The Subclass Pulmonata

Order Archaeopulmonata These are small snails with one pair of tentacles and usually no operculum.

Superfamily Ellobioidae Family Ellobiidae A family of estuarine and landsnails some living in high mountains or caves,but usually in tidal mudflats or mangroves.

Order Basommatophora Snails with one pair of tentacles and coiled or limpet like shells.

Superfamily Amphibuloidea Family Amphibolidae Snails living in brackish water,in Australasia and South-Africa.

Superfamily Siphonariiodea Family Trimusculidea The snails have white cap-shaped shells and live in tropical marine caves. Family Siphonariidae About 70 species living in warm seas on rocks.

Order Styllommatophora Snails with two pairs of tentacles.The majority of snails belong to this order. There are about 25.000 species in four suborders.

Suborder Orthurethra Superfamily Achatinelloidea Family Achatinellidae Pacific island snails,some living on the ground,others in trees in Hawaii. They are brightly colored.

Superfamily Cochlicopoidea Family Amastridea A group of species living on the ground on the Hawaiian islands. Family Cochlicopidae Small snails mainly living in temperate areas(North-Europe,North-America etc).

Superfamily Pupilloidea Family Pupillidae Very small snails with a cylindrical shell living in Europe,North-America and Asia. Family Pleurodiscidae A family of snails with disc-shaped shells living from South-Europe to Japan. Family Valloniidae These snails have also disc-shaped shells and live in Northern Eurasia or North- America. Family Strobilopsidae About 30 species living in North-America,the West-Indies,East Asia and Galapagos. In rotting wood and leaves. Family Enidae Wide spread family with oval shaped shells.

Order Mesurethra

Superfamily Clausiloidea Family Megaspiridae A group of snails from Brazil,Australia and New Guinea.Long spire shaped shells. Family Clausilidae Also called Door snails,they have small elongate shells.It is a large family with European,Asian and South-American species.

Superfamily Partuloidea Family Partulidae This group of over a hundred species live on the islands of the Marianas,Palaus, Society and Marquesas.Mostly living in trees they give birth to live young. Family Cerionidae The so-called peanut shells live on the Bahama's,Florida Keys,Cuba,the Caymans and Puerto Rico.There are a lot of local sub-species.

Superfamily Strophocheiloidea The South-American megasnails(Popelair's Megasnail can grow to 16 cm or 6")are a difficult group to determinate.They live in the tropical and semi-tropical areas of South-America, and lay inch long eggs.The snails may live up to 14 years. Family Dorcasiidae A small group of desert snails living in South-West Africa.

Superfamily Succinoidea Family Succineidae The so-called Ambers snails have delicate shells and live in moist areas. The sub-family Succineinae lives in Europe,Japan and North-America.

Suborder Sigmurethra In this order are shell-less slugs,semi slugs but also the Giant African Land snails. There are thousands of species in 10 superfamilies and 39 families.

Superfamily Achatinoidea Family Achatinidae This family has the largest landsnail in it.All are species living in Africa,but have been introduced in other parts of the world.In 1812 it was introduced in Madagascar and multiplied rapidly,in 1857 it came to Bombay and gradually spread itself to Asia and the Pacific Islands.In 1966 Florida became the snails new territory and caused a lot of damage to crops.In 1972 the last one(allegedly) was killed. Family Ferussaciidae Small snails with elongate shells.In Europe and tropical regions. Family Subulinidae Elongate shells,in semi-tropical areas and North-America. Family Streptaxidae A group of about 500 species living in tropical regions and carnivorous. Gonaxis feeds on large snails like the Giant African land snail.Euglandia is a well known snaileater.

Superfamily Acavoidea Family Rhytidae These snails who live in New Zealand,Australia,South-Africa and New Caledonia feed mostly on earthworms.Shells are brown 2-7,5 cm. Family Haplotrematidae Carnivorous species living in the Pacific west coast and the West Indies. Family Acavidae A tropical family of large snails living in Madagascar,Sri Lanka,Australia but are widespread.Some species are livebearing.

Superfamily Bulimuloidea Family Bulimulidae These snails live in South-America,but also some species in New Hebrides,New Zealand, The Solomons and New Caledonia. Family Odontostomidae Also named Tooth-mouthed snails,they live in South-America.

The Pulmonates continued
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