Calliostomatidae

Calliostoma gloriosum

The Calliostomatidae are a family meeresbewohnender, small to medium sized herbivorous snails with about 250 species.

Features

The dextral housing the Calliostomatidae have like the gyro shells (Trochidae ) a more or less top-shaped figure. Characteristic of the Calliostomatidae are the oblique angle at which the columella meets the bottom edges of the mouth, as well as the honeycomb- like patterned protoconch. In most species there is no open navel. The apex is usually pointed and the sides straight. The whorls increase to quite strong and thus give the shell a concave outline.

The rounded front and rear tapered foot of the Calliostomatidae is usually strongly pigmented and covered with papillae. The head bears a pair of long, thin probe. The radula has a characteristic Rachiszahn with a finely serrated cusps and also finely serrated lateral cusps.

Dissemination and lifestyle

The Calliostomatidae can be found worldwide in cold to warm seas, both in small and large depths. They feed on algae and detritus.

System

The types of Calliostomatidae were counted in traditional classifications for the gyro shells (Trochidae ). Johannes Thiele they presented as a separate subfamily within the Calliostomatinae on Trochidae. Thereafter, they were among the Altschnecken ( Archaeogastropoda ), an order of prosobranch ( Prosobranchia ).

Bouchet and Rocroi (2005 ) represent the Calliostomatidae as your own family to the Vetigastropoda, a superorder of subclass Orthogastropoda. To the family includes two subfamilies and a total of 31 genera:

Calliostomatinae Thiele, 1924 (1847):

• Have Akoya, 1961
• Alertalex Dell, 1956
• Astele Swainson, 1855
• Astelena Iredale, 1924
• Bathyfautor Marshall, 1995
• Calliostoma Swainson, 1840 - type genus
• Carinator Ikebe, 1942
• Dactylastele Marshall, 1995
• Dymares dick, 1942
• Eucasta Dall, 1889
• Falsimargarita Powell, 1951
• Fautor Iredale, 1924
• Fautrix Marshall, 1995
• Fluxina Dall, 1881
• Laetifautor Iredale, 1929
• Leiotrochus Conrad, 1862
• Maurea Oliver, 1926
• Neocalliostoma Castellanos & Fernandez, 1976
• Otukaia Ikebe, 1942
• Photinastoma Powell, 1951
• Photinula Adams, 1854
• Selastele Marshall, 1995
• Sinutor Cotton & Godfrey, 1935
• Tropidotrochus Parodiz, 1977
• Venustas Allan, 1926
• Ziziphinus Gray, 1842

Thysanodontinae Marshall, 1988:

• Carina Tele Marshall, 1988
• Herber Tina Marshall, 1988
• Thysanodonta Marshall, 1988

Without assignment to a family:

• Margarella Thiele, 1893
• Venustatrochus Powell, 1951