See text Vetigastropoda is a major taxonomic group of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks that form a very ancient lineage.

[6] Vetigastropods are found throughout all oceans of the world from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea environments, including tropical areas, temperate regions, and under polar ice.

They exist on rocky substrates, in soft sediments, and some have been found at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps.

Several species such as Haliotoidea and Trochoidea have evolved to feed directly on such plant material as algae and marine angiosperms.

Fertilization usually occurs externally, and they lay eggs that develop into free-swimming larvae before settling as young adults.

Larger species typically have yearly cycles of spawning, and produce millions of eggs per reproductive season.

The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) follows Bouchet & Rocroi regarding the taxonomic content of the Gastropoda but gives ranks to the higher taxa and defines Vetigastropoda as a subclass.