Aporrhaidae is a family of sea snails commonly called the "pelican's foot snails." The taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005 categorizes Aporrhaidae as marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.
Aporrhaids are commercially important, especially in traditional fisheries.
Aporrhaids have a large lip with finger-like extensions, and a small operculum. They do not have movable eyes. Instead, their eyes are fixed at the base of each tentacle.
The mollusk has one narrow foot, which renders its motion interrupted as the foot must raise the shell a tiny bit in each single movement, simultaneously pushing it forward. The motion must be repeated again and again for the mollusk to travel.
Aporrhaidae live on muddy and sandy bottoms, sometimes in very large populations.
Subfamilies in the family Aporrhaidae include:
Aporrhainae Gray, 1850 - synonym: Chenopidae Deshayes, 1865Arrhoginae Popenoe, 1983 - synonyms: Alariidae Koken, 1889 (inv.); Dicrolomatidae Korotkov, 1992† Harpagonidae Pchelintsev, 1963† Perissopterinae Korotkov, 1992 - synonym: Struthiopterinae Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995† Spinigerinae Korotkov, 1992 (inv.)There are only two Recent genera:
Aporrhais da Costa, 1778Arrhoges Gabb, 1868† Dicroloma Gabb, 1868† Drepanocheilus Meek, 1864† Hemichenopus Steinmann & Wilckens, 1908† Struthioptera Finlay & Marwick, 1937Fossil genera within the family Aporrhaidae include:
Alarimella Saul, 1998Anchura Conrad, 1860Antarctohoges Stilwell & Zinsmeister, 1992Araeodactylus Harris & Burrows, 1891Auriala Hacobjan, 1976Austroaporrhais Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995Bicorempterus Gründel, 2001Ceratosiphon Gill, 1870Cultrigera Böhm, 1885Cuphosolenus Piette, 1876Cuphotifer Piette, 1876Cyclomolops Gabb, 1868Diarthema Piette, 1864Digitolabrum Cossmann, 1904Dimorphosoma Gardner, 1875Graciliala Sohl, 1960Goniocheila Gabb, 1868Helicaulax Gabb, 1868Kangilioptera Rosenkrantz, 1970Kaunhowenia Abdel Gawad, 1986Latiala Sohl, 1960Lispodesthes White, 1875Maussenetia Cossmann, 1904Mexopus Kiel & Perrilliat, 2001Monocuphus Piette, 1876Perissopter Tate, 1865Peruchilus Olsson, 1931Pietteia Cossmann, 1904Platyoptera Conrad, 1855Pseudanchura Kollmann, 2005Pterocerella Meek, 1864Pugioptera Pchelincev, 1953Strombopugnellus Koch, 1911Struthiochenopus Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995Teneposita Loch, 1989Tessarolax Gabb, 1864Tibiaporrhais Elder, 1990Toarctocera Gründel, Nützel & Schulbert, 2009 - type species: Rostellaria subpunctata - Toarctocera subpunctata (von Munster in Goldfuss, 1826–1844)Trilemma Blagovetshenskiy & Shumilkin, 2006Tulochilus Finlay & Marwick, 1937Tundora Stephenson, 1941Ueckeritzella Gründel, 1998Wateletia Cossmann, 1889
