Ellobiidae, common name the hollow-shelled snails, is a family of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the clade Eupulmonata.[2] Ellobiidae is the only family in the superfamily Ellobioidea, according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).[3]
In this family, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 16 and 20 (according to the values in this table).[4]
They have a distinctive mode of locomotion arising due to a split sole. The front part of the sole adheres to the substrate and then the rear part of the sole is drawn up to the front part.[5]
Species are traditionally classified into five taxonomic groups, the Pythiidae, the Laemodontidae, the Melampodidae, the Ellobiidae and the Carychiidae.[1] These taxa have been recognized either as families within Ellobioidea or as sub-families within the family Ellobiidae.[1]
The family Ellobiidae consists of the following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):[3]
The high degree of homoplasy in morphological characters and frequent low variability has led to the description of approximately 800 species names available in the literature, of which 250 are likely to be valid.[1]
A molecular study by Dayrat at al. (2011)[6] for the Ellobioidea suggests a monophyletic origin of the entire group.[1]
Genera within the family Ellobiidae include:
subfamily Ellobiinae
subfamily Carychiinae
subfamily Melampinae
subfamily Pedipedinae
subfamily Pythiinae Odhner, 1925
† subfamily Zaptychiinae
subfamily ?
Genus Sarnia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1855 (temporary name, Sarnia [H. & A. Adams, 1855 (September), The Genera of Recent Mollusca, 2: 239] is an incorrect subsequent spelling of Siona H. Adams & A. Adams, 1855 which is a junior homonym of Siona Duponchel, 1829 [Lepidoptera].)
The taxon Ellobioidea comprises a group of morphologically and ecologically highly diverse snails, known to have successfully invaded the marine, brackish water and terrestrial habitats.[1]
These are mostly snails that live in salt marshes and similar maritime habitats, and thus have a tolerance for saline conditions.
This article incorporates CC-BY-2.0 text from the reference[1]
Drawing of shells of Ellobium pyramidale. Ellobiidae, common name the hollow-shelled snails, is a family of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the clade Eupulmonata. Ellobiidae is the only family in the superfamily Ellobioidea, according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).
