Pleurobranchomorpha

The Pleurobranchidae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Pleurobranchomorpha.

Characteristics

Species in the family Pleurobranchidae have a prominent mantle and an internal shell that becomes reduced or is lost completely in adults. Some adult species have been seen feeding on ascidians. Larval pleurobranchids can be planktotrophic (feeding on plankton), lecithotrophic (deriving nutrition from yolk), or direct developing.

Like all Pleurobranchomorpha, they breathe through an external gill, located on the right side (contrary to nudibranchs who have it on the back), just after the genital organ.

Many species produce secretions from their rich glandular mantle as a chemical defense against predators.
Even the production of sulfuric acid has been reported.

Taxonomy

Until 2005, this family was placed in the suborder Notaspidea. However, in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), the family Pleurobranchidae was placed in the superfamily Pleurobranchoidea, the only family belonging to the subclade Pleurobranchomorpha (sister to the subclade Nudibranchia), part of the clade Nudipleura.

Subfamily Pleurobranchinae

*'' Bathyberthella''
**'' Bathyberthella antarctica'' Willan and Bertsch, 1987
*'' Berthella'' de Blainville, 1824
**'' Berthella africana'' Pruvot-Fol, 1953
**'' Berthella agassizi'' MacFarland, 1909
**'' Berthella americana'' A. E. Verrill, 1885
**'' Berthella aurantiaca'' Risso, 1818
**'' Berthella caledonica'' Dall, 1900
**'' Berthella californica'' Dall, 1900 California sidegill slug
**'' Berthella canariensis'' Cervera, J.L., T.M. Gosliner, J.C. García-Gómez & J. Ortea, 2000
**'' Berthella elongata'' Cantraine, 1835
**'' Berthella martensi'' Pilsbry, 1896
**'' Berthella medietas'' R. Burn, 1962
**'' Berthella ocellata'' delle Chiaje, 1830
**'' Berthella ornata'' T.F. Cheeseman, 1878
**'' Berthella patagonica'' d'Orbigny, 1837
**'' Berthella platei'' Bergh, 1898
**''Berthella plumula'' Montagu, 1803
**''Berthella sideralis'' Lovén, 1846
**'' Berthella stellata'' Risso, 1826
**'' Berthella strongi'' MacFarland, 1966
**''Berthella tamiu'' Ev. Marcus, 1984
**'' Berthella tupala'' Er. Marcus, 1957
*'' Berthellina'' Gardiner, 1936
**'' Berthellina amarillus'' Mattox, 1953
**'' Berthellina americanus'' Verrill, 1885
**''Berthellina circularis'' Mörch, 1863
**'' Berthellina citrina'' Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828 (synonym of ''Gymnotoplax citrina'' Er. Marcus, 1957 )
**''Berthellina delicata'' W.H. Pease, 1861
**''Berthellina edwardsii'' Vayssière, 1897
**''Berthellina engeli'' Gardiner, 1936
**'' Berthellina granulata'' (Krauss, 1848)
**''Berthellina ilisima'' Marcus, Er. & Ev. Marcus, 1967
**'' Berthellina quadridens'' Mörch, 1863 (junior synonym of ''Gymnotoplax quadridens'') Mörch, 1863. Contributions à la faune malacologique des Antilles danoises Journal de Conchyliologie 11 21-43.
* '' Boreoberthella'' Martynov & Schrödl, 2009
*'' Bouvieria'' Vayssière, 1896 : synonym of ''Berthella'' Blainville, 1824
**'' Bouvieria auriantiaca'' Risso, 1813
**'' Bouvieria ocellata'' S. delle Chiaje, 1828
**'' Bouvieria perforata'' Philippi, 1844
*'' Pleurehdera'' Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970
**'' Pleurehdera haraldi'' Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970
*''Pleurobranchus'' Cuvier, 1805
*'' Tomthompsonia''
**'' Tomthompsonia antarctica'' Thiele, 1912

Image:Berthella ornata.JPG, '' Berthella ornata''
Image:Lemon pleurobranch DSC02038.JPG, '' Berthellina granulata''
Image:Pleurobranchus albiguttatus.jpg, ''Pleurobranchus albiguttatus''

References

External links

*

Richard C. Willan, Description of a New Pleurobranch (Opisthobranchia, Notaspidea) from Antarctic with a review of Notaspideans from South Polar Seas; The Veliger 29 (3), 1987 p. 292-302

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3167714

Taxa named by John Edward Gray