| Caecum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A shell of Caecum trachea | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Caecidae |
| Genus: | Caecum Fleming, 1817 |
| Type species | |
| Caecum tracheum tracheum Montagu, G., 1803 | |
| Species | |
See text | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Caecum is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod micromolluscs or micromollusks in the family Caecidae or blind shells. [1]
This genus occurs worldwide in warm and temperate seas. Many species live in sponges, in sandy spots on reefs, or in grassy beds in shallow waters in bays and lagoons. Some species are very common and can be extremely numerous where they do occur, such as the "beautiful caecum"(Caecum pulchellum), but even they can be easily overlooked as they are so tiny. Many species are considered to be uncommon, but this assessment may be a result of lack of proper sampling.
The shells in this genus, like the others in the family, are very small with a length between 2 mm and 6 mm. Their colour is white to yellowish white and some are almost translucent. They are unusual in that the teleoconch of the adult shell is a curving tube for most of its length. In the first stage of the shell it is spiral-shaped but soon becomes cylindrical. The shell is sealed with a permanent calcareous plug at one end and (when the animal has withdrawn into the shell) with a circular, multispiral, horny operculum at the other end, the shell aperture. The sculpture is smooth or consists of a close-set, large number of annular ridges.
These snails feed on one-celled organisms on sand grains or pebbles.
Species in the genus Caecum include: [1] [2]
Littorinimorpha is a large order of snails, gastropods, consisting primarily of sea snails, but also including some freshwater snails and land snails.
Caecidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails or micromolluscs, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Littorinimorpha.
Chrysallida is a speciose genus of minute sea snails, pyramidellid gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Pyramidellidae within the tribe Chrysallidini.
Philine is a genus of sea slugs or sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Philininae of the family Philinidae, the headshield slugs or paper bubbles.
Fossarus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Planaxidae.
Caecum skoglundae is a species of minute sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc or micromollusc in the family Caecidae.
Meioceras is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Caecidae.
Parastrophia is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the family Caecidae.
Alvania is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Rissoidae.
Onoba is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Rissoidae.
Rissoina is a large genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs, in the family Rissoinidae.
Ringicula is a genus of minute deepwater sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs belonging to the family Ringiculidae.
Eulima is a genus of small, ectoparasitic sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Eulimidae.
Cerithiopsis is a genus of very small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Cerithiopsidae.
Eulimella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Turbonilla is a large genus of ectoparasitic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Aclis is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Eulimidae.
Mauroceras is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Caecidae.
