Littorinidae is a taxonomic family of over 200 species sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha, commonly known as periwinkles and found world-wide.

Names

In English-speaking countries in other parts of the world, gastropod molluscs from other families, such as the Nerites, Neritidae, are sometimes also commonly known as "winkles", simply because they are small round marine snails that occupy a similar ecological niche.

Taxonomy

The following three subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005):

• Subfamily Littorininae Children, 1834 - synonyms: Echinininae Rosewater, 1972; Tectariinae Rosewater, 1972; Melaraphidae Starobogatov & Sitnikova, 1983
• Subfamily Lacuninae Gray, 1857 - synonyms: Risellidae Kesteven, 1903; Cremnoconchinae Preston, 1915; Bembiciidae Finlay, 1928.
• Subfamily Laevilitorininae Reid, 1989

Genera

Genera within the family Littorinidae include:^[3]

Littorininae

• Littorina Férussac, 1822 - type genus
• Mainwaringia Nevill, 1885^[4]

Lacuninae

• Cremnoconchus Blanford, 1869^[4][5] - two species are freshwater living in waterfalls.^[2] - with subgenus Lissoconchus Thiele^[4]
• Lacuna Turton, 1827 - synonym: Aquilonaria Dall, 1886

Laevilitorininae

• Laevilitorina Pfeiffer, 1886

subfamily ?

• Afrolittorina Williams, Reid & Littlewood, 2003
• Algamorda Dall, 1918
• Austrolittorina Rosewater, 1970
• Bembicium Philippi, 1846
• Cenchritis von Martens, 1900
• Echinolittorina Habe, 1956 - synonyms: Amerolittorina Reid, 2009;^[6] Fossarilittorina Rosewater, 1981; Granulilittorina Habe & Kosuge, 1966; Lineolittorina Reid, 2009^[6]
• Littoraria Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 - 39 species
• Littorina Férussac, 1822 - 18 species
• Macquariella Finlay, 1927 (?)
• Melarhaphe Menke, 1828
• Nodilittorina von Martens, 1897 - This genus proved to be polyphyletic and in 2003 was divided into:
  • Echinolittorina - 59 species worldwide
  • Austrolittorina - five species
  • Afrolittorina - four species
  • Nodilittorina s.s. - the monotypic subgenus^[7]
• Peasiella - Nevill, 1885
• Pellilitorina Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886
• Risellopsis Kesteven, 1902
• Rissolitorina Ponder, 1966
• Tectarius Valenciennes, 1833 - 11 species. Its synonym or subgenus includes: Echininus Clench & Abbott, 1942.

Synonyms

• Haloconcha Dall, 1886 is a synonym for Lacunaria Dall, 1885^{[citation needed]}

References

• "Littorinidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=70394. 
• Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1

Further reading

David G. Reid, Suzanne T. Williams (2004). "The subfamily Littorininae in the Temperate Southern Hemisphere: the genera Nodilittorina, Austrolittorina and Afrolittorina". Record of the Australian Museum 56: 75–122. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.56.2004.1393. http://www.amonline.net.au/pdf/publications/1393_complete.pdf.