| Cerithiidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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. [ citation needed ]
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]
 | 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 .
Media related to Cerithiidae at Wikimedia Commons| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
