The Pleurobranchidae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Pleurobranchomorpha. Species in the family Pleurobranchidae have a prominent mantle and an internal shell that becomes reduced or is lost completely in adults. Some adult species have been seen feeding on ascidians. Larval pleurobranchids can be planktotrophic (feeding on plankton), lecithotrophic (deriving nutrition from yolk), or direct developing.
Many species produce secretions from their rich glandular mantle as a chemical defense against predators. Even the production of sulfuric acid has been reported.
Until 2005, this family was placed in the suborder Notaspidea. However, in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), the family Pleurobranchidae was placed in the superfamily Pleurobranchoidea, the only family belonging to the subclade Pleurobranchomorpha (sister to the subclade Nudibranchia), part of the clade Nudipleura.
Bathyberthella
Bathyberthella antarctica Willan and Bertsch, 1987
Berthella de Blainville, 1824
Berthella africana Pruvot-Fol, 1953
Berthella agassizi MacFarland, 1909
Berthella americana A. E. Verrill, 1885
Berthella aurantiaca Risso, 1818
Berthella caledonica Dall, 1900
Berthella californica Dall, 1900 California sidegill slug
Berthella canariensis Cervera, J.L., T.M. Gosliner, J.C. García-Gómez & J. Ortea, 2000
Berthella elongata Cantraine, 1835
Berthella martensi Pilsbry, 1896
Berthella medietas R. Burn, 1962
Berthella ocellata delle Chiaje, 1830
Berthella ornata T.F. Cheeseman, 1878
Berthella patagonica d'Orbigny, 1837
Berthella platei Bergh, 1898
Berthella plumula Montagu, 1803
Berthella sideralis Lovén, 1846
Berthella stellata Risso, 1826
Berthella strongi MacFarland, 1966
Berthella tamiu Ev. Marcus, 1984
Berthella tupala Er. Marcus, 1957
Berthellina Gardiner, 1936
Berthellina amarillus Mattox, 1953
Berthellina americanus Verrill, 1885
Berthellina circularis Mörch, 1863
Berthellina citrina Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828 (synonym of Gymnotoplax citrina Er. Marcus, 1957 )
Berthellina delicata W.H. Pease, 1861
Berthellina edwardsi Vayssière, 1897
Berthellina engeli Gardiner, 1936
Berthellina granulata (Krauss, 1848)
Berthellina ilisima Marcus, Er. & Ev. Marcus, 1967
Berthellina quadridens Mörch, 1863 (junior synonym of Gymnotoplax quadridens)
Boreoberthella Martynov & Schrödl, 2009
Bouvieria Vayssière, 1896 : synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824
Bouvieria auriantiaca Risso, 1813
Bouvieria ocellata S. delle Chiaje, 1828
Bouvieria perforata Philippi, 1844
Gigantonotum: synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824
Gigantonotum album Lin, G. & S. Tchang, 1965
Gymnotoplax Pilsbry, 1896 : synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824
Gymnotoplax citrina Er. Marcus, 1957
Gymnotoplax engeli Gardiner, 1936
Gymnotoplax quadridens
Oscanius Leach, 1847 : synonym of Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1804
Oscanius tuberculatus Meckel, 1808
Parabathyberthella: synonym of Bathyberthella Willan, 1983
Parabathyberthella eltanini Dell, 1990
Parabathyberthella orcadensis Talavera, F.G., J.C. García-Gómez, J.S. Troncoso & J.L. Cervera, 1994
Pleurehdera Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970
Pleurehdera haraldi Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970
Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1805
Polictenidia: synonym of Bathyberthella Willan, 1983
Polictenidia tomasi Talavera, F.G., J.S. Troncoso, J.L. Cervera & J.C. García-Gómez, 1996
Susania: synonym of Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1804
Susania testudinaria Cantraine, F.J., 1840 (synonym of Pleurobranchus testudinarius)
Tomthompsonia
Tomthompsonia antarctica Thiele, 1912
Raised to the rank of family Pleurobranchaeidae Pilsbry, 1896
