Heterostropha
Encyclopedia
Heterostropha was a previously used taxonomic category, an order
of sea snail
s, within the superorder Heterobranchia
. In the most current gastropod taxonomy, that of Bouchet & Rocroi
, this taxon is no longer in use.
The molluscs that were placed in this order have a heterostrophic protoconch
. This is where the whorls at the very peak of the spire of the shell are coiled in an opposite direction to the adult whorls. The families in this order were sometimes previously classified as opisthobranchs.
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
of sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
s, within the superorder Heterobranchia
Heterobranchia
Heterobranchia, the heterobranchs or Euthyneura, is a taxonomic clade of snails and slugs, which includes species from the sea, the land and freshwater; marine, aquatic and terrestrial gastropod mollusks....
. In the most current gastropod taxonomy, that of Bouchet & Rocroi
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
, this taxon is no longer in use.
The molluscs that were placed in this order have a heterostrophic protoconch
Protoconch
A protoconch is an embryonic or larval shell of some classes of molluscs, e.g., the initial chamber of an ammonite or the larval shell of a gastropod...
. This is where the whorls at the very peak of the spire of the shell are coiled in an opposite direction to the adult whorls. The families in this order were sometimes previously classified as opisthobranchs.