Terebridae | |
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live Oxymeris maculata | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
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] | |
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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]
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]
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.
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.
Genera in the family Terebridae include: [2] [5]
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.
Duplicaria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Oxymeris caledonica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
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.
Oxymeris dillwynii is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Oxymeris trochlea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Duplicaria badia is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Oxymeris gouldi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
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.
Duplicaria brevicula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Hastula albula, the white-banded auger, is a species of sea snail in the family Terebridae.
Oxymeris lineopunctata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Hastula bacillus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
Hastula continua is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
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.
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.
Myurella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Terebrinae of the family Terebridae, the auger snails.
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.