Haminoeidae Family

Family Haminoeidae

Typically the animal is small. Haminoeids usually possesses a thin, fragile, smooth and translucent shell occasionally with darker bands. The shell shape is broadly ovate to cylindrical, and always widest at the midpoint and with a sunken spire. The body can usually withdraw completely into the shell. The head shield is broad with the posterior edge usually developed into a pair of lobes and with discernable eye spots located dorsally, close to the surface.
There is a broad foot, the sides of which are developed into parapodia that fold up to cover the neck and shell aperture often meeting or overlapping mid-dorsum. They may cup the shell to a varying degree. A tail may be visible behind the shell formed by a posterior extension of the mantle (a metapodium), however its presentation varies from shorter than the shell to well past the shell.
Some have an extremely long and thin posterior end to the foot that being both adhesive and contractile permits the animal to beat a hasty retreat if necessary. The gill is not visible externally. Species may be infaunal or epifaunal. The epifaunal graze upon green algae turf.