Mollusks

Gastropods

 

 

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The class Gastropoda is divided into three living subclasses:

Prosobranchia: This subclass contains the majority of the conspicuous marine gastropods including conchs, welks, cone shells, cowries, and the like.

Opisthobranchia: This subclass contains marine gastropods primarily with greatly reduced shells. These animals are commonly (although not always) pelagic. This group numbers among its species the nudibranchs, pteropods, sea slugs, and sea hares.

Pulmonata. This subclass contains the freshwater snails and slugs.

 

PROSOBRANCHIA

Marine Resources Center. Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. This site is a general mollusk site, but contains information about the marine gastropods of the Woods Hole, Massachusetts region of the Atlantic Coast.

Malacolog 2.0. A checklist of the Western Atlantic marine gastropods.

World Wide Abalone Distribution. Kevin Rucks. This site has distribution maps of the world species of Abalone including North America. The North American maps come from links with the California Department of Fish and Game, the entry just below this one.

California Abalone. California Department of Fish and Game. A guide to the abalone species of California including identification, biology, and classification. Each species is treated individualy with photographs and information on it commercial fishing. A great site.

Malaco Files. A bibliography of references to the Abalone.

 

OPISTHOBRANCHIA

Marine Resources Center. Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. This site is a general mollusk site, but contains information about the nudibranchs of the Woods Hole, Massachusetts region of the Atlantic Coast.

Keys to Marine Invertebrates of the Woods Hole Region. Marine Biological Laboratories. This is an introduction to the shell-less opisthobranchs of the Woods Hole Region of New England.

A Taxonomic Key for Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. This site is just what the title says it is.

Jeff's Nudibranch Site. Jeffrey Jeffords. This site has photographs of Phiippine species, but the pictures are very nice. A good source of general information on nudibranchs.

Bibliographia Nudibranchia. Gary McDonald. A bibliography of publications related to nudibranchs.

Opisthobranch Mollusks. Steve Long. Alphabetical and phylogenetical lists of the Opisthobranch mollusks of the world with a bibiliography of references. There is also a list of links to photographs although some of the links are dead and it is difficult to determine which species can be considered North American. The site also contains a checklist of the world nudibranch species.

 

PULMONATA

Field Guide to the Freshwater Snails of Florida. Fred G. Thompson, Florida Museum of Natural History. A complete field guide to the freshwater snails of Florida including keys, illustrations, descriptions, and distributions. This site is a great resource.

House of Slime. John L. Stone. Photographs and information about slugs including their biology and anatomy. If you like slime, go here.

 

 

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