Cavolinia tridentata
Encyclopedia
Cavolinia tridentata is a species
of sea butterfly
, a floating and swimming sea snail
or sea slug
, a pelagic marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Cavoliniidae
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of sea butterfly
Sea butterfly
Sea butterflies, also known as Thecosomata or flapping snails, are a taxonomic suborder of small pelagic swimming sea snails. These are holoplanktonic opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the informal group Opisthobranchia. They include some of the world's most abundant gastropod species.This group...
, a floating and swimming sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
or sea slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
, a pelagic marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Cavoliniidae
Cavoliniidae
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...
.