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, 1865
Arrhoginae 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, 1778
Arrhoges Gabb, 1868
† Dicroloma Gabb, 1868
† Drepanocheilus Meek, 1864
† Hemichenopus Steinmann & Wilckens, 1908
† Struthioptera Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Fossil genera within the family Aporrhaidae include:
Alarimella Saul, 1998
Anchura Conrad, 1860
Antarctohoges Stilwell & Zinsmeister, 1992
Araeodactylus Harris & Burrows, 1891
Auriala Hacobjan, 1976
Austroaporrhais Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995
Bicorempterus Gründel, 2001
Ceratosiphon Gill, 1870
Cultrigera Böhm, 1885
Cuphosolenus Piette, 1876
Cuphotifer Piette, 1876
Cyclomolops Gabb, 1868
Diarthema Piette, 1864
Digitolabrum Cossmann, 1904
Dimorphosoma Gardner, 1875
Graciliala Sohl, 1960
Goniocheila Gabb, 1868
Helicaulax Gabb, 1868
Kangilioptera Rosenkrantz, 1970
Kaunhowenia Abdel Gawad, 1986
Latiala Sohl, 1960
Lispodesthes White, 1875
Maussenetia Cossmann, 1904
Mexopus Kiel & Perrilliat, 2001
Monocuphus Piette, 1876
Perissopter Tate, 1865
Peruchilus Olsson, 1931
Pietteia Cossmann, 1904
Platyoptera Conrad, 1855
Pseudanchura Kollmann, 2005
Pterocerella Meek, 1864
Pugioptera Pchelincev, 1953
Strombopugnellus Koch, 1911
Struthiochenopus Zinsmeister & Griffin, 1995
Teneposita Loch, 1989
Tessarolax Gabb, 1864
Tibiaporrhais Elder, 1990
Toarctocera Gründel, Nützel & Schulbert, 2009 - type species: Rostellaria subpunctata - Toarctocera subpunctata (von Munster in Goldfuss, 1826–1844)
Trilemma Blagovetshenskiy & Shumilkin, 2006
Tulochilus Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Tundora Stephenson, 1941
Ueckeritzella Gründel, 1998
Wateletia Cossmann, 1889
