Terebridae

Terebridae
live Acus maculatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Caenogastropoda
Clade: Hypsogastropoda
Clade: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Terebridae
Mörch, 1852[1]
Genera

See text.

Diversity[2]
about 313 species
Synonyms[3]
  • Acusidae
  • Pervicaciidae
  • Pervicaciinae
  • Terebrinae

The Terebridae, commonly referred to as auger shells or auger snails, is a group or family of small to large predatory marine gastropods.[3]

These gastropods have extremely high spired shells with numerous whorls, and the common name refers to the resemblance of their shells to rock drill-type drill bits.

There are about 313 known species worldwide.[2]

Taxonomy

This family consists of two following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):

However, Terryn[2] states that the subfamily Pervicaciinae would historically include solely the * Duplicaria (and the * Pervicaria, now included in Euterebra). The other genera would belong to the subfamily Terebrinae. Since there is no clear division and currently no taxonomic need the two subfamilies are nowadays no longer accepted.[4][5]

Shell description

The shells of the sea snails in this family are typically shaped like slender augers or screws. In that respect they share certain shell characters with the family Turritellidae, the turret shells.

One characteristic that distinguishes Terebridae from Turritellidae is the short anterior canal or notch in the aperture of the shell. Terebridae shells also tend to have characteristically flattened versus convex whorls, and they often have one or two plaits on the columella.

Numerous species in this family are grouped under either the Terebra or the Hastula genus, and a minority of species are placed in four other genera.

Life habits

These snails are sand-dwelling carnivores which live in warmer waters. In most species, a venomous barb similar to that of the cone snails, (see Conidae), is used to stun and immobilize prey, which typically consists of various marine worms.

A grow of shells of the Atlantic or eastern auger, Terebra dislocata

Genera

Genera in the family Terebridae include:[2][6]

Spotted auger, Subulate auger, Duplicate turritella


Genera brought into synonymy

References

  1. ↑ Mörch O. A. L. (1852). Catalogus conchyliorum quae reliquit D. Alphonso d'Arguirra et Gadea Comes de Yoldi, (1): 74.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Terryn, Y. (2007): A Collectors Guide to Recent Terebridae (Mollusca: Neogastropoda). 57 pp., 65 color plts. ConchBooks & NaturalArt, Hackenheim & Gent, ISBN 978-3-939767-01-5.
  3. 1 2 Gofas, S. (2012). Terebridae. World Register of Marine Species 2012-10-12
  4. ↑ WoRMS (2010). Terebrinae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=411816 on 2011-04-01
  5. ↑ WoRMS (2010). Pervicaciinae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=411817 on 2011-04-01
  6. ↑ Gofas, S. (2010). Terebridae. 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=160424 on 2010-04-01

Further reading

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