Volutidae

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Volutes
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Subclass: Orthogastropoda Superorder: Caenogastropoda Order: Sorbeoconcha Suborder: Hypsogastropoda Infraorder: Neogastropoda Superfamily: Volutoidea Family: Volutidae Rafinesque, 1815
Subfamilia
Amoriinae Athletinae Cymbiinae Floraconus Fulgorariinae Plicolivinae Scaphellinae Volutinae

The Volutidae or volutes are marine (ocean) snails found in mainly in tropical seas, though some species also inhabit the waters of the polar circles. They can grow up to 25 cm (10 inches) in length.

They are distinguished by their distinctively marked spiral shells (to which the family name refers, voluta meaning "scroll" in Latin). The shells have an elongated aperture in their first whorl and an inner lip characterised by a number of deep folds. The elaborate decorations of the shells has made them a popular collectors' item, with the imperial volute (Aulica imperialis) of the Philippines being particularly prized.

[edit] Genera

• Adelomelon
• Alcithoe H.& A.Adams,1853
• Amoria
• Arctomelon Dall, 1915
• Calipara
• Cymbiola
• Cymbiolacca
• Cymbium
• Enaeta H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853
• Ericusa
• Fulgoraria
• Harpularia
• Lyria
• Melo
• Nannamoria
• Notavoluta
• Odontocymbiola
• Provocator Watson,1882
• Scaphella Swainson, 1832
• Teramachia
• Voluta Linnaeus, 1758
• Zygomelon Harasewych & Marshall,1995
• Zidonia

[edit] References

• ITIS
• "Volute." Encyclopædia Britannica, 2006.