Pterotrachea

Taxobox
name = "Pterotrachea"


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Caenogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
subordo = Hypsogastropoda
infraordo = Littorinimorpha
superfamilia = Pterotracheoidea
familia = Pterotracheidae
genus = "Pterotrachea"
genus_authority = Forskål, 1775
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Pterotrachea" is a taxonomic genus of medium-sized to large floating sea slugs, marine pelagic gastropod molluscs in the family Pterotracheidae, which is in the infraorder Littorinimorpha. As such they are quite closely related to such families as the tritons (Ranellidae) and the tun shells (Tonnidae).

These pelagic slugs are not at all closely related to the pelagic opisthobranch gastropods such as the sea angels and sea butterflies.

Description

The animal is large, elongated, without a shell or mantle. On the underside of the animal, the foot projects as a thin muscular flap, and is employed in sculling the animal along.

pecies within the genus "Pterotrachea"

* "Pterotrachea coronata" Forskål, 1775
* "Pterotrachea hippocampus" Philippi, 1836
* "Pterotrachea keraudrenii" J. E. Gray, 1850
* "Pterotrachea minuta"
* "Pterotrachea scutata" Gegenbaur, 1855

References

*
* Powell A W B, "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1

External Links

* [http://tolweb.org/Pterotrachea/28737 Tree of Life: Pterotrachea]