Diaphanidae is a taxonomic family of small sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the superfamily Diaphanoidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
The little-known species in this family have small, flimsy, almost globular shells, known as paper bubble gastropod shells.
Distribution
Species in this family are found in cold seas, such as the Arctic region, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.
Habitat
The species occur in the sublittoral to abyssal zones.
Shell description
The shell is minute, thin, fragile, colorless to translucent, and usually less than 5 mm in size. The overall shape is ovate, pear-shaped, and bulbous. There is a sunken apex.
Genera
Genera within the family Diaphanidae include:
Subfamily Diaphaninae
- Genus Austrodiaphana Pilsbry, 1893
- Genus Colobocephalus Sars M., 1870
- Genus Colpodaspis M. Sars, 1870 (incertae sedis) The sole of the foot contains a gland that secretes a mucous fluid, which helps the little animal to stay attached to stems and algae.
- Genus Diaphana Brown, 1827
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Diaphana abyssalis T. Schiøtte, 1998
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Diaphana anderssoni H. Strebel, 1908
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Diaphana caribaea Espinosa, J., J.Ortea & J.Magaña, 2001
- Distribution : Cuba
- Length : 2 mm
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Diaphana cretica
- Distribution : Mediterranean
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Diaphana expansa (Jeffreys, 1864)
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Diaphana floridana Dall, 1927
- Distribution : Georgia
- Length : 4 mm
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Diaphana globosa Lovén, 1846
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Diaphana haini Linse, K. & T. Schiøtte, 2002
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Diaphana hiemalis (Couthouy, J.P., 1839) (synonym of Diaphana minuta)
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Diaphana inflata (Strebel, H., 1908)
- Distribution : South Georgia
- Length : 2.4 mm
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Diaphana lactea Jeffreys, 1877
- Distribution : Mediterranean, Norway
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Diaphana lottae K.J. Bush, 1893
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Diaphana makarovi G.B. Gorbunov, 1946
- Distribution : East Greenland
- Length : 3 mm
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Diaphana mauretaniensis T. Schiøtte, 1998
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Diaphana minuta Brown, 1827
- Distribution : Greenland, Scandinavia, Iceland, Scotland, North Spain down to the Canaries and the Mediterranean, Massachusetts.
- Length: 5.8 mm
- Description : found in sandy bottoms from the low tide level to a depth of 350 m; thin, fragile, smooth, cylindrical shell with convex whorls. The body whorl is prominent. Minute apex. Deep suture between the whorls. Deep umbilicus.
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Diaphana pacifica T. Schiøtte, 1998
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Diaphana paessleri H. Strebel, 1905
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Diaphana pfefferi H. Strebel, 1905
- Distribution : South Georgia
- Length : 2.9 mm
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Diaphana quadrata
- Distribution : Mediterranean
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Diaphana seguenzae R.B. Watson, 1886
- Distribution : NE Brazil
- Length : 3.8 mm
- Genus Newnesia E. A. Smith, 1902 (incertae sedis)
- Genus Rhinodiaphana Lemche, 1967
- Genus Woodbridgea Berry, 1953
Subfamily Toledoniinae
References