Aeolidioidea Gray, 1827

Superfamily Aeolidioidea Gray, 1827 View in CoL , restricted

( Fig. 2; Tables 1–3)

‘Tribe Cleioprocta’ part. Odhner 1939: 50–3.

Diagnosis: Aeolidacean superfamily with uniserial radula. Notal edge commonly completely reduced, rarely present, significantly reduced. Cerata commonly placed in various regular rows and other regular patterns, such an arcs or horseshoe-like structures, often in combination with linear rows. Anus commonly cleioproctic, rarely pleuroproctic or acleioproctic. Anterior foot corners commonly present. Elaborate oral glands absent or present. Masticatory edges of jaws in many taxa bear a single row of denticles, in some taxa smooth. Both proximal and distal seminal receptaculums are commonly present, more rarely reduced to single one. Clasping organ in female part of reproductive system absent. Vas deferens commonly moderately long, prostate indistinct or distinct. Supplementary gland is invariably absent, but accessory glands may be present in several taxa. Massive external permanent penial collar absent. Penis internal, can be very simple, conical or highly elaborated with massive penis with various warts and folds, sometimes with hollow stylet or other cuticular structures.

Families included: Favorinidae Bergh, 1899 , reinstated, Glaucidae Gray, 1827 , Facelinidae Bergh, 1899 , Babakinidae Roller 1973 , Pleurolidiidae Burn, 1966 , Myrrhinidae Bergh, 1905 , and Aeolidiidae Gray, 1827 .

Remarks: The superfamily Aeolidioidea represents a well-defined taxonomic unit, well supported by molecular phylogenetic data ( Figs 1, 2), with an exclusively uniserial radula and predominantly cleioproctic anus (despite the rare presence of pleuroproctic and acleioproctic ones), and commonly completely reduced notal edge, also with some rare exceptions. The cerata tend to form distinct rows or arches of various shapes, rarely continuous. A special supplementary gland in the male reproductive system is completely absent, but various accessory glands may present. The superfamily Chudoidea superfam. nov. and family Chudidae fam. nov. may be sister to the superfamilies Aeolidioidea , Flabellinopsoidea , and Flabellinoidea with low support ( Fig.2), which may indicate a potential triserial common ancestor for the otherwise uniserial Aeolidioidea (see Tables 1, 2). The taxonomic volume of the superfamily Aeolidioidea is lateral posterior teeth, SEM. M, radular teeth, details of anterior-most central tooth, SEM. N, details of the right anterior side of the body showing common genital opening in an elevation under the distinct regular ceratal rows. O, scheme of reproductive system. Scale bars: F, 300 μm; G, 300 μm; H, 300 μm; I, 100 μm; J, 30 μm; K, 30 μm; L, 300 μm; M, 100 μm; O, 0.5 mm. Photos and SEM images: Alexander Martynov. Abbreviations: a, ampulla; fgm, female gland mass; pr, prostate; psh, penial sheath; rsd, receptaculum seminis distal; vd, vas deferens.

restricted here [the obviously non-aeolidioidean families, such as Notaeolidiidae , Flabellinopsidae , and Flabellinidae , as currently assigned in WoRMS (2024), as well as any other potential families are removed] only to the core monophyletic group of uniserial families, which includes the families Favorinidae Bergh, 1899 , reinstated, Glaucidae Gray, 1827 , Facelinidae Bergh, 1899 , Babakinidae Roller, 1973 , Pleurolidiidae Burn, 1966 , Myrrhinidae Bergh, 1905 , and Aeolidiidae Gray, 1827 , but not several other families distantly related to Aeolidioidea , as are incorrectly currently listed in WoRMS (2024). A genus Zatteria was established by Eliot (1902) from the Indian Ocean, and despite it never being redescribed since then, from the time of the original description, it was placed as an addition ( McDonald 2009) to the taxa, which is currently included in the superfamily Fionoidea . However, the combination of the very large size of Zatteria (up to 8 cm), partly perfoliate rhinophores, short uniserial radula with central tooth with distinctly protruding cusp, and few lateral denticles, and no armature in the reproductive apparatus, point rather to the superfamily Aeolidioidea , potentially as some aberrant genus of Facelinidae or Myrrhinidae . See other parts of the Synopsis above and below for their proper superfamily placement.