Triviidae

Trivia monacha

The Triviidae are a family of marine snails exclusively that occur almost worldwide except the Antarctic waters. They feed on very specific of sea squirts ( Ascidiae ).

Features

Most small package are right wound and convolute to trochospiral. The adult size is only about 1.5 to 27 mm (usually 4 to 15 millimeters). In some species, the narrow mouth over the entire length ( convolute wound housings ) extends. In other types the opening is slightly shorter than the overall length. The cases are usually completely covered by two mantle lobes. If the animal is irritated, it pulls slowly back into the housing. Trivia in the housing is covered by transverse to the longitudinal axis of the transverse ribs. In other genera, the housing is smooth or covered with fine pustules. The foot is relatively small, as was Propodium. There is no operculum present. The ontogenetic development is via a plankton -feeding veliger larva.

Way of life

Triviidae live from the intertidal down to about 1,000 meters water depth. However, the main distribution is in shallow water. They live together with sea squirts, from which they feed mainly.

System

The systematic position of the family is discussed still quite controversial. Goetting (1997) assigns the superfamily Cypraeoidea to, Millard (1997) and Ponder & Lindberg (1997) put them in a separate superfamily Trivioidea, Riedel ( 2000), they classified in the superfamily Lamellarioidea a while Bouchet & Rocroi ( 2005), put in the superfamily Velutinoidea. The Triviidae family is divided into two subfamilies:

• Eratoinae Gill, 1871
• Triviinae Troschel, 1863 European Cowrie ( Trivia monacha )

And points in the genera Erato, Proterato, Pseudotrivia, trivia, and Triviella Trivirostra to around 100 species.