Diaphanidae is a taxonomic family of small sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the superfamily Diaphanoidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
The little-known species in this family have small, flimsy, almost globular shells, known as paper bubble gastropod shells.
Species in this family are found in cold seas, such as the Arctic region, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.
The species occur in the sublitoral to abyssal zones.
The shell is minute, thin, fragile, colorless to translucent, and usually less than 5 mm in size. The overall shape is ovate, pear-shaped, and bulbous. There is a sunken apex.
Genera within the family Diaphanidae include:
Genus Austrodiaphana Pilsbry, 1893Austrodiaphan brazieri Angas, 1877Distribution : West AustraliaLength : 8 mmAustrodiaphana colei Fleming, 1948Distribution : New ZealandAustrodiaphana flemingi Powell, 1952Distribution : New ZealandAustrodiaphana maunganuica Powell, 1952Distribution : New ZealandGenus Colobocephalus Sars M., 1870Colobocephalus costellatus, Sars M., 1870Colobocephalus striatulus Monterosato ex Jeffreys, 1874Distribution : MediterraneanGenus Colpodaspis M. Sars, 1870 (incertae sedis) The sole of the foot contains a gland that secretes a mucous fluid, which helps the little animal to stay attached to stems and algae.Colpodaspis punctata Clark, 1837Distribution : MediterraneanColpodaspis pusilla Sars, 1870Distribution : Southern Norway, Great Britain, western IrelandLength : 5 mmDescription : the bubble shell is completely enclosed by the mantle; two prominent rhinophores on the head, leading to a groove along each side of the head; right posterior siphonColpodaspis thompsoni Brown, 1979Distribution : tropical Indo-Pacific, Okinawa, Christmas IslandLength : 3 mmDescription : black sea slug with yellow warts on a white background; the mantle encloses the bubble-shaped fragile shell; there is a pair of enrolled rhinophores on the head; the eyes are the two black spots on the head, just in front of the shell;Genus Diaphana Brown, 1827Diaphana abyssalis T. Schiøtte, 1998Distribution : Western AtlanticDiaphana anderssoni H. Strebel, 1908Distribution : South GeorgiaDiaphana caribaea Espinosa, J., J.Ortea & J.Magaña, 2001Distribution : CubaLength : 2 mmDiaphana creticaDistribution : MediterraneanDiaphana expansa (Jeffreys, 1864)Distribution : Norway to the Scilly Isles.Diaphana floridana Dall, 1927Distribution : GeorgiaLength : 4 mmDiaphana globosa Lovén, 1846Distribution : ScandinaviaLength : 4 mmDiaphana haini Linse, K. & T. Schiøtte, 2002Distribution : AntarcticaLength : 2.2 mmDiaphana hiemalis (Couthouy, J.P., 1839) (synonym of Diaphana minuta)Diaphana inflata (Strebel, H., 1908)Distribution : South GeorgiaLength : 2.4 mmDiaphana lactea Jeffreys, 1877Distribution : Mediterranean, NorwayDiaphana lottae K.J. Bush, 1893Distribution : North CarolinaLength : 8.5 mmDiaphana makarovi G.B. Gorbunov, 1946Distribution : East GreenlandLength : 3 mmDiaphana mauretaniensis T. Schiøtte, 1998Distribution : MauretaniaDiaphana minuta Brown, 1827Distribution : Greenland, Scandinavia, Iceland, Scotland, North Spain down to the Canaries and the Mediterranean, Massachusetts.Length: 5.8 mmDescription : found in sandy bottoms from the low tide level to a depth of 350 m; thin, fragile, smooth, cylindrical shell with convex whorls. The body whorl is prominent. Minute apex. Deep suture between the whorls. Deep umbilicus.Diaphana pacifica T. Schiøtte, 1998Distribution : Southern CaliforniaDiaphana paessleri H. Strebel, 1905Distribution : Falklands; Tierra del Fuego; South Georgia; South Orkneys; Weddell Sea, Antarctica; Kerguelen.Length : 3.3 mmDiaphana pfefferi H. Strebel, 1905Distribution : South GeorgiaLength : 2.9 mmDiaphana quadrataDistribution : MmediterraneanDiaphana seguenzae R.B. Watson, 1886Distribution : NE BrazilLength : 3.8 mmGenus Newnesia E. A. Smith, 1902 (incertae sedis)Newnesia antarctica E. A. Smith, 1902Distribution : Weddell Sea (Antarctica)Length : 17–30 mmNewnesia sphinx Strebel H., 1908Distribution : Paulet Insel (Antarctic Peninsula)Length : 24.8 mmGenus Rhinodiaphana Lemche, 1967Rhinodiaphana ventricosa Jeffreys, 1865Genus Woodbridgea Berry, 1953Woodbridgea polystrigma Dall, 1908 Furrowed Paper-bubbleDistribution : AmericaWoodbridgea williamsi S.S. Berry, 1953Distribution : West-AmericaBogasonia Warén, 1989Bogasonia gorjachevi Chaban, 1998 - Distribution: Kurile Islands.Bogasonia volutoides Warén, 1989 - Distribution: Iceland. Found at depths between 100–200 m.Toledonia Dall, 1902