Turritellidae | |
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A shell of a Turritella species | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Superfamily: | Cerithioidea |
Family: | Turritellidae Lovén, 1847 |
Genera | |
See text | |
Diversity | |
26 extant genera 143 extant species | |
Synonyms | |
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Turritellidae, with the common name "tower shells" or "tower snails", is a taxonomic family of small- to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the Sorbeoconcha clade.
They are filter feeders; this method of feeding is somewhat unusual among gastropod mollusks, but is very common in bivalves.
The shells of turritellid species have whorls that are more convex and their apertures being more circular than it is in the auger shells, which are similarly high-spired. The columella is curved and the thin operculum has many horns.
These snails burrow into mud or sand, with their feet being relatively small.
The following genera are recognised in the family Turritellidae: [1]
The Veneridae or venerids, common name: Venus clams, are a very large family of minute to large, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. Over 500 living species of venerid bivalves are known, most of which are edible, and many of which are exploited as food sources.
Olive snails, also known as olive shells and olives, scientific name Olividae, are a taxonomic family of medium to large predatory sea snails with smooth, shiny, elongated oval-shaped shells.
Turritella is a genus of medium-sized sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae.
Volutidae, common name volutes, are a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails that range in size from 9 mm to over 500 mm. They are marine gastropod mollusks. Most of the species have no operculum.
Rapaninae is a subfamily of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae.
The Calyptraeidae are a family of small to medium-sized marine prosobranch gastropods.
Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family of medium to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of the species in this family are mostly globular in shape.
The Columbellidae, the dove snails or dove shells, are a family of minute to small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the order Neogastropoda.
Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family of small to medium-large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. Some of the shells of the species in this family resemble a nutmeg seed.
Architectonicidae, common name the staircase shells or sundials, are a family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the informal group "Lower Heterobranchia" of the clade Heterobranchia.
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.
Fasciolariidae is a family of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Buccinoidea. Species in Fasciolariidae are commonly known as tulip snails and spindle snails.
Maoricolpus, common name the "New Zealand screw shells", is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Turritellidae, the Turritella snails.
Scaphella is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Volutidae, the volutes.
Clavatulidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea. The family is not well differentiated morphologically.
Perrona is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Clavatulidae.
Conomitra is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Volutomitridae.
Conilithes is an extinct genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails.
Archimediella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae.
Spirocolpus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae.