Gastropod families

Helicidae is a large, diverse family of western Palaearctic, medium to large-sized, air-breathing land snails, sometimes called the "typical snails." It includes some of the largest European land snails, several species are common in anthropogenic habitats, and some became invasive on other continents. A number of species in this family are valued as food items, including Cornu aspersum (formerly Helix aspersa; "petit gris") the brown or garden snail, and Helix pomatia (the "escargot"). The biologies of these two species in particular have been thoroughly studied and documented.

Cypraeidae, commonly named the cowries ( cowry or cowrie), is a taxonomic family of small to large sea snails. These are marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, the cowries and cowry allies.

Viviparidae, commonly called river snails, are a family of freshwater snails with gills and a protective lid (operculum). Their family tree is complex, and genetic evidence suggesting some species in this family don't fit neatly into traditional groups. These snails are native lakes and rivers across Europe, Asia, and parts of North America. Some, like Cipangopaludina japonica, have become invasive thanks to their ability to adapt.thumb|Intact image of Viviparus contectus from Netherlands thumb|Empty shells of Viviparidae Bellamya unicolor thumb|Viviparidae image ==Distribution== This family

Planorbidae, common name the ramshorn snails or ram's horn snails, is a family of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs. Unlike most molluscs, the blood of ram's horn snails contains iron-based hemoglobin instead of copper-based hemocyanin. As a result, planorbids are able to breathe oxygen more efficiently than other molluscs. The presence of hemoglobin gives the body a reddish colour. This is especially apparent in albino animals.

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.

Patellidae is a taxonomic family of true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Patelloidea. (The superfamily Patelloidea should not be confused with the similar-sounding genus of true limpets Patelloida which is in the family Lottiidae within the superfamily Lottioidea, also part of the Patellogastropoda.)

Strombidae, commonly known as the true conchs, is a taxonomic family of medium-sized to very large sea snails in the superfamily Stromboidea, and the Epifamily Neostromboidae. The term true conchs, being a common name, does not have an exact meaning. It may generally refer to any of the Strombidae but sometimes is used more specifically to include only Strombus and Lambis. The family currently includes 31 extant, and 10 extinct genera.

Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family of medium to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of the species in this family are mostly globular in shape.

thumb|Apertural view of a gastropod shell|shell of [[Scaphella junonia]] Volutidae, common name volutes, are a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails that range in size from 9 mm to over 500 mm. They are marine gastropod mollusks. Most of the species have no operculum.

Turbinidae, the turban snails, are a family of small to large marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Trochoidea.

Ovulidae, common names the ovulids, cowry allies or false cowries, is a family of small to large predatory or parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, the cowries and the cowry allies.

Achatinidae (New Latin, from Greek "agate") is a family of medium to large sized tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks from Africa.

Turritellidae, with the common name "tower shells" or "tower snails", is a taxonomic family of small- to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the Sorbeoconcha clade.

Fasciolariidae is a family of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Buccinoidea. Species in Fasciolariidae are commonly known as tulip snails and spindle snails.

Hygromiidae is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea.

The Cassidae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized, large, and sometimes very large sea snails commonly called helmet snails or bonnet snails. These are marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Tonnoidea and the clade Littorinimorpha.

Achatinellidae is a family of tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Pupilloidea.

The Polyceridae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Polyceroidea.

Enidae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks.

family of gastropods

Turridae is a taxonomic family name for a number of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.

Pleurotomariidae, common name the "slit snails", is a family of large marine gastropods in the superfamily Pleurotomarioidea of the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is a very ancient lineage; there were numerous species in the geological past. The genus includes several hundred fossil forms, mostly Paleozoic. It is one of the oldest gastropod families, commencing in the Cambrian.

Fissurellidae, commonly called keyhole limpets or slit limpets, is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda.

Eulimidae is a family of very small parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Vanikoroidea.

Onchidiidae are a family of small, air-breathing sea (and land) slugs. They are shell-less marine (except for two species) pulmonate gastropod molluscs. Onchidiidae is the only family within the superfamily Onchidioidea.

Succineidae are a family of small to medium-sized, air-breathing land snails (and slugs), terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Succineoidea.

thumb|Drawing of shells of Ellobium pyramidale.

The Calyptraeidae are a family of small to medium-sized marine prosobranch gastropods.

Carinariidae, known by the common name "heteropods" like their relatives in the Pterotracheoidea, is a taxonomic family of swimming or floating sea snails, pelagic marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha.

Tritoniidae is a family of nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs or sea slugs, and the only member of the superfamily Tritonioidea and the suborder Tritoniacea. This family includes some of the largest known nudibranchs, with the NE Atlantic species Tritonia hombergii reaching 20 cm in length.

Agriolimacidae is a family of small and medium-sized land slugs, or shell-less snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks.

Pyramidellidae, common name the pyram family, or pyramid shells, is a voluminous taxonomic family of mostly small and minute ectoparasitic sea snails, marine heterobranch gastropod molluscs. The great majority of species of pyrams are micromolluscs.

Pleurobranchidae is a taxonomic family of sea slugs, marine gastropod molluscs, in the order Pleurobranchida.

Atlantidae is a family of sea snails, holoplanktonic gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha.

Cochlicopidae is a taxonomic family of small, air-breathing, land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Pupilloidea.

Diplommatinidae is a family of small land snails, also known as staircase snails, with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cyclophoroidea. The Cochlostomatinae Kobelt, 1902, were previously considered a subfamily of the Diplommatinidae, but are now known to be a separate family.

The Nassariidae, Nassa mud snails (US), or dog whelks (UK) are a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized snails, mostly marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. These snails have rounded shells with a high spire, an oval aperture, and a siphonal notch. This family of snails is found worldwide.

The Harpidae, known as the harp snails, are the members of a taxonomic family of large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks.

Siliquariidae is a family of sea snails with unusual, very loosely coiled shells. These are marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea.

Helicinidae is a family of small tropical land snails, terrestrial operculate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicinoidea.

Chondrinidae is a family of mostly minute air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the order Pulmonata.

Ringiculidae are a family of small deep water sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the informal group Lower Heterobranchia.

Aglajidae is a family of often colorful, medium-sized, sea slugs, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks. These are not nudibranchs; instead they are headshield slugs, in the clade Cephalaspidea.

Architectonicidae, common name the staircase shells or sundials, are a family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the informal group Lower Heterobranchia (= Allogastropoda) of the clade Heterobranchia.

The Personidae are a family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Littorinimorpha.

Flabellinidae is a taxonomic family of brightly coloured sea slugs, specifically nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks.

Pterotracheidae is a family of medium-sized to large floating sea snails, pelagic gastropod molluscs. They are in the superfamily Pterotracheoidea along with two other similar pelagic families, the Atlantidae and the Carinariidae.

The Facelinidae is a family of aeolid nudibranchs. They are marine gastropod molluscs.

Caecidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails or micromolluscs, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Littorinimorpha.

Dotidae is a family of nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs or sea slugs, in the superfamily Dendronotoidea.

Planaxidae, commonly called planaxids or clusterwinks, are a taxonomic family of small and minute sea snails, pantropical marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea. They live on rocky shores in the littoral zone of the tropics and subtropics.

Triphoridae is a family of very small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the informal group Ptenoglossa, within the clade Hypsogastropoda. Almost all the species in this family are micromollusks and almost all are left-handed in shell-coiling.

Oxychilidae is a taxonomic family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Gastrodontoidea.

Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family of small to medium-large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. Some of the shells of the species in this family resemble a nutmeg seed.

Plakobranchidae is a family of sea slugs, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Plakobranchoidea. They superficially resemble nudibranchs but they are sacoglossans, members of the clade Sacoglossa within the Opisthobranchia.

Tethydidae is a family of nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs or sea slugs, in the superfamily Dendronotoidea.

Tylodinidae is a family of sea snails or false limpets, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Umbraculoidea.

The Aciculidae are a family of small land snails that have opercula.

Vanikoridae is a family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Vanikoroidea.