Ficidae | |
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The shell of Ficus gracilis | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Superfamily: | Ficoidea Meek, 1864 (1840) |
Family: | Ficidae Meek, 1864 (1840) |
Synonyms | |
Pyrullinae Swainson, 1840 |
Ficidae, common name the fig shells are a family of medium to large marine gastropods. It is the only family in the superfamily Ficoidea.
According to taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Ficidae has no subfamilies.
The shells of these snails are shaped rather like figs or pears, hence the common name.
The Ficidae were previously included in the Tonnaceae (now Tonnoidea) along with the Tonnidae and Cassididae.[1][2]