Provannidae Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Two preserved individuals of Alviniconcha hessleri | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Superfamily: | Abyssochrysoidea |
Family: | Provannidae Warén & Ponder, 1991 [2] |
Type genus | |
Provanna Dall, 1918 | |
Synonyms[3] | |
Pseudonininae Bertolaso & Palazzi, 1994 |
Provannidae is a family of deep water sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfmaily Abyssochrysoidea (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005 and updated in 2008 by Kaim et al.).[3]
The genera Provanna and Desbruyeresia have smaller and slender shells, while the shells of Alviniconcha and Ifremeria are larger and swollen. The shells of these two last genera house a hypertrophied ctenidium large quantities of symbiotic bacteria.
These snails are part of the fauna of the deep-sea hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, whale falls, and sunken driftwood environments.[4]
The family Provaniidae was previously placed in the "Zygopleuroid group" (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). This family has no subfamilies according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005.
Subsequently, Provaniidae was placed in the superfamily Abyssochrysoidea Tomlin, 1927.[1]
There are some affinities with the Littorinoidea as shown by molecular data [5] and sperm ultrastructure [6]
Multi-gene analysis has shown that the family Provannidae is paraphyletic. It is being treated as belonging to the superfamily Abyssochrysoidea until a new family-level revision has been undertaken.[7]
Genera within the family Provannidae include: