Alvania is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Rissoidae.
They form a very diversified group within the Rissoidae family.
Description Alvania as currently used may not be monophyletic.MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Alvania fenestrata A. A. Gould, 1861. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=881067 on 2020-05-12
The genus Alvinia has been synonymized with Alvania, until a consistent phylogenetic scheme emerges for the whole group. , is sometimes considered a separate genus.Gofas, S. (2012). Alvinia Monterosato, 1884. Accessed through: World Register of Marine * At http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=574680 on 18 June 2012
The genus Alvania comprises species with small shells with heights measuring between 1 mm and 7 mm. Their general shape is ovate-conical, reticulated with axial and spirals elements. They have a continuous peristome. Their coloration is variable.Amati, Bruno, Massimo Appolloni, and Carlo Smriglio. "Taxonomic notes on the Alvania cimex-complex in the Mediterranean Sea. Alvania cingulata (Philippi, 1836) junior synonym of Alvania mamillata Risso, 1826 (Gastropoda, Rissoidae)." Iberus 35 (2017): 123-141.
Some species such as Alvania sculptilis have been named twice with the second naming becoming a junior secondary homonym. However, the genus Alvania as currently used has a very broad taxonomic extension, and these species may very well end up in different genera when a robust phylogeny becomes available.
Distribution These marine species can be found worldwide (except in the antarctic and subantarctic regions). They can be found from intertidal depths to abyssal depths.Amati B. & Chiarelli S. (2017). Description of Alvania oetyliaca n. sp. from the Mediterranean Sea (Mollusca Gastropoda Rissoidae). Biodiversity Journal. 8(3): 839-850
Species Species within the genus Alvania include:
Alvania aartseni Verduin, 1986 Alvania abrupta Dell, 1956 Alvania abstersa van der Linden & van Aartsen, 1993 † Alvania absuturalis Chirli & Forli, 2021 Alvania acida Garilli, Reitano & Scuderi, 2023 † Alvania acuticarinata Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 † Alvania acutissimispira Landau, Amati & Harzhauser, 2025 Alvania adiaphoros Bouchet & Warén, 1993 Alvania adinogramma Bouchet & Warén, 1993 Alvania aeoliae Palazzi, 1988 Alvania aequisculpta Keep, 1887 Alvania africana Gofas, 1999 † Alvania agathae Reitano, Cresti & Di Franco, 2020 † Alvania aglaja De Stefani & Pantanelli in De Stefani, 1888 Alvania akibai Yokoyama, 1926 Alvania albachiarae Perugia, 2021 Alvania alboranensis Peñas & Rolán, 2006 † Alvania alexandrae O. Boettger, 1902 † Alvania alfredbelli Faber, 2017 Alvania algeriana Monterosato, 1877 Alvania aliceae Amati, 2014 † Alvania allixi Cossmann, 1919 Alvania almo Bartsch, 1911 † Alvania alta Bałuk, 1975 Alvania amatii Oliverio, 1986 † Alvania ameliae Chirli & Forli, 2021 † Alvania amoena Tabanelli, Bongiardino & Perugia, 2011 † Alvania amphitrite Thivaiou, Harzhauser & Koskeridou, 2019 † Alvania ampulla Eichwald, 1853 † Alvania anabaptizata Boettger, 1906 Alvania angioyi van Aartsen, 1982 Alvania angularis Warén, 1996 † Alvania angusticostata Traub, 1981 Alvania annetteae Amati, Danzelle & Devauchelle, 2018 Alvania annobonensis Rolán, 2004 † Alvania antwerpiensis Glibert, 1952 † Alvania aquensis Grateloup, 1838 † Alvania areolifera Sandberger, 1863 Alvania argentea G.B. Sowerby III, 1892 † Alvania argillensis Lozouet, 1998 †Alvania armata Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 Alvania arubensis De Jong & Coomans, 1988 Alvania aspera Philippi, 1844 Alvania asperula Brugnone, 1880 † Alvania asphaltodus Beets, 1942 † Alvania aturensis Lozouet, 1998 Alvania auberiana d'Orbigny, 1842 Alvania aupouria Powell, 1937 Alvania aurantiaca Watson, 1873 Alvania awa Chinzei, 1959 † Alvania awamoaensis H. J. Finlay, 1924 † Alvania axistriata L. Hoffman & C. Little, 2025 †Alvania babylonelliformis Gürs in Gürs & Spiegler, 1999 † Alvania baldoi Garilli & Parrinello, 2011Garilli, V. & Parrinello, D. (2011). "Two similar new species of Alvania Risso, 1826 (Caenogastropoda: Rissoidae) from the late Cenozoic of Italy." Molluscan Research 30(3): 165-175. Alvania balearica Oliver & Templado, 2009 Alvania bangkaensis Amati & Perugia, 2026 † Alvania barreti Morlet, 1885 Alvania bartolinorum Amati & Smriglio, 2019 † Alvania bartschi Olsson, 1942 † Alvania basisulcata A. W. Janssen, 1972 Alvania beanii Hanley in Thorpe, 1844 † Alvania belgica Glibert, 1952 † Alvania belli Harmer, 1920 Alvania bermudensis Faber & Moolenbeek, 1987 Alvania beyersi Thiele, 1925 † Alvania beyrichii Bosquet, 1859 † Alvania bicingulata G. Seguenza, 1876 † Alvania bicingulina Landau, Amati & Harzhauser, 2025 † Alvania bonellii Palazzi, 1996 † Alvania bonneti Cossmann, 1921 Alvania bounteyensis Dell, 1950 Alvania boutani Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1907 Alvania boyeri Amati & Renda, 2025 Alvania bozcaadensis Tisselli & Giunchi, 2013 † Alvania braillonis Le Renard, 1990 † Alvania brusinai Schwartz von Mohrenstern in Brusina, 1877 † Alvania burtoni Glibert, 1962 †Alvania butonensis Beets, 1942 Alvania cabrensis Rolán & Hernández, 2007 † Alvania calasi Van Dingenen, Ceulemans & Landau, 2016 † Alvania calliope Chirli & U. Linse, 2011 Alvania campanii Tisselli & Giunchi, 2013 Alvania campta Dall, 1927 Alvania canariensis d'Orbigny, 1840 Alvania cancapae Bouchet & Warén, 1993 Alvania cancellata da Costa, 1778 Alvania candasae J. D. Oliver & Gofas, 2022 Alvania canonica Dall, 1927 † Alvania caporalii Chirli, 2006 Alvania carinata da Costa, 1778 † Alvania cathyae Landau, Marquet & Grigis, 2003 † Alvania cerreti Gardella, Bertaccini, Bertamini, Bongiardino, Petracci & Tabanelli, 2021 † Alvania chilensis Philippi, 1887 Alvania cimex Linnaeus, 1758 † Alvania cimicoiberica Landau, Amati & Harzhauser, 2025 Alvania cimicoides Forbes, 1844 † Alvania cioppii Chirli, 2006 Alvania clarae Nofroni & Pizzini, 1991 Alvania clathrella Seguenza L., 1903 Alvania claudioi Buzzurro & Landini, 2007 † Alvania coccoi G. Seguenza, 1876 Alvania colossophilus Oberling, 1970 Alvania compacta Carpenter, 1864 Alvania concinna A. Adams, 1861 † Alvania conica Schwartz von Mohrenstern, 1867 † Alvania convexispira O. Boettger, 1906 Alvania corneti Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 Alvania corona Nordsieck, 1972 Alvania coseli Gofas, 1999 Alvania cosmia Bartsch, 1911 † Alvania cossmanni Harmer, 1920 † Alvania couffoni Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 Alvania cranchiana Leach, 1852 † Alvania crassistriata S. V. Wood, 1848 † Alvania craticula Briart & Cornet, 1887 † Alvania critica Boettger, 1907 Alvania cruzi Castellanos & Fernández, 1974 Alvania crystallina Garrett, 1873 Alvania curacaoensis De Jong & Coomans, 1988 † Alvania curta Dujardin, 1837 † Alvania daguini Peyrot, 1938 Alvania dalmatica Buzzurro & Prkic, 2007 Alvania datchaensis Amati & Oliverio, 1987 † Alvania dautzenbergi Glibert, 1949 Alvania debruynei Faber & Moolenbeek, 2004 Alvania dejongi Faber & Moolenbeek, 2004 Alvania denhartogi Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 † Alvania densecostata Harmer, 1920 Alvania desabatae Amati & Smriglio, 2016 Alvania deweti Thiele, 1925 † Alvania diadema De Stefani & Pantanelli in De Stefani, 1888 Alvania dianiensis Oliverio, 1988 Alvania dictyophora Philippi, 1844 Alvania dijkstrai Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 † Alvania dimitrii Garilli & Parrinello, 2010 † Alvania dingdensis A. W. Janssen, 1967 Alvania dipacoi Giusti Fr. & Nofroni, 1989 Alvania discazalorum Lozouet, 1998 † Alvania discors Allan, 1818 Alvania disparilis Monterosato, 1890 † Alvania dissensia Van Dingenen, Ceulemans & Landau, 2016 Alvania distincta W. H. Turton, 1932 † Alvania doliolum Lozouet, 2015 †Alvania dollfusi Cossmann & Pissarro, 1902 Alvania dorbignyi Audouin, 1826 † Alvania dubia G. Seguenza, 1876 † Alvania dubiosa Harmer, 1920 † Alvania dumasi Cossmann, 1899 Alvania electa Monterosato, 1874 Alvania elegantissima Monterosato, 1875 Alvania elenae Gofas, 2007 Alvania elisae Margelli, 2001 † Alvania ellae Boettger, 1901 Alvania emaciata Mörch, 1876 † Alvania enysii Bell, 1898 † Alvania erato Chirli & U. Linse, 2011 † Alvania erecta Harmer, 1920 † Alvania erentoezae İslamoğlu, 2006İslamoğlu Y. (2006). "Alvania erentoezae – a new Rissoid gastropod species from the Early Tortonian of the Antalya Basin (Western Taurids, SW Turkey)". Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 107A: 59-69. PDF. Alvania esmes Manousis, J. D. Oliver & Zaminos, 2023 Alvania euchila Watson, 1886 Alvania eucraspeda Hedley, 1911 † Alvania euphrosine De Stefani & Pantanelli in De Stefani, 1888 † Alvania eurydictium Cossmann, 1888 Alvania exserta Suter, 1908 Alvania faberi De Jong & Coomans, 1988 † Alvania falsivenus Lozouet, 2015 † Alvania falunica Peyrot, 1938 Alvania fasciata Tenison Woods, 1876 Alvania fenestrata Krauss, 1848 † Alvania fezata Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 Alvania filocincta Hedley & Petterd, 1906 Alvania fischeri Jeffreys, 1884 Alvania flava Okutani, 1964 Alvania flexicostata Amati & Perugia, 2026 Alvania flexilis Gofas, 1999 † Alvania foraminata Lozouet, 1998 Alvania formicarum Gofas, 1989 Alvania fractospira Oberling, 1970 † Alvania francescoi Garilli, 2008 Alvania franseni Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 † Alvania frediani Della Bella & Scarponi, 2000 Alvania freitasi Segers, Swinnen & De Prins, 2009 † Alvania frigida Cossmann, 1921 Alvania fulgens W. H. Turton, 1932 Alvania funiculata Gofas, 2007 † Alvania galeodinopsis Le Renard, 1990 Alvania gallegosi Baker, Hanna & Strong, 1930 Alvania gallinacea Finlay, 1930 Alvania garrafensis Peñas & Rolán, 2008 Alvania gascoignei Rolán, 2001 Alvania gemina Rolán & Hernández, 2007 † Alvania gemmulata G. Seguenza, 1876 Alvania geryonia Nardo, 1847 † Alvania giselae Boettger, 1901 Alvania glabra Leach, 1852 † Alvania globosa Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 Alvania gofasi Rolán & Fernandes, 1990 † Alvania gontsharovae Iljina, 1993 † Alvania gourbesvillensis Cossmann, 1921 Alvania gradatoides Finlay, 1930 Alvania grancanariensis Segers, 1999 † Alvania granosa Tabanelli, Bongiardino & Perugia, 2011 Alvania guancha Moolenbeek & Hoenselaar, 1989 † Alvania gutta Tabanelli, Bongiardino & Perugia, 2011 Alvania halia Bartsch, 1911 Alvania hallgassi Amati & Oliverio, 1985 Alvania harrietae Segers, Swinnen & De Prins, 2009 †Alvania hauniensis Ravn, 1939 Alvania hedleyi Thiele, 1930 † Alvania helenae Boettger, 1901 † Alvania heraelaciniae Ruggieri, 1950 Alvania herosaeAmati, Di Giulio & Oliverio, 2023 Alvania herwigia Castellanos & Fernández, 1974 † Alvania hinschi Gürs & Weinbrecht, 2001 Alvania hirta Monterosato, 1884 † Alvania hispanica Landau, Amati & Harzhauser, 2025 Alvania hispidula Monterosato, 1884 Alvania hoeksemai Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 †Alvania holsatica Anderson, 1960 † Alvania holubicensis Friedberg, 1923 † Alvania houdasi Cossmann, 1907 Alvania hueti Bozzetti, 2017 † Alvania hungarica Bohn-Havas, 1973 Alvania hyerensis Gofas, 2007 † Alvania iberopliocenica Landau, Amati & Harzhauser, 2025 Alvania ignota Cecalupo & Perugia, 2009 Alvania ima Bartsch, 1911 Alvania imperspicua Pallary, 1920 Alvania incognita Warén, 1996 Alvania inflata W. H. Turton, 1932 † Alvania insulsa Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 Alvania internodula Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 † Alvania interrupta Finlay, 1924 † Alvania ismar Amati, Taviani & Oliverio, 2024 Alvania isolata Laseron, 1956 Alvania jacquesi Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 Alvania jeffreysi Waller, 1864 Alvania johannae Moolenbeek & Hoenselaar, 1998 Alvania joseae Hoenselaar & Goud, 1998 Alvania josefoi Oliver & Templado, 2009 † Alvania josephineae Landau, Ceulemans & Van Dingenen, 2018 † Alvania kaawaensis Laws, 1940 † Alvania kenneyi Ladd, 1966 Alvania kermadecensis Oliver, 1915