Wentletrap

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Wentletrap
Epitonium scalare shell.jpg
A shell of Epitonium scalare
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Superfamily: Epitonioidea
Family: Epitoniidae
Berry, 1910 (1812)
Genera

See text

Synonyms [1]
  • AcirsinaeCossmann, 1912
  • AcrillinaeJousseaume, 1912
  • CirsotrematinaeJousseaume, 1912
  • ClathroscalinaeCossmann, 1912
  • EpitoniinaeBerry, 1910 (1812)
  • GyroscalinaeJousseaume, 1912
  • Ianthinidae ( 19th century authors used indifferently the spellings Janthina / Ianthina and Janthinidae / Ianthinidae. The nomenclaturally valid name is Janthinidae, but the spelling Ianthinidae has remained sporadically in use throughout the 20th century.)
  • IodeidaeLeach, 1847 (unavailable name)
  • JanthinidaeLamarck, 1822
  • LioatlantinaeB. Dybowski & Grochmalicki, 1920
  • NystiellidaeClench & R. D. Turner, 1952
  • OpaliinaeCossmann, 1912
  • PapyriscalinaeJousseaume, 1912
  • RecluziidaeIredale & McMichael, 1962 (nomen nudum)
  • ScalariidaeLamarck, 1812
  • ScalidaeH. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 (synonym)
  • StenacmidaePilsbry, 1945

Wentletraps are small, often white, very high-spired, predatory or ectoparasitic sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae. [1]

Contents

The word wentletrap originated in Dutch (wenteltrap), and it means spiral staircase. These snails are sometimes also called "staircase shells", and "ladder shells".

The family Epitoniidae belongs to the superfamily Epitonioidea. Since 2017 this family also includes the former families Janthinidae (the pelagic purple snails) and Nystiellidae, all part of the informal group Ptenoglossa. [2]

Epitoniidae is a rather large family, with an estimated number of species about 630. [3]

Distribution

Wentletraps inhabit all seas and oceans worldwide, from the tropical zones to the Arctic and Antarctic zones.

Shell description

Most species of wentletrap are white, and have a porcelain-like appearance. They are notable for their intricately geometric shell architecture, and the shells of the larger species are prized by collectors.

The more or less turret-shaped shell consists of tightly-wound (sometimes loosely coiled), convex whorls, which create a high, conical spiral. Fine or microscopic spiral sculpture (also called "striae") is present in many species. The shells sometimes feature an umbilicus. Wentletrap shells have a roundish or oval aperture, but its inner lip is often reduced to strip of callus. The round and horny operculum is paucispiral and fits the aperture tightly. Most of the species in the family are small to minute, although some are larger, and overall the adult shell length in the family varies between 0.6 and 11.7 cm. [4]

Within the genus Epitonium, the type genus of the family, the shell has predominantly axial sculpture of high, sharply ribbed "costae". These costae may offer some protection against other predatory snails, which would find it difficult or impossible to bore a hole in a shell with such obstructions.

Ecology

Wentletraps are usually found on sandy bottoms near sea anemones or corals, which serve as a food source for them. Some species are foragers and search for anemones.

Little is known about the biology of most wentletraps. Keen (1958) has his literature most cited. He observed that many wentletraps reveal a hint of purple body color, suggestive of carnivorous feeding. The animal can exude through its salivary gland a pink or purplish dye that may have an anaesthetic effect on its prey. [5] [6]

Keen also cited direct observation of a wentletrap feeding by insertion of its proboscis into a sea anemone.

A sequence of a wentletrap feeding on an anemone has been published. [7] These snails also prey on corals and other coelenterates.

Female wentletraps lay egg capsules that are bound together with a supple string. The young emerge from these capsules as free-swimming larvae. [7]

Genera

Genera within the family Epitoniidae include: [1]

Synonyms

Related Research Articles

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Rapaninae is a subfamily of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbinidae</span> Family of gastropods

Turbinidae, the turban snails, are a family of small to large marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Trochoidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buccinidae</span> Family of large sea snails

The Buccinidae are a very large and diverse taxonomic family of large sea snails, often known as whelks or true whelks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mytilidae</span> Family of bivalves

Mytilidae are a family of small to large marine and brackish-water bivalve molluscs in the order Mytilida. One of the genera, Limnoperna, even inhabits freshwater environments. Mytilidae, which contains some 52 genera, is the only extant family within the order Mytilida.

<i>Epitonium</i> Genus of gastropods

Epitonium is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks. Epitonium is the type genus of the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.

<i>Cirsotrema</i> Genus of gastropods

Cirsostrema is a genus of very small deepwater sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as the wentletraps.

Nodiscala is a taxonomic genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.

<i>Acirsa</i> Genus of gastropods

Acirsa is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae. They are commonly known as wentletraps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbellidae</span> Family of gastropods

The Columbellidae, the dove snails or dove shells, are a family of minute to small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the order Neogastropoda.

<i>Janthina</i> Genus of gastropods

Janthina is a genus of small to medium-sized pelagic or planktonic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Epitoniidae.

<i>Gyroscala lamellosa</i> Species of gastropod

Gyroscala lamellosa, common name : the lamellose wentletrap, is a species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harpidae</span> Family of sea snails

The Harpidae, known as the harp snails, are the members of a taxonomic family of large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coralliophilinae</span> Subfamily of gastropods

Coralliophilinae is a taxonomic group, a subfamily of about 200–250 sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks commonly known as the coral snails or coral shells. This is a subfamily within the very large family Muricidae, the murex or rock snails.

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


Opalia is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps.

Cycloscala is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps.

Variciscala is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janthinoidea</span> Superfamily of gastropods

Janthinoidea is a superfamily of sea snails containing wentletraps (Epitoniidae) and surfing snails (Janthinidae). It includes species that have tethered egg masses, some of which are used for flotation.

<i>Ecclesiogyra</i> Genus of gastropods

Ecclesiogyra is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps.

<i>Gregorioiscala</i> Genus of gastropods

Gregorioiscala is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps.

<i>Acrilla</i> Genus of gastropods

Acrilla is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine prosobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Epitoniidae. They are commonly known as wentletraps.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gofas, S. (2010). Epitoniidae. 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=132 on 24 April 2011
  2. ↑ Beu, Alan G. (2017). "Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Epitoniidae)". Records of the Australian Museum. 69 (3): 119–222. doi: 10.3853/j.2201-4349.69.2017.1666 .
  3. ↑ Art Weil (1999). "Conchologists of America List". University of Georgia. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  4. ↑ J. Wyatt Durham (1937). "Gastropods of the family Epitoniidae from mesozoid and Cenozoic rocks of the West Coast of North America". Journal of Paleontology. 11 (6): 479–512. JSTOR   1298354.
  5. ↑ Burton E. Vaughan, Ph.D., ed. (2014). "Family: Epitoniidae (Wentletraps)". Gladys Archerd Shell Collection at Washington State University Tri-Cities Natural History Museum . Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  6. ↑ Keen, A. Myra (1958). Sea Shells of Tropical West America. Stanford CA: Stanford Univ. Press. pp. 635 pp.
  7. 1 2 Collin, Rachel (2000). "Development and anatomy of Nitidiscala tincta (Carpenter, 1865) (Gastropoda: Epitoniidae)". The Veliger43(4): 302-312.
  8. ↑ "Conchologists of America List". University of Georgia. 1999. Retrieved 2009-03-23.

Further reading

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