Cavoliniidae

Cavoliniidae
Cavolinia tridentata
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Euopisthobranchia
Order: Pteropoda
Suborder: Euthecosomata
Superfamily: Cavolinioidea
Family: Cavoliniidae
(Gray, 1850 (1815))
Synonyms
  • Cleodoridae Gray, 1840
  • Hyalaeidae Rafinesque, 1815

The family Cavoliniidae is a taxonomic group of small floating sea snails, pelagic marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks.

This family is part of a larger group which is commonly known as the sea butterflies because they swim by flapping what appear to be small "wings".