List of marine gastropod genera in the fossil record

This list of marine gastropod genera in the fossil record is an attempt to list all the genera of sea snails or marine gastropod mollusks which have been found in the fossil record. Nearly all of these are genera of shelled forms, since it is relatively rare for gastropods without a shell (sea slugs) to leave any recognizable traces. It is also worth pointing out that this list of genera represents only a very tiny fraction of the number of genera that must actually have existed over the evolutionary time span: the fossil record is an extremely patchy and exceedingly incomplete pteryrecord of life on earth in earlier geological eras.

Conilithes antidiluvianus, a cone shell from the Pliocene of Italy

Many genera on this list are still extant, are still living now. On the current version of this list, some extant genera are mistakenly marked as extinct, with a "†" next to the name, but this should slowly become more accurate over time as corrections are made.

The list consists of formal genera names in the class Gastropoda; it excludes purely vernacular names. It shows all commonly accepted genera, but it also includes genera which are now considered invalid or doubtful (nomina dubia), and names that were not formally published (nomina nuda), as well as junior synonyms of more established names.

The list also includes some genera which were first described as gastropods, but which are no longer considered to be gastropods, and which in many cases are not even considered to be mollusks.

Genera are listed here alphabetically; no attempt has been made to group them in families or other higher taxa.

Contents: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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