David G. Reid; Suzanne T. Williams (2004). "The subfamily Littorininae in the Temperate Southern Hemisphere: the genera Nodilittorina, Austrolittorina and Afrolittorina" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 56: 75–122. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.56.2004.1393.