| Pleioptygma Temporal range: | |
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| Two views of a shell of Pleioptygma helenae | |
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| Family: | Pleioptygmatidae J. F. Quinn, 1989 [1] |
| Genus: | Pleioptygma |
Pleioptygma is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Muricoidea.
Pleioptygma is the type genus of the family Pleioptygmatidae [3] and it is the sole genus in the family Pleioptygmatidae. [1] [4]
The generic name Pleioptygma is composed from the Greek word "pleios", which means "full" and from the Greek word "ptygma", which means "fold". [1] This is a reference to the numerous folds on the columella of the shell.
In the genus Pleioptygma, the shell is medium to large in size. [1] The shell has mainly spiral sculpture. [1]
The type description of the genus Pleioptygma by Timothy Abbott Conrad (1863) [2] reads as follows:
Subfusiform; aperture long; columella with very oblique plaits, numerous, alternated in size, or irregular, the largest being the second one from above.
Although the shell of these gastropods looks similar to that of mitrids (family Mitridae), they are unrelated enough to require their own family.
The family Pleioptygmatidae has been defined based on the anatomy of the only extant species Pleioptygma helenae : The foot is relatively large in comparison to the size of the shell. [1] Also the snout is relatively large. [1] The foregut (of the digestive system) is different from other families within the Muricoidea. [1] The proboscis is introvert, with a proboscis bulb that has an extreme thick wall. [1] The proboscis bulb is connected directly to the buccal mass. [1] There is no epiproboscis. [1]
Species within the genus Pleioptygma include:
Neogastropoda is an order of sea snails, both freshwater and marine gastropod molluscs.
Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. With about 1,600 living species, the Muricidae represent almost 10% of the Neogastropoda. Additionally, 1,200 fossil species have been recognized. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, although experts disagree about the subfamily divisions and the definitions of the genera. Many muricids have unusual shells which are considered attractive by shell collectors and by interior designers.
Busycon is a genus of very large edible sea snails in the subfamily Busyconinae. These snails are commonly known in the United States as whelks or Busycon whelks. Less commonly they are loosely, and somewhat misleadingly, called "conchs".
Cone snails, cone shells, or cones are a large group of small- to large-sized extremely venomous predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs.
Busycotypus is a genus of very large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Busycotypinae.
Muricopsis is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the rock snail family, Muricidae.
Melo amphora, common name the Diadem volute, is a very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.
The Fasciolariidae, common name the "tulip snails and spindle snails", are a family of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Buccinoidea.
Conus lindae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. Conus lindae is the type species of the subgenus Lindaconus Petuch, 2002.
Voluta virescens, common name the green music volute, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.
Fenimorea sunderlandi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Drilliidae.
Fulguropsis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Busyconidae, the crown conches and their allies.
Pleioptygma helenae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pleioptygmatidae.
Chicoreus (Triplex) florifer, common name : the flowery lace murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Dermomurex kaicherae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Haustellum is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Like many other genera within the Muricidae, the genus has been redefined several times.
Agaronia hilli is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Olividae, the olives.
Pleioptygma carolinense is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pleioptygmatidae.
Cataegis finkli is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cataegidae.
Heilprinia is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Fusininae of the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.
This article incorporate public domain text from the reference [2]
