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Related FAQs: Marine Snails 1, Marine
Snails 2, Marine Snails 3, Marine
Snails 4, Marine Snails 5, Snail ID 1, Snail
ID 2, Snail ID 3,
Snail ID 4, Snail
ID 5, Snail ID 6,
Snail ID 7, Snail
ID 8, Snail
ID 9, Snail ID 10,
Snail ID 11, Snail ID 12,
Snail ID 13, Snail ID 14,
Snail ID 15, Snail ID 16,
Snail ID 17, &
Snail Behavior, Snail Selection, Snail
Compatibility,
Pest
Snails (Pyramidellids...),
Snail Systems, Snail
Feeding, Snail Disease, Snail
Reproduction, Snail Reproduction 2,
Sea
Slugs, Abalone, Marine Algae Eaters,
Related Articles: Abalone, Opisthobranchs
(Sea Slugs), Nudibranchs, Mollusks, Algae Control,
Nutrient Control and Export,
/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
The Stomach-Footed Mollusks, Class
Gastropoda, Subclass Prosobranchia, Part 1
To: Part 2:
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by Bob Fenner |
Spotted Cyphoma
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The following taxonomic scheme is largely framed after Robert Barnes
Invertebrate Zoology 5th Ed., with modifications from http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/Main/Classification/35476.htm
Snails Commonly (and not) Encountered in the
Marine Pet-Fish Interest:
The Class Gastropoda, the Snails: are
divided into two Subclasses: Prosobranchia and Opisthobranchia,
Subclass Prosobranchia: In turn divided into
three living Orders: Archaeogastropoda, Mesogastropoda and Neogastropoda. Marine,
freshwater and terrestrial. Name refers to the position of the internal organs
and mantle cavity; anterior vs. the opisthobranchs where these are located
posteriorly in the body. Aquatic species with one or two gills, Most have
a shell and operculum (closeable cover). Most are dioecious (separate
sexes).
Order More
primitive forms. Include abalones, limpets, turbans, neritids. Inadvanced
species, typically with two bipectinate gills (right one may be reduced or
absent), two auricle, two nephridia (osphradium simple, ridgelike).
Superfamily Pleurotomariacea: Slit shells
and Abalones. Have shells with a notch, slit or openings, and two gills. Pleurotomatia,
Perotrochus, Scissurella, Haliotis
Superfamily Fissuellacea: Keyhole Limpets. Have shells with just one
(apical) hole, and two gills. Emarginula, Diodora, Fissurella.
Superfamily Patellacea (Docoglossa): Limpets that lack a hole or notch
in their shells. Have a single auricle, single bipectinate gill, secondary
gills, or may have no gills. Acmaea, Collisella, Patelloia, Lottia,
Patella, Cellana, Lepeta.
Superfamily Trochaea: Top shells, Turbans, Star shells. Conical
shells, possess an operculum, single bipectinate gill. Topshells and Turbans.
Genera of note: Astraea,
Margarites, Tegula, Trochus, Turbo, Astraea.
| Turbo fluctuosus
(at right)
Aquarium favorite as an all-around algae eater. Western Mexico to
Peru. |
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Superfamily Neritacea: Globose operculate snails. Single nephridium
and complex reproductive structures sometimes distances this group from other
archaeogastropods by taxonomists, but do have a single bipectinate gill. Nerita,
Neritina, Theodoxus, terrestrial Helicinidae.
| Family Neritidae
Nerita funiculata, Nerites.
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| Nerita picea (Recluz 1841), the Black Nerite (Pipipi
in Hawaiian). A Hawaiian endemic. To about a half inch in length. Found in
the splash zone to high and dry above there (but below Periwinkles), more
actively grazing at night. Shiny black globose shells with fine gray
spiral lines. |
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Order Mesogastropoda: Intermediate Gastropods. Four Superfamilies.
Have simple monopectinate gills, one auricle, one nephridium and their osphradia
are simple (ridgelike). Have complex reproductive structures (usually a penis).
Their radulas (rasping "tongues") are taenioglossate (with seven teeth
per transverse row). Principally marine, but many freshwater and terrestrial
species as well.
Superfamilies Cyclophoracea and Vivparacea. All terrestrial, lack
gills. Includes the freshwater aquarium snails of the genera Viviparus,
Pomacea and Pila.
Superfamily Littoinacea: Intertidal Littoinidae; Littorina,
Tectarius, Lacuna and terrestrial Pomatiasidae; Pomatias.
Superfamily Rissocea: A large grouping of small conical marine,
freshwater and terrestrial snails. Hydrobia, Bulimus, Rissoa, Alvania,
Cingula.
Superfamily Cerithiacea. Turret Shells, Worms Shells. Marine, freshwater. Have
pointed shells, small, generally less than an inch in length.
Turritelidae; Turritella. Vermetidae; Vermetus, Serpulorbis,
Petaloconchus, Dendropoma. Siliquaridae; Siloquaria, Caecum, Goniobasis,
Pleuroceta, Cerithrium, Bittium, Batillaria.
| Ceriths. Excellent diatom and soft green algae eaters (even some Cyanobacteria).
Hardy and long-lived in tropical marine aquariums. Cerithium litteratum
shown.
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Superfamily Epitoniacea: Pelagic Violet Snails; Janthina.
Superfamily Eulimacea. Predators, commensals and parasites of
echinoderms. Eulima, Stilifer, Entoconcha, Entocolax, Enteroxenos.
Superfamily Calyptreacea: Limpet like snails and Slipper shells.
Protandrous. Most have a cap-like or limpet like shell. Capulus, Calyptraea,
Crepidula.
Superfamily Cypraecea: Cowries. Spires enclosed in last whorl of shells. Cypraea,
Trivia...
Family Cypraeidae: Cowries.
| Cypraea species (not all...) Cypraea annulus Linnaeus 1758, the Gold
Ringed Cowry (family Cypraeidae). A great animal for reef aquariums with
algae to trim! Flattened top with bright golden rim... similar to the
Money Cowry (C. moneta). Indian Ocean, Red Sea, to Central Pacific,
including Hawai'i's leeward islands and the Cooks. To about half an inch in
length. This one in my friend Maurice's tank at home! |
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| Cypraea caputserpentis Linnaeus 1758, the Snakehead
Cowry. Indo-Pacific, including Hawai'i. To about an inch and a half in
shell length. This one off of Maui, Hawai'i. |
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| Cypraea miliaris Gmelin 1791. If shell is visible
it's orangish to yellow with many fine white dots of different sizes.
Mantle is brown to blackish, covered with many branchlike papillae. Active
at night. West Pacific; Malaysia, Japan, Philippines. N. Sulawesi
image. |
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| Cypraea spadicea, the California Cowry. Cold water
tanks only. Aquarium photo. |
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| Cypraea maculifera
Schilder 1932, the
Reticulated Cowry. Shallow water to fifty feet, in
cracks and crevices, usually in caves. Common throughout its range in the
Central Pacific. To 2 1/2". This one in Hawaii. |
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| Cypraea tigris Linnaeus 1758, the Tiger Cowry. Too
common as a "curio", this is no doubt the best know Cowry (or
at least most recognized as a sea animal in the group). South Africa, Red
Sea, Hawai'i, Society Islands. To four inches shell length. One off
the Gilis, Lombok, Indonesia, another with a flashlight for size
comparison where they "come the biggest", off of Hawai'i. |
 
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Egg Cowries, Shuttle Shells, Family Ovulidae:
| Cyphoma gibbosum (Linnaeus 1758), the Flamingo
Tongue. Tropical West Atlantic. To about an inch in length. Found
principally on the Gorgonians Gorgonia flabellum and G.
ventalina. Bahamas photos. |
 
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| Cyphoma macgintyi , the Spotted
Cyphoma (an Allied or Egg Cowries, family Ovulidae, Subclass Prosobranchia,
Class Gastropoda...). This delightful small snail discovered at a LFS in
San Diego (Fountain's) on a branch of an imported Gorgonian (which they
feed on) |
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| Dentiovula dorsuosa (Hinds 1844). Pink markings at
either end of their shells. Mantle appears as red colored fingerprint...
with short, small papillae. Western Pacific; Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan.
N. Sulawesi pic. |
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| Phenacovolva rosea (A. Adams 1854). Long (to 50 mm.)
reddish shell, with middle white band. Mantle has small brown/black spots,
rounded papillae. N. Sulawesi pic feeding on a gorgonian. East Africa to
the West Pacific. |
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To: Part 2: | |
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