Higher Classification: > Kingdom Animalia > Subkingdom Eumetazoa > Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Subclass Orthogastropoda > Subclass Caenogastropoda > Order Littorinimorpha > Superfamily Cypraeoidea

Ovulidae J. Fleming, 1822

Rank: Family
Taxon Status: accepted

note: The classification of this family herein follows essentially Lorenz & Fehse (2009) except for the definition of genera Simnia Risso, 1826, Neosimnia Fischer, 1884 and Xandarovula Cate, 1973 which follow considerations expressed by Dol

Children

Ovulinae J. Fleming, 1828
Pediculariinae Gray, 1853
Prionovolvinae Fehse, 2007
Simniinae F. A. Schilder, 1927

Vernaculars (+) (-)

English: egg cowries; egg shells sources: Cole, T. C. H. (2017). Wörterbuch der Wirbellosen / Dictionary of Invertebrates. Latein-Deutsch-English. 2017. Springer Spektrum: Berlin. ISBN 978-3-662-52869-3. XII, 574 pp.

German: Ovuliden sources: Cole, T. C. H. (2017). Wörterbuch der Wirbellosen / Dictionary of Invertebrates. Latein-Deutsch-English. 2017. Springer Spektrum: Berlin. ISBN 978-3-662-52869-3. XII, 574 pp.

Japanese: ウミウサギガイ科

Literature

basis of record	Bouchet P., Rocroi J.P., Hausdorf B., Kaim A., Kano Y., Nützel A., Parkhaev P., Schrödl M. & Strong E.E. (2017). Revised classification, nomenclator and typification of gastropod and monoplacophoran families. Malacologia. 61(1-2): 1-526.
basis of record	Cate, C. N. (1973). A systematic revision of the recent cypraeid family Ovulidae. Veliger. 15 (supplement): 1-117.
additional source	Lorenz, F.; Fehse, D. (2009). The living Ovulidae. A manual of the families of allied cowries: Ovulidae, Pediculariidae and Eocypraeidae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 651 pp., 203 pls., 375 + numerous unnumb. text figs.
additional source	Nocella, E.; Zvonareva, S. S.; Fassio, G.; Pica, D.; Buge, B.; Villa, R.; Puillandre, N.; Modica, M. V.; Oliverio, M. (2024). Spicy food for the egg-cowries: the evolution of corallivory in the Ovulidae (Gastropoda: Cypraeoidea). Frontiers in Marine Science. 10.

Genbank

Citation

MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Ovulidae J. Fleming, 1822. Via: Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvantidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2011) European Register of Marine Species, Accessed through PESI at http://www.eu-nomen.eu/portal/taxon.php?GUID=urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:1747