Bradybaenidae
| Bradybaenidae | |
|---|---|
 |
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| A live individual of Fruticicola fruticum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): |
clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Helicoidea |
| Family: |
Bradybaenidae Pilsbry, 1934 (1898) |
| Genera | |
|
See text |
|
clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
informal group Sigmurethra
See text
Bradybaenidae is a taxonomic family of medium-sized to small land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea.
These snails are found mainly in Asia, with only one species occurring in Northwestern Europe: Fruticicola fruticum.
The name of the family and the genus Bradybaena is derived from the Greek words bradus (= slow) and baino (= walk), meaning "slow walker".
Molecular phylogenetic studies from 2007 showed that bradybaenids are closely related with the Camaenidae, which are currently recognized as a distinct family. In these studies both Bradybaenidae and Camaenidae are mutually polyphyletic, together forming a monophyletic group, however. This finding suggests that the distinction of both families as based essentially on the absence (Camaenidae) or presence (Bradybaenidae) of a diverticulum, is arbitrary. This anatomical structure was apparently lost (or was gained) in several groups in convergence and is therefore not suitable for the delimitation of natural groups.
Some genera of snails in this family create and use love darts as part of their mating behavior. The dart sac contains one to two glands. They are also defined by missing a diverticulum.
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