| Cerithiidae | |
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| Apertural view of a shell of Rhinoclavis vertagus . | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Cerithioidea |
| Family: | Cerithiidae Fleming, 1822 [1] |
| Diversity [2] | |
| 71 extant species of Bittiinae 114 extant species of Cerithiinae | |
Cerithiidae, common name the cerithiids or ceriths, is a large family of medium-sized marine gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha.
Ceriths are found worldwide on sandy bottoms, reef flats or coral reef rock covered with sand and algae in the sublittoral zone [ littoral or neritic? clarification needed ] of warm or temperate waters. Most are found in tropical areas. A few occur along the European coastline and about 30 species in two genera are found along the American coast. A few species occur in estuarine areas of mangrove forests close to the sea. Only a few species of the subfamily Bittiinae are found in deep water.
Ceriths are herbivores and detritivores that graze the sea bed.
Their slender shell is elongated with a pointed spire. They vary in size from 3 mm ( Bittium alternatum ) to 150 mm ( Cerithium nodulosum ). The smallest shells are found in the subfamily Bittiinae.
The many whorls have radial sculpture with axial ridges and nodules. The aperture shows at its base a vague curve or a distinct siphonal canal. The aperture is closed off by a thin oval brown operculum that is corneous and paucispiral. The palatal wall of the aperture is somewhat enlarged and often shows a varix.
The taenioglossan radula has seven teeth in each row. The single rachidian tooth is flanked on each side by one rhomboidal lateral tooth and two long, hook-like marginal teeth.
The following three subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005): [3]
Bandel (2006) [5] used different classification: Bittiinae on its own family level named Diastomatidae (overview of WoRMS).
Some authors classify Argyropezinae Bandel, 2006 as a synonym of Bittiinae. [6]
The following genera are recognised in the family Cerithiidae: [7]
The Vermetidae, the worm snails or worm shells, are a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of species in the family Vermetidae are extremely irregular, and do not resemble the average snail shell, hence the common name "worm shells" or "worm snails".
Cerithium is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths.
Bittium is a genus of very small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cerithiidae, the horn snails.
Aporrhaidae is a family of sea snails commonly called the "pelican's foot snails." The taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005 categorizes Aporrhaidae as marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.
Rhinoclavis vertagus, common name the common creeper, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths. R.vertagus is most commonly found in intertidal sand flats
Rhinoclavis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths.
The Cerithioidea is a superfamily of marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod containing more than 200 genera. The Cerithoidea are included unassigned in the subclass Caenogastropoda. The original name of this superfamily was Cerithiacea, in keeping with common superfamily endings at the time.
Argyropeza is a genus of small deep-sea sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Procerithiidae.
Batillariidae, common name batillariids or mudcreepers, are a family of marine, cerithioidean gastropod molluscs in thesuperfamily Cerithioidea.
Diastomatidae is a family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea.
Litiopidae, common name litiopids, is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha.
Scaliolidae, common name scaliolids, is a family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs or micromollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea, the ceriths and their allies.
Plesiotrochidae is a family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha. According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Plesiotrochidae has no subfamilies.
Colloniidae is a family of small sea snails with calcareous opercula, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Vetigastropoda.
Procerithiidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha.
Cerithium flemischi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae.
Cerithium matukense is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae.
Cerithium novaehollandiae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae.
Pseudovertagus aluco, common name aluco vertagus or Cuming's cerith, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths.
Clypeomorus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Cerithiinae of the family Cerithiidae.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(June 2011) |
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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