Dendropoma

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Dendropoma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Orthogastropoda
Superorder: Caenogastropoda
Order: Sorbeoconcha
Suborder: Hypsogastropoda
Family: Vermetidae
Genus: Dendropoma
Mörch, 1861
Species

See text.

Dendropoma is a genus of sea snails known as "worm shells" or "worm snails". These are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails.

Dendropoma snails have shells which are long and irregular. They do not have regular coiling like that of a typical gastropod shell, and they are usually cemented onto a hard surface. Because of all this, the shells resemble those of certain marine worms.

[edit] Shell description

These snails have elongated tubular shells, moulded to the surface of attachment, and with the apertural part usually free, the opening directed upward. Damaged sections of the shell can be sealed off by calcareous septa when necessary. Shells in this genus are attached singly to other bodies, or formed into large communal masses. The irregularly coiled tubes are carinated and scaly, with the aperture drawn forward above into a rounded lobe. The operculum is thick and raised at the middle.

[edit] Species within the genus Dendropoma

  • Dendropoma corrodens (d'Orbigny, 1842) - ringed wormsnail
  • Dendropoma exsertum (Dall, 1881)
  • Dendropoma irregulare (d'Orbigny, 1842) - irregular wormsnail
  • Dendropoma lituella (Mörch, 1861) - flat wormsnail
  • Dendropoma petraeum (Monterosato, 1884)
  • Dendropoma rastrum (Mörch, 1861) - California wormsnail
  • Dendropoma squamifera Ponder, 1967

[edit] References