| Ovulinae | |
|---|---|
| |
| An ovuline: a live individual of Primovula roseomaculata in situ, head end towards the upper right | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Superfamily: | Cypraeoidea |
| Family: | Ovulidae |
| Subfamily: | Ovulinae J. Fleming, 1828 |
| Genera | |
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See text | |
The subfamily Ovulinae, common name the ovulines, is a highly specialized, extant group of sea snails in the family Ovulidae. These are predatory or parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Cypraeoidea. Species in this subfamily are sometimes referred to as cowries (singular: cowry or cowrie), although this name is commonly used for any member of the superfamily Cypraeoidea.