Scientific name Clionidae | Higher classification Sea angel Rank Family | |
 | ||
Lower classifications | ||
Clione in hokkaido
The Clionidae are a family of sea angels, which are a group of pelagic marine gastropods.
Contents
They resemble angels, complete with flapping "wings", hence their common name. They are gelatinous, mostly transparent pteropods, and they only have shells in their embryonic stage. They are mostly very small, with the largest species (Clione limacina) reaching 5 cm (2 in).
Sunshine city aquarium clionidae sea angel
Life habits
Mating is carried out ventrally for mutual fertilization. The following spring, this results in a free-floating, gelatinous egg mass.
Taxonomy
Clionidae d'Orbigny, 1851 is unfortunately also the name of a family of sponges in the order Hadromerida, class Demospongiae. Within the ICZN there has been a proposed emendation of spelling to Clionaidae for the sponge family. The ICZN has ruled the correct name of gastropod family is Clionidae Gray, 1847, with type genus Clione Pallas, 1774.
These two subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005):
Genera
Genera within the family Clionidae include:
subfamily Clioninae
subfamily Thliptodontinae
subfamily ?