Terebridae

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Terebridae
Acus maculatus.jpg
live Oxymeris maculata
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Terebridae
Mörch, 1852 [1]
Genera

See text.

Diversity [2]
more than 400 species
Synonyms [3]
  • Acusidae
  • Pervicaciidae

The Terebridae, commonly referred to as auger shells or auger snails, is a family of predatory marine gastropods in the superfamily Conoidea. [3] They have extremely high-spired shells with numerous whorls; their common name refers to the resemblance of their shells to rock-drill bits. More than 400 species are recently known worldwide. [2] [4]

Contents

Taxonomy

This family consists of the following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):

In 2019 there was a comprehensive revision of the taxonomy of the Terebridae by Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. in the Journal of Molluscan Studies, including the definition of new genera and the redistribution of many species to other genera. [4]

Shell description

The shells of the sea snails in this family are typically shaped like slender augers or screws. In that respect they share certain shell characters with the family Turritellidae, the turret shells.

One characteristic that distinguishes Terebridae from Turritellidae is the short anterior canal or notch in the aperture of the shell. Terebridae shells also tend to have characteristically flattened versus convex whorls, and they often have one or two plaits on the columella.

Numerous species in this family are grouped under the genera Terebra or Hastula , and a minority of species are placed in four other genera.

Life habits

These snails are sand-dwelling carnivores which live in warmer waters. In most species, a venomous barb similar to that of the cone snails, (see Conidae), is used to stun and immobilize prey, which typically consists of various marine worms.

A grow of shells of the Atlantic or eastern auger, Terebra dislocata Atlantic auger 0008.jpg
A grow of shells of the Atlantic or eastern auger, Terebra dislocata

Genera

Genera in the family Terebridae include: [2] [5]

Genera brought into synonymy

Related Research Articles

<i>Terebra</i> Genus of gastropods

Terebra is a genus of small to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Terebrinae of the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

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

Duplicaria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Oxymeris caledonica</i> Species of gastropod

Oxymeris caledonica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Oxymeris chlorata</i> Species of gastropod

Oxymeris chlorata, common name : the pink-spotted auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Oxymeris dillwynii</i> Species of gastropod

Oxymeris dillwynii is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Oxymeris trochlea</i> Species of gastropod

Oxymeris trochlea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Duplicaria badia</i> Species of gastropod

Duplicaria badia is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Oxymeris gouldi</i> Species of gastropod

Oxymeris gouldi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Hastula raphanula</i> Species of sea snail

Hastula raphanula, common name (little) radish auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

Duplicaria bernardii is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Duplicaria brevicula</i> Species of gastropod

Duplicaria brevicula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Hastula albula</i> Species of gastropod

Hastula albula, the white-banded auger, is a species of sea snail in the family Terebridae.

<i>Oxymeris lineopunctata</i> Species of sea snail

Oxymeris lineopunctata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Hastula bacillus</i> Species of gastropod

Hastula bacillus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Hastula continua</i> Species of gastropod

Hastula continua is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Myurella flavofasciata</i> Species of gastropod

Myurella flavofasciata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

Oxymeris felina, common name : the tiger auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Neoterebra pedroana</i> Species of gastropod

Neoterebra pedroana, common name the San Pedro auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Myurella</i> Genus of gastropods

Myurella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Terebrinae of the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

<i>Hastula strigilata</i> Species of gastropod

Hastula strigilata, common name the strigate auger, the strigillate auger or the combed auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.

References

  1. Mörch O. A. L. (1852). Catalogus conchyliorum quae reliquit D. Alphonso d'Arguirra et Gadea Comes de Yoldi, (1): 74.
  2. 1 2 3 Terryn, Y. (2007): A Collectors Guide to Recent Terebridae (Mollusca: Neogastropoda). 57 pp., 65 color plts. ConchBooks & NaturalArt, Hackenheim & Gent, ISBN   978-3-939767-01-5
  3. 1 2 Gofas, S. (2012). Terebridae. World Register of Marine Species 2012-10-12
  4. 1 2
  5. Gofas, S. (2010). Terebridae. 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=160424 on 2010-04-01

Further reading