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.
BathyberthellaBathyberthella antarctica Willan and Bertsch, 1987 Berthella de Blainville, 1824Berthella africana Pruvot-Fol, 1953 Berthella agassizi MacFarland, 1909Berthella americana A. E. Verrill, 1885Berthella aurantiaca Risso, 1818Berthella caledonica Dall, 1900Berthella californica Dall, 1900 California sidegill slugBerthella canariensis Cervera, J.L., T.M. Gosliner, J.C. García-Gómez & J. Ortea, 2000Berthella elongata Cantraine, 1835Berthella martensi Pilsbry, 1896Berthella medietas R. Burn, 1962Berthella ocellata delle Chiaje, 1830Berthella ornata T.F. Cheeseman, 1878Berthella patagonica d'Orbigny, 1837Berthella platei Bergh, 1898 Berthella plumula Montagu, 1803Berthella sideralis Lovén, 1846Berthella stellata Risso, 1826Berthella strongi MacFarland, 1966Berthella tamiu Ev. Marcus, 1984 Berthella tupala Er. Marcus, 1957Berthellina Gardiner, 1936Berthellina amarillus Mattox, 1953Berthellina americanus Verrill, 1885Berthellina circularis Mörch, 1863Berthellina citrina Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828 (synonym of Gymnotoplax citrina Er. Marcus, 1957 )Berthellina delicata W.H. Pease, 1861Berthellina edwardsi Vayssière, 1897Berthellina engeli Gardiner, 1936Berthellina granulata (Krauss, 1848)Berthellina ilisima Marcus, Er. & Ev. Marcus, 1967Berthellina quadridens Mörch, 1863 (junior synonym of Gymnotoplax quadridens)Boreoberthella Martynov & Schrödl, 2009Bouvieria Vayssière, 1896 : synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824Bouvieria auriantiaca Risso, 1813Bouvieria ocellata S. delle Chiaje, 1828Bouvieria perforata Philippi, 1844Gigantonotum: synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824Gigantonotum album Lin, G. & S. Tchang, 1965Gymnotoplax Pilsbry, 1896 : synonym of Berthella Blainville, 1824Gymnotoplax citrina Er. Marcus, 1957Gymnotoplax engeli Gardiner, 1936Gymnotoplax quadridensOscanius Leach, 1847 : synonym of Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1804Oscanius tuberculatus Meckel, 1808Parabathyberthella: synonym of Bathyberthella Willan, 1983Parabathyberthella eltanini Dell, 1990Parabathyberthella orcadensis Talavera, F.G., J.C. García-Gómez, J.S. Troncoso & J.L. Cervera, 1994Pleurehdera Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970Pleurehdera haraldi Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1970Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1805Polictenidia: synonym of Bathyberthella Willan, 1983Polictenidia tomasi Talavera, F.G., J.S. Troncoso, J.L. Cervera & J.C. García-Gómez, 1996Susania: synonym of Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1804Susania testudinaria Cantraine, F.J., 1840 (synonym of Pleurobranchus testudinarius)TomthompsoniaTomthompsonia antarctica Thiele, 1912Raised to the rank of family Pleurobranchaeidae Pilsbry, 1896
