Eupulmonata

Eupulmonata is a clade of the Gastropoda within the larger Heterobranchia, comprising most of the air-breathing snails and slugs commonly known as pulmonates. The group includes many terrestrial species such as land snails and slugs, as well as numerous freshwater pulmonates, all of which have independently adapted to breathing air. A defining feature is the development of a pallial lung derived from the mantle cavity, with a small respiratory opening called a pneumostome in many species.

In modern classifications, Eupulmonata is treated as a major monophyletic clade within Heterobranchia and is contrasted with other heterobranch lineages such as Opisthobranchia. Its content has been refined through molecular studies, and it encompasses the traditional concepts of Pulmonata (sensu lato) while focusing on a set of shared derived characters. The clade includes a broad diversity of forms, from shelled, coiled land snails to shell-less or reduced-shelled slugs, and it also contains many freshwater species that have secondarily adapted to an air-breathing lifestyle.

Ecologically, eupulmonates occupy a wide range of habitats and functions. They are important herbivores and detritivores in many ecosystems, and some species are agricultural pests or, less commonly, disease vectors. The taxonomy and exact composition of Eupulmonata continue to be revised as new molecular and anatomical data become available, reflecting ongoing efforts to resolve relationships among pulmonate lineages.