Carinaria


Carinaria is a genus of medium-sized floating sea snails, pelagic gastropod molluscs in the family Carinariidae.

Anatomy

The cylindrical and elongate body consists of three parts : a short proboscis, a well-developed trunk and tail region of variable size. The size of this tail goes from very small in Carinaria galea to very large in Carinaria cristata. The well-developed swimming fin is located in both sexes at the back of the trunk and has at its back margin a small fin sucker. The right tentacle is small or vestigial. The cuticle is thick and gelatinous. The shells are known as “Venus slippers.”

Species

The World Register of Marine Species includes the following species within the genus Carinaria: