Vasum

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Vasum
Vasinae in Tide pools in Mombasa.jpg
A live but retracted individual of Vasum rhinoceras in a tide pool in Mombasa, Kenya, Africa
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Turbinelloidea
Family: Turbinellidae
Subfamily: Vasinae
Genus: Vasum
Röding, 1798
Type species
Murex ceramicus
Synonyms [1]
  • CynodontaSchumacher, 1817
  • GlobivasumAbbott, 1950
  • ScolymusSwainson, 1835
  • Vasum (Siphovasum)Rehder & Abbott, 1951 alternate representation
  • Vasum (Vasum)Röding, 1798 ·
  • VolutellaPerry, 1810

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. [1]

Contents

Shell description

Shells of species in this genus are usually somewhat large, and are usually very thick and heavy. They are often vase-shaped, in the sense that the shell of most of the species is more or less widely conical. The shells have a thick periostracum, a low spires, and 2, 3 or 4 plaits on the columella.

The shell is oval, oblong, solid, tubercular or spinose, with spinose fascicles below. The spire is short. The apex is not papillary. The aperture is oblong. The siphonal canal is short and somewhat recurved. The columella contains several transverse folds in the middle. The outer lip is thickened and sinuous.

The animal (of Vasum) is slow-moving, timid and inactive, shrinking quickly within the shell on the slightest alarm. The operculum is ovate, acute, with an apical nucleus; it is very thick, claw-like, and partially free at the hind part. The dentition resembles somewhat that of the Buccinidae, differing in the lateral teeth; it differs widely from the Nassidae, and quite as much from that of the Fasciolariidae [2]

Distribution

Species of this genus are circumtropical; also off Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)

Species

Species within the genus Vasum include:

Species brought into synonymy


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References

  1. 1 2 Bouchet, P. (2011). Vasum Röding, 1798. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=205505 on 15 April 2012
  2. Tryon (1882), Manual of Conchology IV