Polyceridae
A family of dorid nudibranchs within the superfamily Polyceroidea.
The Polyceridae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Polyceroidea. The family Polyceridae is classified within the clade Doridacea, itself belonging to the clade Euctenidiacea within the clade Nudipleura (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). The family is divided into several subfamilies: Kalinginae, Kankelibranchinae, Nembrothinae, Polycerinae, and Triophinae. The Polycerinae subfamily includes synonyms such as Triopinae, Euphuridae, and Gymnodorididae, while Triophinae contains the tribes Triophini and Limaciini, with their own synonyms. Genera within Polyceridae are listed by subfamily. Kalinginae contains only the genus *Kalinga*. Kankelibranchinae includes *Kankelibranchus*. Nembrothinae comprises *Martadoris*, *Nembrotha*, *Roboastra*, *Tambja*, and *Tyrannodoris*. Polycerinae includes *Greilada*, *Gymnodoris*, *Lamellana*, *Lecithophorus*, *Palio*, *Paliolla*, *Polycera*, *Polycerella*, and *Thecacera*. Triophinae contains *Colga*, *Crimora*, *Heteroplocamus*, *Holoplocamus*, *Joubiniopsis*, *Kaloplocamus*, *Limacia*, *Plocamopherus*, and *Triopha*. Several genera have been synonymized, including *Cabrilla* with *Triopha*, *Euplocamus* with *Kaloplocamus*, *Histiophorus* with *Plocamopherus*, *Issa* and *Issena* with *Colga*, *Laila* with *Limacia*, and *Peplidia* with *Plocamopherus*.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Polyceridae
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The family Polyceridae is classified within the clade Doridacea, itself belonging to the clade Euctenidiacea within the clade Nudipleura (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). The family includes five subfamilies: Kalinginae, Kankelibranchinae, Nembrothinae, Polycerinae, and Triophinae. The subfamily Polycerinae has several synonyms, including Triopinae, Euphuridae, and Gymnodorididae. The subfamily Triophinae contains two tribes: Triophini (with synonym Kaloplocaminae) and Limaciini (with synonym Lailinae).
Reader's Guide
The Polyceridae are notable as a diverse family of dorid nudibranchs, with genera distributed across multiple subfamilies. The family includes the type genus Polycera, described by Cuvier in 1817, and other well-known genera such as Nembrotha, Roboastra, Tambja, and Gymnodoris. Several genera have been brought into synonymy, including Cabrilla (synonym of Triopha), Euplocamus (synonym of Kaloplocamus), and Histiophorus (synonym of Plocamopherus). The taxonomy reflects ongoing refinement, with subfamilies and tribes defined by authors such as Pruvot-Fol, Burn, Odhner, and others. The family's classification within the clade Nudipleura places it among the more derived nudibranch groups.
Did You Know?
- The family Polyceridae is classified within the clade Doridacea, which belongs to the clade Euctenidiacea within Nudipleura.
- The subfamily Polycerinae includes the synonym Gymnodorididae, named by Odhner in 1941.
- The genus Polycera, described by Cuvier in 1817, is the type genus of the family Polyceridae.
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