Buccinidae
Buccinidae is a very large and diverse taxonomic family of large sea snails, often known as whelks or true whelks.[2]
True whelks are mostly marine (with some genera freshwater) gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. The family includes more than 1500 species.
Habitat
The true whelks occur worldwide in all seas from tropical oceans to the cold seas of the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean. They are found from the intertidal to the bathypelagic zone. Most prefer a solid bottom, but some inhabit sandy substrates.
Some genera from Buccinidae are freshwater, for example genus Clea.
Description
The shells of species in this family are moderate to large in size, conical to fusiform in shape. The shell often has deep sutures. The shell surface is generally smooth, sometimes with a spiral and/ or axial sculpture. The thickness of the shell is more pronounced in tropical shallow-water species, while the shell of species living in moderate and colder waters is generally thin or moderately thin. The top of the whorls are more or less shouldered. The radial ribs of the shell sometimes show shoulder knobs. The aperture is large with a well-defined siphonal canal. The rim of the aperture is sometimes used to pry open the shell of bivalves. The aperture is closed by a horny operculum.
The soft body is elongated and spiral. The head has two conical, depressed tentacles which bear the eyes on a lobe or prominence at their base. The mouth contains a long, cylindrical,, annulated proboscis and a small tongue. The mantle forms a thin-edged flap over the branchial cavity. On the left side it has an elongated, open canal, that emerges by a notch or groove in the shell. The two gills are elongated, unequal and pectinate (i.e. in a comb-like arrangement). The large foot is generally broad.[3]
True whelks are carnivores and scavengers. They feed on clams, carrion and sometimes even on detritus. Their sense of smell is very well-developed; they can sense chemical signals from their prey from a considerable distance with their osphradium. Many whelks are capable of boring through the shell of bivalves, and because of this some species cause much harm in oyster farms. True whelks can even attack fish caught in a net extending their proboscis to twice the length of their own bodies.
The female whelk lays spongy egg capsules with hundreds of eggs. These form round clusters or a tower-shaped masses. Only about 10% of these eggs hatch. The larvae then feed on the rest of the eggs that haven't yet hatched.
The flesh of the common northern whelk, Buccinum undatum, is much appreciated by connoisseurs as a food item, but its consumption is currently somewhat in decline.
The empty shell of a whelk is often used by the hermit crab to make its home.
Taxonomy
According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Buccinidae consists of six subfamilies:
Subfamily Buccininae Rafinesque, 1815
- tribe Ancistrolepidini Habe & Sato, 1973
- tribe Buccinini Rafinesque, 1815
- tribe Buccinulini Finlay, 1928
- tribe Colini Gray, 1857 - synonyms: Neptuneinae Stimpson, 1865; Chrysodominae Dall, 1870; Pyramimitridae Cossmann, 1901; Truncariinae Cossmann, 1901; Metajapelioninae Gorychaev, 1987
- tribe Cominellini Gray, 1857
- tribe Liomesini P. Fischer, 1884 - synonym: Buccinopsidae G. O. Sars, 1878 (inv.)
- tribe Parancistrolepidini Habe, 1972 - synonym: Brevisiphoniinae Lus, 1973
- tribe Prosiphonini Powell, 1951
- tribe Volutopsiini Habe & Sato, 1973
Subfamily Beringiinae Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975
Subfamily Busyconinae Wade, 1917 (1867)
- tribe Busyconini Wade, 1917 (1867) - synonym: Fulgurinae Stoliczka, 1867
- tribe Busycotypini Petuch, 1994
Subfamily Donovaniinae Casey, 1904 - synonym: Lachesinae L. Bellardi, 1877 (inv.)
Subfamily Pisaniinae Gray, 1857 - synonyms: Photinae Gray, 1857; Pusiostomatidae Iredale, 1940
Subfamily Siphonaliinae Finlay, 1928 - synonym: Austrosiphonidae Cotton & Godfrey, 1938
Genera
Genera within the family Buccinidae include:
subfamily Buccininae
tribe Ancistrolepidini
tribe Buccinini
tribe Buccinulini
tribe Colini
tribe Cominellini
tribe Liomesini
tribe Parancistrolepidini
- Parancistrolepis Azuma, 1965
tribe Prosiphonini
tribe Volutopsiini
Subfamily Beringiinae
subfamily Busyconinae
tribe Busyconini
tribe Busycotypini
subfamily Donovaniinae
subfamily Pisaniinae
subfamily Siphonaliinae
subfamily ?
- Aeneator Finlay, 1927
- Afer Conrad, 1858
- Afrocominella Iredale, 1918
- Americominella Klappenbach & Ureta, 1972 - synonym: Echinosipho Kaiser 1977
- Anna Risso, 1826
- Anomacme Strebel, 1905
- Anomalosipho Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912
- Antarctodomus A. Adams, 1863
- Antarctoneptunea Dell, 1972
- Antillophos Woodring, 1928
- Antistreptus Dall, 1902
- Atractodon Charlesworth, 1837
- Aulacofusus Dall, 1918
- Austrofusus Kobelt, 1879
- Bailya M. Smith, 1944
- Barbitonia Dall, 1916
- Bartschia Rehder, 1943
- Bathyancistrolepis Habe & Ito, 1968
- Bathybuccinum Golikov & Sirenko, 1989
- Bathydomus Thiele, 1912
- Bayerius Olsson, 1971
- Belomitra P.Fischer, 1882
- Beringion Habe & Ito, 1965
- † Boreokelletia Anderson, 1964
- Buccipagoda Ponder, 2010 - synonym: Kapala Ponder, 1982
- Burnupena Iredale, 1918
- Caducifer Dall, 1904
- Calliloncha Lus, 1978
- Cancellopollia Vermeij & Bouchet, 1998
- Cantharus Röding, 1798
- Cavineptunea Powell, 1951
- Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
- Chickcharnea Petuch, 2002 - with the only species Chickcharnea fragilis Petuch, 2002[4]
- Chlanidota Martens, 1878
- Chlanidotella Thiele 1929
- Chlanificula Powell, 1958
- Clea A. Adams, 1855
- Clinopegma Grant & Gale, 1931
- Clivipollia Iredale, 1929
- Corneobuccinum Golikov & Gulbin, 1977
- Costaria Golikov, 1977
- Crassicantharus Ponder, 1972
- Crenatosipho Linse, 2002
- Drepanodontus Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
- Engina Gray, 1839
- Enginella Monterosato, 1917
- Engoniophos Woodring, 1928
- Enigmatocolus Fraussen, 2008[5]
- Eosipho Thiele, 1929
- Euthrenopsis Powell, 1929
- Euthria M. E Gray, 1850
- Euthriostoma Marche-Marchard & Brebion, 1977
- Falsilatirus Emerson & Moffitt, 1988
- Falsimohnia Powell, 1951
- Falsitromina Dell, 1990
- Fascinus Hedley, 1903
- Fax Iredale, 1925
- Fusinella Thiele, 1917
- Fusipagoda Habe & Ito, 1965
- Gemophos Olsson & Harbison 1953
- Germonea Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
- Glaphyrina Finlay, 1927
- Glypteuthria Strebel, 1905
- Godfreyena Iredale, 1934
- † Golikovia Habe & Sato, 1972
- Habevolutopsius Kantor, 1983
- Harpofusus Habe & Ito, 1965
- Helicofusus Dall, 1916
- Hesperisternia Gardner, 1944
- Hindsia A. Adams, 1855
- Japelion Dall, 1916
- Japeuthria Iredale, 1918
- Jerrybuccinum Kantor & Pastorino, 2009
- Kanamarua Kuroda, 1951
- Kelletia Fischer, 1884
- Kryptos Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1896
- Latisipho Dall, 1916
- Limatofusus Vaught, 1989
- Lirabuccinum Vermeij, 1991
- Lusitromina Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
- Lussivolutopsius Kantor, 1983
- Manaria E. A. Smith, 1906
- Metaphos Olsson, 1964
- Meteuthria Thiele, 1912
- Metula H. & A. Adams, 1853
- Mohnia Friele in Kobelt, 1879
- Monostiolum Dall, 1904
- Muffinbuccinum Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
- Nassaria Dall, 1916
- Neancistrolepis Habe & Sato, 1972
- Neoberingius Habe & Ito, 1965
- Neobuccinum Smith, 1877
- Neoteron Pilsbry & Lowe, 1932
- Northia Gray, 1847
- Ornatoconcha Lus, 1987
- Ovulatibuccinum Golikov & Sirenko, 1989
- Parabuccinum Harasewych, Kantor & Linse, 2000
- Paracalliloncha Lus, 1987
- Paranotoficula Kantor & Harasewych, 2008
- Pararetifusus Kosuge, 1967
- Pareuthria Strebel, 1905
- Parficulina Powell, 1958
- Parviphos Sarasua, 1984
- Penion Fischer, 1884
- Phaenomenella Fraussen, 2006
- Phos Montfort, 1810
- Plicibuccinum Golikov & Gulbin, 1977
- Plicifusus Dall, 1902
- Pollia Gray, 1834
- Preangeria K. Martin, 1921
- Probuccinum Thiele, 1912
- Prodotia Dall, 1924
- Proneptunea Thiele, 1912
- Pseudoliomesus Habe & Sato, 1972
- Pseudoneptunea Kobelt, 1882
- Ptychosalpinx Gill, 1868
- Pusio Gray, 1833
- Pyrolofusus Friele, 1882
- Reticubuccinum Ito & Habe, 1980
- Retimohnia McLean, 1995
- Savatieria Rochebrune & Mabille, 1885
- Searlesia Harmer, 1914
- Serratifusus Darragh, 1969
- Siphonofusus Kuroda & Habe, 1952
- Solenosteira Dall, 1890
- Spikebuccinum Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
- Steye Faber, 2004
- Tacita Lus, 1971
- Tasmeuthria Iredale, 1925
- Thalassoplanes Dall, 1908
- Tomlinia Peile, 1937
- Trajana Gardner, 1948
- Troschelia Mörch, 1876
- Turrisipho Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1912
- Volutharpa Fischer, 1856
References
- ^ Strong E. E., Gargominy O., Ponder W. F. & Bouchet P. (2008). "Global Diversity of Gastropods (Gastropoda; Mollusca) in Freshwater". Hydrobiologia 595: 149-166. http://hdl.handle.net/10088/7390 doi:10.1007/s10750-007-9012-6.
- ^ a b Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2010). Buccinidae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=149 on 2010-12-30
- ^ Macgillivray, William , History of the molluscous animals of Scotland, London, 1844
- ^ Petuch E. J. (2002). "New deep water gastropods from the Bimini Shelf, Bimini Chain, Bahamas". Ruthenica 12(1): 59-72. abstract.
- ^ K. Fraussen (2008). "Enigmaticolus, a new genus of deep water buccinids (Gastropoda: Buccinidae), with description of a new species from Madagascar". Gloria Maris 46 (4–5): 74–82. http://www.ofseaandshore.com/newspecies/newspecies2.php.
Further reading
External links
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Buccinidae Buccinidae] at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Buccinidae at Wikispecies