List of marine gastropods of Ireland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This article is all about the amazing marine gastropods found in the waters around Ireland. Gastropods are a type of mollusc, which is a group of soft-bodied animals. Think of them as the sea snails and slugs of the ocean! They live on the continental shelf, which is the shallow part of the seabed near the coast. This list is part of a bigger collection of all the marine molluscs that call Ireland home.

Discovering Ireland's Sea Snails: Marine Gastropods
Nudibranchia: Colorful Sea Slugs
See also

Discovering Ireland's Sea Snails: Marine Gastropods

This section lists many different families of marine gastropods found in Irish waters. Each family contains various species, which are like different kinds of sea snails or slugs.

Akeridae: Bubble Snails

The Akeridae family includes a type of sea snail often called 'bubble snails'. They have a thin shell that can be partly or fully covered by their body.

Akera bullata O. F. Müller, 1776

Aplysiidae: Sea Hares

Aplysiidae are commonly known as sea hares. They are a type of sea slug that can release a purple ink when they feel threatened.

Aplysia depilans Gmelin, 1791
Aplysia fasciata Poiret, 1789
Aplysia punctata Cuvier, 1803

Acmaeidae: True Limpets

These are a family of true limpets, which are cone-shaped snails that cling tightly to rocks.

Tectura virginea (O. F. Müller, 1776)

Lepetidae: Deep-Sea Limpets

The Lepetidae are another group of limpets, often found in deeper waters.

Iothia fulva (O. F. Müller, 1776)
Propilidium exiguum (Thompson W., 1844)

Lottiidae: Pacific Limpets

This family includes limpets that are often found in the Pacific Ocean, but some species also live in the Atlantic.

Testudinalia testudinalis (O.F. Müller, 1776)

Patellidae: Common Limpets

Patellidae are the most common limpets you might see on rocky shores. They are well-known for their strong grip.

Helcion pellucidum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Patella depressa Pennant, 1777
Patella ulyssiponensis Gmelin, 1791
Patella vulgata Linnaeus, 1758

Janthinidae: Violet Sea Snails

These are fascinating snails known as violet sea snails. They float on the ocean surface using a raft of bubbles!

Janthina exigua Lamarck, 1816
Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Janthina pallida Thompson W., 1840

Acteonidae: Barrel-Bubble Snails

Acteonidae are a family of small sea snails with a barrel-shaped shell.

Acteon tornatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cylichnidae: Canoe Bubble Snails

These snails have a cylindrical or canoe-shaped shell.

Cylichna cylindracea (Pennant, 1777)

Diaphanidae: Glassy Bubble Snails

Diaphanidae are often called glassy bubble snails because of their delicate, transparent shells.

Colpodaspis pusilla M. Sars, 1870
Diaphana minuta T. Brown, 1827

Haminoeidae: Canoe Bubble Snails

Another group of snails with shells that can resemble a canoe.

Haminoea hydatis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Haminoea navicula (da Costa, 1778)

Philinidae: Paper Bubble Snails

These are a family of sea slugs with very thin, fragile shells, sometimes called paper bubble snails.

Laona pruinosa (Clark W., 1827)
Philine aperta (Linnaeus, 1767)
Philine catena (Montagu, 1803)
Philine denticulata (J. Adams, 1800)
Philine punctata (J. Adams, 1800)
Philine quadrata (S. V. Wood, 1839)
Philine scabra (O. F. Müller, 1784)

Retusidae: Barrel Bubble Snails

Similar to Acteonidae, these snails also have barrel-shaped shells.

Retusa obtusa (Montagu, 1803)
Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792)
Retusa umbilicata (Montagu, 1803)

Runcinidae: Tiny Sea Slugs

Runcinidae are a family of very small, often colorful, sea slugs.

Runcina coronata (Quatrefages, 1844)

Scaphandridae: Canoe Shells

These are another group of snails with shells that look a bit like a canoe.

Roxania utriculus (Brocchi, 1814)
Scaphander lignarius (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cimidae: Minute Sea Snails

Cimidae are known for being very tiny sea snails.

Cima minima (Jeffreys, 1858)

Ebalidae: Small Sea Snails

Another family of small marine snails.

Ebala nitidissima (Montagu, 1803)

Omalogyridae: Dwarf Sea Snails

These are some of the smallest sea snails in the world.

Omalogyra atomus (Philippi, 1841)

Pyramidellidae: Pyramid Snails

Pyramidellidae are often called pyramid snails because of their tall, pointed shells. They are usually parasites on other molluscs.

Brachystomia eulimoides (Hanley, 1844)
Brachystomia scalaris (Macgillivray, 1843)
Chrysallida clathrata (Jeffreys, 1848)
Chrysallida decussata (Montagu, 1803)
Chrysallida excavata (Philippi, 1836)
Chrysallida indistincta (Montagu, 1808)
Chrysallida interstincta (J Adams, 1797)
Chrysallida pellucida (Dillwyn, 1817)

Rissoellidae: Rissoellid Snails

These are very small marine snails, often found on seaweed.

Rissoella diaphana (Alder, 1848)
Rissoella globularis (Forbes & Hanley, 1852)
Rissoella opalina (Jeffreys, 1848)

Aclididae: Tiny Spire Snails

Aclididae are a family of very small snails with tall, pointed shells.

Aclis ascaris (Turton, 1819)
Aclis gulsonae (Clark W., 1850)
Aclis minor (Brown, 1827)

Aporrhaiidae: Pelican's Foot Snails

These snails have uniquely shaped shells that look a bit like a bird's foot.

Aporrhais pespelecani (Linnaeus, 1758)

Barleeidae: Barlee's Snails

A family of small, often reddish-brown, marine snails.

Barleeia rubra (Montagu, 1803)
Barleeia unifasciata (Montagu, 1803)

Caecidae: Worm Snails

Caecidae are tiny, worm-shaped snails. Their shells are often curved.

Caecum glabrum (Montagu, 1803)
Caecum imperforatum (Kanmacher in G Adams, 1798)

Capulidae: Cap Snails

Capulidae are known as cap snails or bonnet limpets because of their simple, cap-like shells.

Capulus ungaricus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Trichotropis borealis Broderip & Sowerby G.B. I, 1829

Cerithiidae: Horn Snails

These snails often have long, spiraled shells, sometimes called horn snails.

Bittium reticulatum (da Costa, 1778)
Cerithium muscarum Say, 1822

Cerithiopsidae: Miniature Horn Snails

Similar to Cerithiidae, but generally smaller.

Cerithiopsis barleei Jeffreys, 1867
Cerithiopsis jeffreysi Watson, 1885
Cerithiopsis tubercularis (Montagu, 1803)

Cingulopsidae: Tiny Periwinkles

These are very small snails, sometimes mistaken for tiny periwinkles.

Eatonina fulgida (Adams J., 1797)

Epitoniidae: Wentletraps

Epitoniidae are famous for their beautiful, spiraling shells, often called wentletraps.

Epitonium clathratulum (Kanmacher in G Adams, 1798)
Epitonium clathrus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Epitonium trevelyanum (Johnston, 1841)
Epitonium turtonis (Turton, 1819)

Eulimidae: Parasitic Snails

Many snails in the Eulimidae family are parasites, living on or inside other sea creatures like starfish.

Eulima bilineata Alder, 1848
Eulima glabra (da Costa, 1778)
Eulimella acicula (Philippi, 1836)
Eulimella compactilis (Jeffreys, 1867)
Eulimella scillae (Scacchi, 1835)
Eulimella ventricosa (Forbes, 1844)
Eulitoma compactilis (Sykes, 1903)
Melanella alba (da Costa, 1778)
Melanella frielei (Jordan, 1895)
Melanella lubrica (Monterosato, 1890)

Hydrobiidae: Mud Snails

Hydrobiidae are often found in muddy or brackish waters, like estuaries.

Hydrobia ulvae (Pennant, 1777)

Iravadiidae: Iravadi Snails

This family includes small marine snails, some of which are found in the Indo-Pacific region, but also in European waters.

Ceratia proxima (Forbes & Hanley, 1850)
Hyala vitrea (Montagu, 1803)

Lamellariidae: Velvety Snails

These snails have soft, often colorful bodies that can completely cover their shells, giving them a velvety look.

Lamellaria latens (O.F. Müller, 1776)
Lamellaria perspicua (Linnaeus, 1758)

Littorinidae: Periwinkles

Periwinkles are very common snails found on rocky shores and in tide pools. You've probably seen them!

Lacuna crassior (Montagu, 1803)
Lacuna pallidula (da Costa, 1778)
Lacuna parva (da Costa, 1778)
Lacuna vincta (Montagu, 1803)
Littorina irrorata (Say, 1822)
Littorina littorea (Linnaeus, 1758)
Littorina mariae Sacchi & Rastelli, 1966
Littorina neglecta Bean in Thorpe, 1844
Littorina neritoides (Linnaeus, 1758)
Littorina nigrolineata J.E. Gray, 1839
Littorina obtusata Linnaeus, 1758
Littorina saxatilis (Olivi, 1792)
Littorina tenebrosa (Montagu)

Naticidae: Moon Snails

Moon snails are predators that drill neat, round holes into the shells of other molluscs to eat them.

Euspira catena (da Costa, 1778)
Euspira fusca (de Blainville, 1825)
Euspira montagui (Forbes, 1838)
Euspira pulchella (Risso, 1826)
Polinices fuscus (Blainville, 1825)
Polinices pulchellus (Risso, 1826)

Ovulidae: Cowry Allies

These snails are related to cowries and often live on soft corals.

Simnia patula (Pennant, 1777)

Rissoidae: Risso Snails

Rissoidae is a large family of small to very small marine snails.

Alvania beanii (Hanley in Thorpe, 1844)
Alvania cancellata (da Costa, 1778)
Alvania punctura (Montagu, 1803)
Alvania semistriata (Montagu, 1808)
Alvania zetlandica (Montagu, 1815)
Cingula alderi (Jeffreys, 1859)
Cingula semicostata (Montagu, 1803)
Cingula trifasciata (Adams J., 1800)
Manzonia crassa (Kanmacher in G Adams, 1798)
Onoba aculeus (Gould, 1841)
Onoba proxima Forbes & Hanley, 1850
Onoba semicostata (Montagu, 1803)
Hyala vitrea (Montagu, 1803)
Pusillina sarsi (Lovén, 1846)
Pusillina inconspicua (Alder, 1844)
Rissoa interrupta (J. Adams, 1800)
Rissoa lilacina Recluz, 1843
Rissoa membranacea (J. Adams, 1800)
Rissoa parva (da Costa, 1778)

Skeneopsidae: Skene's Snails

These are very small, often flattened, snails.

Skeneopsis planorbis (O Fabricius, 1780)

Tornidae: Disc Snails

Tornidae are tiny snails with flattened, disc-shaped shells.

Tornus subcarinatus (Montagu, 1803)
Tornus unisulcatus (G. W. Chaster, 1895)

Triphoridae: Left-Handed Snails

Most snail shells coil to the right, but Triphoridae shells coil to the left!

Marshallora adversa (Montagu, 1803)
Triphora perversa (Linnaeus, 1758)

Triviidae: Cowries

These are small, often colorful, snails with smooth, shiny shells.

Erato voluta (Montagu, 1803)
Trivia arctica (Pulteney, 1799)
Trivia monacha (da Costa, 1778)

Turritellidae: Tower Snails

Turritellidae are known for their very tall, slender, tower-like shells.

Turritella communis Risso, 1826
Turritella cingulata G. B. Sowerby I, 1825

Velutinidae: Velvety Snails

Similar to Lamellariidae, these snails have soft bodies that can cover their shells.

Velutina plicatilis (O. F. Müller, 1776)
Velutina velutina (O. F. Müller, 1776)

Buccinidae: Whelks

Whelks are a family of medium to large predatory sea snails. You might find their empty shells on the beach.

Beringius turtoni (Bean, 1834)
Buccinum humphreysianum (Bennett, 1824)
Buccinum hydrophanum (Hancock, 1846)
Buccinum undatum Linnaeus, 1758
Chauvetia brunnea (Donovan, 1804)
Colus glaber (Kobelt, 1876)
Colus gracilis (da Costa, 1778)
Colus islandicus (Gmelin, 1791)
Colus jeffreysianus (Fischer, 1868)
Tritia incrassata (Strøm, 1768)
Tritia reticulata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Liomesus ovum (Turton, 1825)
Nassarius pygmaeus (Lamarck, 1822)
Nassarius reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Neptunea antiqua (Linnaeus, 1758)
Turrisipho fenestratus (Turton, 1834)
Turrisipho moebii (Dunker & Metzger, 1874)
Volutopsius norwegicus (Gmelin, 1791)

Conidae: Cone Snails and Allies

While true cone snails are tropical, this family includes some related species found in cooler waters. Many are predatory.

Bela nebula (Montagu, 1803)
Bela powisiana (Dautzenberg, 1887)
Mangelia attenuata (Montagu, 1803)
Mangelia brachystoma (Philippi, 1844)
Mangelia coarctata (Forbes, 1840)
Trophonopsis muricata (Montagu, 1803)
Philbertia gracilis (Montagu)
Raphitoma leufroyi (Michaud, 1828)
Philbertia teres (Reeve)
Propebela rufa (Montagu, 1803)
Propebela turricula Montagu, 1803

Muricidae: Murex Snails and Rock Snails

This family includes many predatory snails, like murex snails and rock snails, known for their spiny or ridged shells.

Boreotrophon truncatus (Ström, 1768)
Nucella lapillus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Ocenebra erinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Trophonopsis barvicensis (Johnston, 1825)
Trophonopsis muricatus (Montagu, 1803)
Trophonopsis truncatus (Ström, 1768)

Turridae: Turrid Snails

Turrid snails are often predatory and have tall, spiraled shells.

Comarmondia gracilis (Montagu, 1803)
Raphitoma linearis (Montagu, 1803)
Raphitoma purpurea (Montagu, 1803)
Teretia anceps (Eichwald, 1830)
Haedropleura septangularis (Montagu, 1803)
Oenopota rufa (Montagu, 1803)
Oenopota turricula (Montagu, 1803)

Assimineidae: Saltmarsh Snails

These snails are often found in brackish water, like saltmarshes, rather than purely marine environments.

Assiminea grayana (Fleming, 1828)

Calyptraeidae: Slipper Snails

Slipper snails have a unique shell shape that looks like a slipper or a cap.

Crepidula fornicata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Hydrobiidae: More Mud Snails

Another group of mud snails, often found in estuaries and coastal lagoons.

Hydrobia acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)
Hydrobia ventrosa (Montagu, 1803)
Mercuria similis (Draparnaud, 1805)
Peringia ulvae (Pennant, 1777)
Ventrosia ventrosa (Montagu, 1803)

Truncatellidae: Looping Snails

Truncatellidae are small snails that can live in both marine and brackish environments.

Truncatella subcylindrica (Linnaeus, 1767)

Pleurobranchidae: Side-Gilled Slugs

These are a family of sea slugs that have their gills on the side of their body.

Berthella plumula (Montagu, 1803)
Pleurobranchus membranaceus (Montagu, 1815)

Nudibranchia: Colorful Sea Slugs

Nudibranchs are a type of sea slug, famous for their bright colors and amazing shapes. They don't have shells as adults. You can find a more detailed list of these beautiful creatures in the List of Nudibranchia of Ireland.