Diaphanoidea is a taxonomic superfamily of small sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.

Diaphanoidea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Cephalaspidea
Superfamily: Diaphanoidea
Families

See text.

Species in this superfamily have small, flimsy, almost globular shells, known as paper bubble gastropod shells.

This superfamily is not monophyletic.[1]

Distribution

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Species in this superfamily are found in cold seas, such as the Arctic region, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.

Habitat

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The species occur in the sublittoral to abyssal zones.

Shell description

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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.

Families

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Families in the superfamily Diaphanoidea include:

References

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