This overview lists proposed changes in the taxonomy of gastropods at the family level and above since 2005, when the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) was published. In other words, these are recent updates in the way various groups of snails and slugs are classified.
Contents
- Helcionelloida not gastropods
- Patellogastropoda
- Vetigastropoda
- Neomphalina
- Neritimorpha
- Caenogastropoda
- Heterobranchia
- Proposals and research
- References
Changes in subfamilies are outlined in the respective articles about each particular family. Unchanged taxa are not listed here.
In one of the largest recent changes (affecting the most species of gastropods), Klussmann-Kolb et al. (2008) showed that the traditional classification of the Euthyneura needed to be reconsidered. The change was subsequently made by Jörger et al. (2010), who redefined the major groups within the Heterobranchia.
A great number of major changes have been made within the classification of the Conoidea since 2011.
Helcionelloida (not gastropods)
It has become clear that the fossil taxon Helcionelloida does not belong to the class Gastropoda; it is now a separate class within the Mollusca. P. Yu. Parkhaev (2006, 2007) created the class Helcionelloida, whose members were previously treated as "Paleozoic molluscs of uncertain systematic position" sensu Bouchet & Rocroi.
Subclass Archaeobranchia Parkhaev, 2001
Subclass Divasibranchia Minichev & Starobogatov, 1975
Subclass Dextrobranchia Minichev & Starobogatov, 1975
Patellogastropoda
This revised taxonomy of the Patellogastropoda (the true limpets) is based on research by Nakano & Ozawa (2007). The Acmaeidae is treated as a synonym of Lottiidae; the subfamily Pectinodontinae is elevated to Pectinodontidae; a new family Eoacmaeidae with the new type genus Eoacmaea is established. The remaining three families (Neolepetopsidae, Daminilidae, Lepetopsidae) are moved into the Lottioidea, like this:
Vetigastropoda
Geiger (2009) elevated the subfamily Depressizoninae to family level as Depressizonidae. Also two subfamilies (the Larocheinae from the Scissurellidae, and the Temnocinclinae from the Sutilizonidae) were upgraded to family level as the Larocheidae and the Temnocinclidae.
The superfamily Trochoidea was redefined by Williams et al. (2008) and the superfamily Turbinoidea is no longer used. Phasianelloidea and Angarioidea were created as new superfamilies.
Trochoidea
Phasianelloidea
Angarioidea
Neomphalina
The superfamily Neomphaloidea was previously regarded as belonging within the clade Vetigastropoda. Molecular phylogeny has shown however that it belongs in its own clade, Neomphalina, which is endemic to deep-sea hydrothermal vent habitat. The clade Neomphalina appears to be basal to the Vetigastropoda. Neomphalina is a monophyletic clade, however, its exact relationship among the gastropods is uncertain.
Neritimorpha
Bandel (2007) described four new families within the Neritopsoidea. He classified Neritopsoidea in the order Neritoina within the superorder Cycloneritimorpha and within the subclass Neritimorpha. Bandel (2007) recognizes Natisopsinae (in Neritopsidae by Bouchet & Rocrois 2005) at the family level, as Naticopsidae. Bandel's classification looks like this:
superfamily Neritopsoidea
Caenogastropoda
The family Provannidae was moved to the superfamily Abyssochrysoidea Tomlin, 1927. In addition, a new family Hokkaidoconchidae Kaim, Jenkins & Warén, 2008 was named.
The subfamily Semisulcospirinae, within the Pleuroceridae, was elevated to the family level Semisulcospiridae by Strong & Köhler (2009).
Bandel (2006) made numerous changes in the following clades: Cerithimorpha/Cerithioidea, Turritellimorpha/Turritelloidea, Murchisonimorpha/Orthonematoidea, Campanilimorpha/Campaniloidea and Ampullinoidea, Vermetimorpha/Vermetoidea.
Fehse (2007) elevated both the subfamily Pediculariinae and the tribe Eocypraeini (which were previously in the family Ovulidae) to family level, based on both morphological research and molecular phylogeny research. Families within Cypraeoidea are now as follows:
Within the Tonnoidea, Beu (2008) raised the subfamily Cassinae to the rank of family: Cassidae Latreille, 1825.
Bouchet et al. (2011) updated the taxonomy of the superfamily Conoidea:
In 2012, within the Conoidea, a new family Bouchetispiridae Kantor, Strong & Puillandre, 2012 that includes one genus Bouchetispira Kantor, Strong & Puillandre, 2012 and one species Bouchetispira vitrea Kantor, Strong & Puillandre, 2012, was discovered.
In 2015, in the Journal of Molluscan Studies, Puillandre, Duda, Meyer, Olivera & Bouchet presented a new classification for the old genus Conus. Using 329 species, the authors carried out molecular phylogenetic analyses. The results suggested that the authors should place all cone snails in a single family, Conidae, containing four genera: Conus, Conasprella, Profundiconus and Californiconus. The authors group 85% of all known cone snail species under Conus, They recognize 57 subgenera within Conus, and 11 subgenera within the genus Conasprella. .
Heterobranchia
Janssen (2005) established a new family, Praecuvierinidae.
Gosliner et al. (2007) elevated the subfamily Babakininae to the family level as Babakinidae.
Golding et al. (2007) established new families within the Amphiboloidea:
Uit de Weerd (2008) moved two families Urocoptidae and Cerionidae to the newly established superfamily Urocoptoidea, based on molecular phylogeny research as follows:
superfamily Urocoptoidea
Other authors also made numerous taxonomic changes within Orthalicoidea in 2009-2012.
Schrödl & Neusser (2010) rearranged the taxonomy of the Acochlidiacea.
Swennen & Buatip (2009) described a new family Aitengidae, which was later moved to Acochlidiacea by Jörger et al. (2010).
Malaquias et al. (2009) rearranged the taxonomy of the Cephalaspidea sensu lato: reinstated Architectibranchia, reinstated Runcinacea, reinstated Scaphandridae as a valid family, but they did not use superfamilies.
Subsequently Malaquias (2010) moved Bullacta exarata (formerly the only member of Bullactidae) into the family Haminoeidae.
Sutcharit et al. (2010) established a new family Diapheridae within the Streptaxoidea in 2010.
Jörger et al. (2010) redefined major groups of Heterobranchia and created the new clades Euopisthobranchia and Panpulmonata.
Maeda et al. (2010) confirmed the placement of Cylindrobulla within the Sacoglossa.
Thompson (2010) redefined subfamilies in Spiraxidae, moving Euglandininae and Streptostylinae (from where they had been in the Oleacinidae per Bouchet & Rocroi (2005)) so that they became subfamilies of Spiraxidae.
Johnson (2011) resurrected the family Cadlinidae.
Thompson (2012) established a new family, Epirobiidae.
Thompson & Naranjo-García (2012) described a new family Echinichidae within Xanthonychoidea.
Prestonellinae was formally described as a new subfamily within Bothriembryontidae in 2016.