Animal Diversity Web U of M Museum of Zoology ADW Home ADW Home ADW Home University of Michigan Help About Aninal Names Teaching Special Topics About Us




Structured Inquiry Search — preview

Home -> Kingdom Animalia -> Phylum Mollusca -> Class Gastropoda -> Subclass Opisthobranchia

Subclass Opisthobranchia
opisthobranchs



2010/02/07 04:08:47.601 US/Eastern

By Phil Myers and Dr. John B. Burch, Ph.D.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Opisthobranchia
Members of this Subclass

The opisthobranchs include the sea slugs and their relatives the sea hares, sea butterflies, canoe shells, and others. The bodies of most member of this group show evidence of detorsion. Shells may or may not be present; if present they may be reduced and/or internally located. Opisthobranchs usually lack a mantle cavity, and they also usually have no operculum. Many species lack gills and respiration takes place through the skin, which may bear numerous projections and folds that increase the area for gas exchange. The head bears 1-2 pairs of tentacles.

This diverse group of organisms is divided into around nine orders. There is some disagreement about whether these form a monophyletic group.

Source :

Hickman, C.P. and L. S. Roberts. 1994. Animal Diversity. Wm. C. Brown, Dubuque, IA.

Brusca, R. C., and G. J. Brusca. Invertebrates. 1990. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.

Contributors

Phil Myers (author), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. Dr. John B. Burch, Ph.D. external link (author), Mollusk Division, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.

2010/02/07 04:08:47.713 US/Eastern

To cite this page: Myers, P. and J. Burch. 2001. "Opisthobranchia" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed February 09, 2010 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Opisthobranchia.html.

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

Other formats: OWL

Home  ¦  About Us  ¦  Special Topics  ¦  Teaching  ¦  About Animal Names  ¦  Help

Structured Inquiry Search — preview

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology National Science Foundation Sponsored in part by the Interagency Education Research Initiative,
the Homeland Foundation and the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DUE-0633095 and DRL-0628151.
The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support. Report Error — Comment
©1995-2008, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors.
All rights reserved.
University of Michigan