Cavoliniidae
Introduction The family '''Cavoliniidae''' is a taxonomic group of small floating sea snails, pelagic marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks.This family is part of a larger group which is commonly known as the '''sea butterflies''' because they swim by flapping what appear to be small "wings".
Distribution This family of sea butterflies are circumglobal, carried by the sea currents to all the seas of the world.
Habitat Cavoliniids prefer deep waters, from 100 m down to 2,000 m. They do best in warm oceanic water.
Life habits Towards the anterior end of the animal, two parapodia (winglike flat lobules) protrude between each half of the shell. The parapodia enable these sea butterflies to float along in the water currents, using slow flapping movements. The parapodia are also covered with cilia, which produce a minute water current that pushes the planktonic food to the mouth of the animal.
Taxonomy In 2003, the family Cavoliniidae was raised to the rank of superfamily Cavolinioidea. At the same time, the subfamilies were given the new status of families: Cavoliniidae, Cliidae, Creseidae and Cuvierinidae.=== 2005 taxonomy ===In the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) several families have been categorized as subfamilies of the family Cavoliniidae:*Subfamily Cavoliinae Gray, 1850 (1815) – formerly Hyalaeidae Rafinesque, 1815*Subfamily Clioinae Jeffreys, 1869 – formerly Cleodoridae Gray, 1840 – nomen oblitum*Subfamily Cuvierininae van der Spoel, 1967 – formerly: Cuvieriidae Gray, 1840 (nom. inv. ); Tripteridae Gray, 1850*Subfamily Creseinae Curry, 1982
Genera Genera in the family Cavoliniidae include:Genus ''Cavolinia'' Abildgaard, 1791 – A very distinctive shape of shell with a marked bulge on the ventral plate. The species consists of protandric hermaphrodites. * ''Cavolinia angulosa''* ''Cavolinia couthouyi'' Dall, 1908* ''Cavolinia gibbosa'' (d'Orbigny, 1836) – Gibbose Cavoline. Distribution: circumglobal, US Atlantic Coast, Bermuda, Cuba, Atlantic. Length: 10 mm. ** Forma ''Cavolinia gibbosa'' f. ''flava'' (d'Orbigny, 1834)** Forma ''Cavolinia gibbosa'' f. ''gibboides'' Rampal, 2002** Forma ''Cavolinia gibbosa'' f. ''gibbosa'' (d'Orbigny, 1834)** Forma ''Cavolinia gibbosa'' f. ''plana'' Meisenheimer, 1905* ''Cavolinia globulosa'' J.E.Gray, 1850 – Distribution: tropical Atlantic, Madagascar. Length: 8 mm long and 4.5 mm wide. Description: The globose, transparent shell with a brownish colour. The anterior section of the shell is rounded. The anterior section of the ventral side has strong transverse ribs. * ''Cavolinia inflata''* ''Cavolinia inflexa'' (Lesueur, 1813) – Inflexed Cavoline. Distribution: circumglobal, Red Sea, Bermuda, Cuba, Brazil. Length: 7 mm. * ''Cavolinia labiata'' d'Orbigny, 1836* ''Cavolinia longirostratus'' (Blainville, 1821)* ''Cavolinia occidentalis''* ''Cavolinia pachysoma'' Rampal, 2002* ''Cavolinia quadridentata''* ''Cavolinia telemus'' Linnaeus, 1767* ''Cavolinia tridentata'' (Niebuhr, 1775) – Three-tooth Cavoline, Distribution: circumglobal, Gulf of Mexico, Mascarene Islands, Western Atlantic, South Africa, Red Sea. Length: 20 mm. Description: globose transparent shell, with pointed proto-conch and three distinctive posterior projections; two lateral mantle appendages; brownish color. * ''Cavolinia trispinosa''* ''Cavolinia uncinata'' (Rang, 1829) – Uncinate Cavoline. Distribution: circumglobal, Red Sea, Gulf of Mexico. ** ''Cavolinia uncinata uncinata'' Rang, 1829** ''Cavolinia uncinata pulsatapusilla'' Van der Spoel, 1993Genus ''Diacavolinia'' van der Spoel, 1987Twenty two species of ''Diacavolinia''. ''Diacavolinia'' species are characterised by the absence of a caudal spine* ''Diacavolina angulosa'' J.E. Gray, 1850 – Distribution: Indo-Pacific, Atlantic. Length: 4 mm. * ''Diacavolinia bicornis'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Indo-Pacific, Atlantic Ocean. Length: 8 mm* ''Diacavolina constricta'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Bermuda, Venezuela. * ''Diacavolinia deblainvillei'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Caribbean, Western Atlantic. Length: 7 mm. * ''Diacavolinia deshayesi'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Bermuda, Panama, French Guiana. Length : 8 mm. * ''Diacavolinia elegans'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: New Jersey. Length: 6 mm. * ''Diacavolinia flexipes'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: SE Asia. Length: 5 mm. * ''Diacavolinia limbata'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Brazil, southern Indo-Pacific. Length: 13 mm. * ''Diacavolinia longirostris'' (de Blainville, 1821)  – Long-snout Cavoline, Distribution: circumglobal, Red Sea, Madagascar, West Pacific, Australian; Gulf of Mexico. Length: 7 mm; width: 4.9 to 6.8 mm. Description: globulous brownish shell with two distinct lateral spines and a long rostrum on the dorsal rim. Dorsal side of the shell is relatively flat whereas the ventral side is deeply rounded. ** ''Diacavolinia longurostris angulata'' Souleyet,  1852* ''Diacavolinia mcgowani'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993* ''Diacavolinia ovalis'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Caribbean, West Atlantic. Length: 6 mm. * ''Diacavolinia robusta'' van der Spoel, Bleeker and Kobayashi, 1993 – Distribution: Caribbean, West Atlantic. Length: 5.4 mm. * ''Diacavolinia strangulata'' (G. P. Deshayes, 1823) – Distribution: Panama, Brazil, Cuba. Length: 4 mm.Genus ''Diacria'' J. E. Gray, 1847The genus comprises two species groups and a total of ten species. The species may be globular, with both dorsal and ventral sides rounded, or bilaterally symmetrical with a long caudal spine. The species are protandric hermaphrodites. They are the largest of the Cavoliniids. * ''Diacria atlantica'' L. Dupont, 1979 – Distribution: Massachusetts. Length: 9 mm. * ''Diacria costata'' G. Pfeffer, 1879 – Distribution: Indo-Pacific* ''Diacria danae'' van Leyen and van der Spoel, 1982 – Distribution: circumglobal in warm seas. Length: 9 mm. * ''Diacria maculata'' Bleeker and van der Spoel, 1988* ''Diacria major'' (Boas, 1886) – Distribution: Florida, Bermuda, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean. Length: 13 mm* ''Diacria quadridentata'' (Blainville, 1821) – Four-tooth Cavoline. Distribution: circumglobal, Red Sea, Madagascar, Gulf of Mexico, Japan. Length: 3 mm; width : 1.8 to 2.5 mm. Description: a small, globular shell, with curved spinal and ventral sides. There are no caudal or lateral spines. The dorsal side extends further than the ventral side : synonym of ''Diacria erythra'' van der Spoel, 1971** ''Diacria quadridentata costata'' Pfeiffer, 1879 – from Japan** ''Diacria quadridentata quadridentata'' (Blainville, 1821): synonym of ''Diacria quadridentata'' (Blainville, 1821)** ''Diacria quadridentata quadridentata'' f. ''danae'' van der Spoel, 1969: synonym of ''Diacria danae'' van Leyen & van der Spoel, 1982* ''Diacria rampali'' Dupont, 1979 – Distribution: Florida, Brazil. Length: 10 mm* ''Diacria rubecula'' Bontes & van der Spoel, 1998 – Distribution: warmer regions of North Atlantic. Length: 11 mm* ''Diacria schmidti'' Leyen & van der Spoel, 1982 – Distribution: Pacific** ''Diacria schmidti schmidti'' van Leyen & van der Spoel, 1982 * ''Diacria trispinosa'' (Blainville, 1821) – Three-spine Cavoline. Distribution: circumglobal, Gulf of Mexico, Madagascar. Length: 13 mm; width: 10 mm. Description: The slightly transparent, brownish shell is bilaterally symmetrical and is darker on the ribbed sections. Very long caudal spine and strong lateral spines. There are five ribs on the dorsal side and three ribs on the ventral side.Shell of ''Diacria trispinosa'' (holotype at MNHN, Paris)=== Clioinae ===Clioinae Jeffreys, 1869 = Family Cliidae Jeffreys, 1869This family name has for a long time been Clioidae with the type genus ''Clio''. Unfortunately this is often confused with another molluscan family Clionidae, which has the type genus ''Clione''. The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) has therefore changed the name back to its original spelling Cliidae Jeffreys, 1869, type genus ''Clio'' Linnaeus, 1767Genus ''Clio'' Linnaeus, 1767 (synonyms: ''Cleodora'' Peron & Lesueur, 1810; ''Euclio'' Bonnevie, 1912 )All species in this genus are characterised by a bilaterally symmetric, straight or adapically dorso-ventrally slightly curved shell, with an elliptical to triangular transverse section; protoconch clearly separated, globular or elliptical, frequently with a spine at the tip.Subgenera are used for some species (e.g. ''Clio'' s.str., ''Balantium'' Bellardi, 1872, ''Bellardiclio'' Janssen, 2004), but most species cannot yet be assigned to one of these.Numerous fossil species have been described.Recognised extant species are:* ''Clio andreae'' (Boas, 1886)** Distribution : north Atlantic, bathypelagic species. * ''Clio antarctica'' Dall, 1908* ''Clio australis'': synonym of ''Clione limacina australis'' (Bruguière, 1792)* ''Clio bartletti'' van der Spoel, 1978** Distribution: central Atlantic (Pleistocene fossil). * ''Clio campylura'' (Tesch, 1948)* ''Clio chaptalii'' J. E. Gray, 1850** Distribution : tropical, circumglobal. * ''Clio convexa convexa'' Boas, 1886** Distribution: tropical, Indo-Pacific* ''Clio convexa cyphosa'' Rampal, 2002** Distribution: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden). * ''Clio cuspidata'' (Bosc, 1802)** Distribution : tropical/subtropical, circumglobal. * ''Clio orthotheca'' (Tesch, 1904)* ''Clio piatkowskii'' van der Spoel, Schalk & Bleeker, 1992** Distribution: Antarctic. * ''Clio polita'' Pelseneer, 1888* ''Clio pyramidata'' Linnaeus, 1767** Distribution : north Atlantic** Height : to over 20 mm.Formae:*** forma ''excisa'' van der Spoel, 1963*** forma ''lanceolata'' Lesueur, 1813 (tropical/subtropical, circumglobal)*** forma ''martensi'' (Pfeiffer, 1880) ? ? *** forma ''sulcata'' (Pfeffer, 1879)The true status of these formae has to be evaluated, they might be real formae, subspecies, or even species. * ''Clio recurva'' (Children, 1823)** Distribution : tropical-subtropical, circumglobal (bathypelagic species)***** Height: to over 30 mm* Clio sulcata (Pfeffer, 1879)=== Cuvierininae ===This subfamily has been raised to the rank of family Cuvierinidae van der Spoel, 1967 '''Extinct genera''':* ''Spoelia'' Janssen, 1990** ''Spoelia torquayensis'' Janssen, 1990 – (Late Oligocene, Early Miocene)* ''Johnjagtia'' Janssen, 2005 – (Early Miocene)** ''Johnjagtia moulinsi'' (Benoist, 1873) – (Early Miocene)* ''Ireneia'' Janssen, 1995** ''Ireneia tenuistriata'' (Semper, 1861) – (Late Oligocene)** ''Ireneia nieulandei'' Janssen, 1995 – (Early Miocene)** ''Ireneia calandrellii'' (Michelotti, 1847) – (Early Miocene)** ''Ireneia testudinaria'' (Michelotti, 1847) – (Early-Middle Miocene)** ''Ireneia gracilis'' Janssen, 2005 – (Middle Miocene)** ''Ireneia marqueti'' Janssen, 1995 – (Late Miocene)'''Extant genera''':* Genus ''Cuvierina'' Boas, 1886   ''sensu lato''Cuvierina columnellaThe genus ''Cuvierina'' developed from the ''Ireneia'' lineage during the Early Miocene and is split in two subgenera:** Subgenus ''Cuvierina''   ''sensu stricto''''Extant species'':*** ''Cuvierina columnella'' (Rang, 1827) – (Indo-Pacific)*** ''Cuvierina atlantica'' Bé, MacClintock & Currie, 1972 – (Atlantic)*** ''Cuvierina pacifica'' Janssen, 2005 – (Pacific)''Extinct species'':*** ''Cuvierina torpedo'' (Marshall, 1918) – (Early Miocene)*** ''Cuvierina paronai'' Checchia-Rispoli, 1921 – (Middle – Late Miocene)*** ''Cuvierina grandis'' d'Alessandro & Robba, 1980 – (Late Miocene)*** ''Cuvierina jagti'' Janssen, 1995 – (Late Miocene)*** ''Cuvierina ludbrooki'' (Caprotti, 1962) – (Pliocene)*** ''Cuvierina miyazakiensis'' Ujihara, 1996 – (Pliocene)*** ''Cuvierina astesana'' (Rang, 1829) – (Pliocene)** Subgenus ''Urceolarica'' Janssen, 2006''Extant species'':*** ''Cuvierina urceolaris'' Mörch, 1850 – (Indo-Pacific)*** ''Cuvierina cancapae'' Janssen, 2005 – (Atlantic)''Extinct species'':*** ''Cuvierina intermedia'' (Bellardi, 1873) (Middle Miocene – Pliocene)*** ''Cuvierina curryi'' Janssen, 2005 (Middle Miocene)*** ''Cuvierina inflata'' (Bellardi, 1873) (Late Miocene – Pliocene)=== Creseinae ===Creseinae Curry, 1982Genus ''Creseis'' Rang, 1828This subfamily has been raised to the rank of family Creseidae, belonging to the superfamily Limacinoidea.The shells of the species in this genus have the form of a more or less narrow, conically widening tube. * ''Creseis chierchiae'' Boas, 1886** Distribution : tropical-subtropical, circumglobal. ** Length: shell up to 9 mm high. ** Description: shell straight or slightly curved, initially slowly, later hardly increasing in diameter, with clear annulations, protoconch with rounded tip, followed by a distinct swelling. A form with lacking annulations, also known as a Pliocene fossil, is described as ''C. chierchiae'' forma '' constricta'' Chen & Bé, 1964. * ''Creseis clava'' (Rang, 1828) (synonym: ''Creseis acicula'' (Rang, 1828)** Distribution : tropical-subtropical, circumglobal. ** Length: shell is up to 35 mm high. ** Description : shell, long and straight or slightly irregular, with small apical angle, circular in cross section; smooth shell surface; protoconch without swelling; there is a characteristic tentacular lobe on the* ''Creseis conica'' Eschscholtz, 1829** Distribution : tropical-subtropical, circumglobal. ** Length: shell height up to 20 mm. ** Description : shell straight or slightly curved, with a wider apical angle than ''C. clava'', transverse section circular, protoconch slightly swollen. * ''Creseis virgula'' (Rang, 1828)** Distribution : tropical-subtropical, circumglobal. ** Length: shell height up to 12 mm** Description : shell with circular transverse section, curved in its basal part.Genus ''Hyalocylis'' Fol, 1875* ''Hyalocylis striata'' (Rang, 1828)** Distribution : tropical-suntropical, circumglobal. ** Length : 10 mm** Description : shell slightly curved dorsally, with distinct annulations, transverse section initially circular, later slightly dorso-ventrally compressed. The animal is often easily recognised by the very large fins.Genus ''Styliola'' Gray, 1850 (synonyms: ''Cleodora recta'' Blainville, 1825; ''Cleodora subula'' Quoy & Gaimard, 1827 (basionym); ''Creseis spinifera'' Rang, 1828)* ''Styliola subula'' (Quoy & Gaimard, 1827)** Distribution : tropical-suntropical, circumglobal, absent in the Red Sea. ** Length : 13 mm** Description : needle-like shell, transparent and round in cross-section. A prominent oblique dorsal furrow runs from a short distance above the protoconch to the aperture, building a toothlike process. There is no tentacular lobe on the anterior margin of the fins.
References * Vaught, K.C. (1989). ''A classification of the living Mollusca''. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp.
Further reading * Rampal J. (2002). "Biodiversité et biogéographie chez les Cavoliniidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia, Euthecosomata). Régions faunistiques marines" ''Zoosystema'', '''24'''(2): 209–258. * Janssen A. W. (2005). "Development of Cuvierinidae (Mollusca, Euthecosomata, Cavolinioidea) during the Cainozoic: a non-cladistic approach with a re-interpretation of Recent taxa". ''Basteria'' '''69'''(1–3): 25–72.abstract * Janssen A. W., (2006). "Notes on the systematics, morphology and biostratigraphy of fossil holoplanktonic Mollusca, 16.Some additional notes and amendments on Cuvierinidae and on classification of Thecosomata (Mollusca, Euthecosomata)". ''Basteria'' '''70'''(1–3): 67–70.