de Férussac, 1822
Internal shell calcareous but fragile, usually unpigmented, with a very large aperture, or absent. Stellate calcareous spicules are often present in the skin.
Head partly concealed by the conspicuous mantle, which forms a skirt all around the body. Inrolled oral and rhinophoral tentacles are present on the head. A well-developed gill is present on the right side. A large metapodial gland is usually present in adults, but lacking in juveniles. The skin is able to secrete strongly acid fluids on disturbance.
The anal opening is situated on the right side, on the 'downstream' side of the gill. A protrusible pharynx dominates the foregut, which may also bear a median acid-gland. Gizzard plates absent. Radula n .0.n , consisting of up to 75,000 teeth per specimen. The jaws, present in the buccal cavity, are made up of large numbers of overlapping flattened plates.
Source: Thompson, 1988.
The following subtaxa of this family occur in the region:
Genus Berthella
Berthella plumula
Genus Pleurobranchus
Pleurobranchus membranaceus