Order APLYSIIDA (= Anaspidea)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Aplysiida Bouchet, P., Rocroi, J.P., Hausdorf, B., Kaim, A., Kano, Y., Nützel, A., Parkhaev, P., Schrödl, M. & Strong, E.E. 2017. Revised classification, nomenclator and typification of gastropod and monoplacophoran families. Malacologia 61(1-2): 1–526 [357].
• Anaspidea Fischer, P. 1883. Manuel de Conchyliologie et de Paléontologie Conchyliologique ou histoire naturelle des mollusques vivant et fossiles. Paris : F. Savy Vol. 6 513-608 pp. [550, 566] [invalid name; taxon established at unspecified rank above family, containing the families Aplysiidae and Oxynoidae, and therefore not available as a family-group name as it is not based on a genus (Bouchet et al. 2017)].

  Secondary source:

   Bouchet, P., Rocroi, J.P., Hausdorf, B., Kaim, A., Kano, Y., Nützel, A., Parkhaev, P., Schrödl, M. & Strong, E.E. 2017. Revised classification, nomenclator and typification of gastropod and monoplacophoran families. Malacologia 61(1-2): 1–526.
• Aplysiomorpha Pelseneer, P. 1906. Mollusca. In, Lankester, R. A treatise on zoology. London : Adam & Charles Black Vol. 5 355 pp. [171] [proposed by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) over Anaspidea Fischer, 1883].

  Secondary source:

   Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47: 1–397 [260].

Introduction

A group of shallow water herbivorous opisthobranchs. Here the majority are large species, including the largest, Aplysia vaccaria from California and Mexico which attains 990 mm in length and almost 14 kg in weight. Sea hares usually have a narrower head end with forward projecting oral tentacles and dorsally directed rhinophores shaped rather like rabbit’s ears. The visceral mass makes up the bulky posterior part of the animal, behind which extends a short or long tail. All sea hares have parapodia, in some species well developed and standing upwards, in others small and folded close to the body to protect the mantle cavity. There is an external shell enveloping the visceral mass in the family Akeridae. In the family Aplysiidae, the shell is either absent, or reduced and internal, sitting over the visceral mass. Some species in each family can swim using their parapodia. Compiled from Burn (in press).

General References

Bouchet, P., Rocroi, J.P., Hausdorf, B., Kaim, A., Kano, Y., Nützel, A., Parkhaev, P., Schrödl, M. & Strong, E.E. 2017. Revised classification, nomenclator and typification of gastropod and monoplacophoran families. Malacologia 61(1-2): 1–526 [32, 271, 383]

Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47: 1–397 [260]

Fischer, P. 1883. Manuel de Conchyliologie et de Paléontologie Conchyliologique ou histoire naturelle des mollusques vivant et fossiles. Paris : F. Savy Vol. 6 513-608 pp. [550, 566]

History of changes