Littorinidae

The Littorinidae are a taxonomic family of over 200 species of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha, commonly known as periwinkles and found worldwide.^[3]

Littorinidae
Two shells of the common periwinke Littorina littorea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:	Littorinoidea
Family:	Littorinidae Children, 1834[1]
Subfamilies
Littorininae Children, 1834 Lacuninae Gray, 1857 Laevilitorininae Reid, 1989
Diversity[2]
Two freshwater species and numerous marine species.

Names

In English-speaking countries, gastropod molluscs from other families, such as the Neritidae, are sometimes also commonly known as "winkles" because they are small, round snails that occupy a similar ecological niche.

Taxonomy

These subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005):

• Subfamily Littorininae Children, 1834 – synonyms: Echinininae Rosewater, 1972; Tectariinae Rosewater, 1972; Melaraphidae Starobogatov & Sitnikova, 1983
• Subfamily Lacuninae Gray, 1857 – synonyms: Risellidae Kesteven, 1903; Cremnoconchinae Preston, 1915; Bembiciidae Finlay, 1928.
• Subfamily Laevilitorininae Reid, 1989

Genera within the family Littorinidae include:^[4]

Littorininae

• Afrolittorina Williams, Reid & Littlewood, 2003
• Austrolittorina Rosewater, 1970
• Cenchritis von Martens, 1900
• Echinolittorina Habe, 1956 – synonyms: Amerolittorina Reid, 2009;^[5] Fossarilittorina Rosewater, 1981; Granulilittorina Habe & Kosuge, 1966; Lineolittorina Reid, 2009^[5]
• Littoraria Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 – 39 species
• Littorina Férussac, 1822 – 18 species – type genus
• Mainwaringia Nevill, 1885^[6]
• Melarhaphe Menke, 1828
• Nodilittorina von Martens, 1897 – this genus proved to be polyphyletic and in 2003 was divided into:
  • Echinolittorina – 59 species worldwide
  • Austrolittorina – five species
  • Afrolittorina – four species
  • Nodilittorina s.s. – the monotypic subgenus^[7]
• Peasiella - Nevill, 1885
• Tectarius Valenciennes, 1833 – 11 species, its synonym or subgenus includes: Echininus Clench & Abbott, 1942.

Lacuninae

• Bembicium Philippi, 1846
• Cremnoconchus Blanford, 1869^[6][8] – freshwater snails living in waterfalls.^[2]
• Lacuna Turton, 1827 – synonym: Aquilonaria Dall, 1886
• Pellilitorina Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886
• Risellopsis Kesteven, 1902

Laevilitorininae

• Laevilacunaria Powell, 1951
• Laevilitorina Pfeiffer, 1886

subfamily ?

• Algamorda Dall, 1918
• Macquariella Finlay, 1927 (?)
• Rissolitorina Ponder, 1966

Synonyms

• Corneolitorina Powell, 1951: synonym of Laevilitorina (Laevilitorina) Pfeffer in Martens & Pfeffer, 1886 represented as Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886
• Haloconcha Dall, 1886 is a synonym for Lacunaria Dall, 1885
• Macquariella Finlay, 1926: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886
• Rissolittorina Ponder, 1966: synonym of Laevilitorina Pfeffer, 1886