Melongena

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Melongena
Temporal range: Late Miocene-Recent [1]
Melongena corona 4.jpg
A live individual of Melongena corona righting itself by using its operculum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Buccinoidea
Family: Melongenidae
Genus: Melongena
Schumacher, 1817 [2]
Type species
Melongena fasciataSchumacher, 1817
Synonyms [3]

Galeodes Röding, 1798 (non Olivi, 1791)

Melongena is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies. [3]

Contents

Species

Species within the genus Melongena include: [4]

Synonyms

The shells of Melongena species are extremely variable in shape and sculpture, and historically this has meant that a large number of different forms have been named, creating numerous synonyms.

There is still some disagreement about how many modern species of Melongena actually exist. However, phylogenetic analysis indicate that there are only three species in the Western Atlantic, with all snails in coastal Florida being referred to Melongena corona. [7]

Distribution

The genus Melongena occurs only in the tropical Americas. It appears that three nominally valid species occur in the tropics of the western Atlantic: one in Florida, one in the Yucatan, and one in Central America and the Caribbean. A fourth species is found on the tropical eastern Pacific coast.

Habitat

Species within this genus live in the tropical intertidal zone, in muddy areas such as under mangrove trees.

Life habits

Melongena snails are carnivorous, primarily preying on small bivalves (clams, mussels and oysters). They will also feed on other species of snails and have been known to be cannibalistic. [7]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Strombus</i> Genus of gastropods

Strombus is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Strombidae, which comprises the true conchs and their immediate relatives. The genus Strombus was named by Swedish Naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Around 50 living species were recognized, which vary in size from fairly small to very large. Six species live in the greater Caribbean region, including the queen conch, Strombus gigas, and the West Indian fighting conch, Strombus pugilis. However, since 2006, many species have been assigned to discrete genera. These new genera are, however, not yet found in most textbooks and collector's guides.

<i>Thais</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

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<i>Neritina</i> Genus of gastropods

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<i>Vasum</i> Genus of gastropods

Vasum, common name the vase snails or vase shells, is a genus of mostly rather large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Vasinae within the family Turbinellidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cochliopidae</span> Family of gastropods

Cochliopidae is a family of small freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks.

<i>Nerita</i> Genus of gastropods

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.

<i>Cymatium</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Cymatium is a genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.

<i>Pugilina</i> Genus of gastropods

Pugilina is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies.

<i>Voluta</i> Genus of gastropods

Voluta is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Bufonaria</i> Genus of gastropods

Bufonaria is a genus of medium-large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Bursidae, the "frog snails".

<i>Melongena corona</i> Species of gastropod

Melongena corona, common name the Florida crown conch, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies.

<i>Modulus</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Modulus is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Modulidae.

<i>Volema pyrum</i> Species of gastropod

Volema pyrum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies.

<i>Volema</i> Genus of gastropods

Volema is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies.

<i>Leucozonia</i> Genus of gastropods

Leucozonia is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.

<i>Ranularia</i> Genus of gastropods

Ranularia is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.

Onobops is a genus of very small aquatic snails, operculate gastropod mollusks in the family Cochliopidae or in the Hydrobiidae.

<i>Turrilatirus</i> Genus of gastropods

Turrilatirus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Fasciolariinae of the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.

<i>Phalium</i> Genus of gastropods

Phalium, common name the bonnet shells, is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Phaliinae of the family Cassidae, the helmet shells, bonnet shells and their allies.

References

  1. Wesselingh F. P., Anderson L. C. & Kadolsky D. (2006). "Molluscs from the Miocene Pebas Formation of Peruvian and Colombian Amazonia". Scripta Geologica 1333: 19-290. PDF.
  2. Schumacher (1817). Ess. Vers test.64: 212.
  3. 1 2 WoRMS (2010). Melongena Schumacher, 1817. 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=205587 on 2011-04-02
  4. "Melongena". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  5. F. M. Anderson and B. Martin. 1914. Neocene record in the Temblor Basin, California, and Neocene deposits of the San Juan District, San Luis Obispo County. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Fourth Series 4(3):15-112
  6. 1 2 Vermeij J. & Wesselingh F. P. (2002). "Neogastropod molluscs from the Miocene of western Amazonia, with comments on marine to freshwater transitions in molluscs". Journal of Paleontology 76(2): 265-270. doi : 10.1666/0022-3360(2002)076<0265:NMFTMO>2.0.CO;2.
  7. 1 2 Hayes, K. A., 2003. Phylogeography and Evolution of the Florida Crown Conch (Melongena corona) MS Thesis University of South Florida, Department of Biology.

Further reading