Cymatium Temporal range: | |
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A live individual of a Cymatium species near Alor Island, Indonesia | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Clade: | Hypsogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Family: | Cymatiidae |
Genus: | Cymatium Röding, 1798 |
Type species | |
Cymatium femorale | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Cymatium is a genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae. [1]
This genus has numerous species, perhaps as many as 100, some of which have a worldwide distribution. The genus has been divided into at least 10 subgenera. Some authors have elevated those subgenera, giving them the full status of genera, but this is by no means universally accepted.
This genus is known in the fossil records from the Eocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 55.8 to 0.012 million years ago). [2]
These sea snails have separate sexes. They lay egg capsules. After hatching, the larvae have a planktonic stage that can (in some species) last several months; this is what enables the very widespread distribution seen in certain species, as the planktonic larvae can be carried great distances before settling to the sea floor.
There are at least 10 subgenera within the genus Cymatium . These are elevated by some authors to the level of genera.
According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) the following species with accepted names are included within the genus Cymatium: [1]
Cymatium species found in the Western Atlantic include:
Other species include:
Charonia is a genus of very large sea snail, commonly known as Triton's trumpet or Triton snail. They are marine gastropod mollusks in the monotypic family Charoniidae.
Buccinum is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks.
Trochus is a genus of medium-sized to large, top-shaped sea snails with an operculum and a pearly inside to their shells, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Neritina, is a genus of small aquatic snails with an operculum in the family Neritidae, the nerites. They are as well marine, as brackish water, and sometimes freshwater gastropod mollusks
Turbo is a genus of large sea snails with gills and an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.
Bursa is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Bursidae, the frog snails or frog shells.
Cymatiidae is a family of large sea snails in the superfamily Tonnoidea and the order Littorinimorpha. Members of this family are predators.
Janthina is a genus of small to medium-sized pelagic or planktonic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Epitoniidae.
Nerita is a genus of medium-sized to small sea snails with a gill and an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Neritinae of the family Neritidae, the nerites.
Patella is a genus of sea snails with gills, typical true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Patellidae, the true limpets.
Cassis, common name the helmet shells, is a genus of very large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and their allies. This is the type genus of the subfamily Cassinae.
Fusus is a genus of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails and tulip snails.
Gutturnium is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.
Gyrineum is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.
Monoplex is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.
Ranularia is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.
Septa is a genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae. It was previously considered as a subgenus of Cymatium.
Distorsio is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Personidae, the Distortio snails.