Cerastidae
Rhachistia rhodotaenia
The Cerastidae ( syn. Pachnodidae ) are a family of terrestrial gastropods from the subordination of terrestrial snails ( gastropod ). It currently comprises about 130 living in the tropics and subtropics species.
Features
The housings are rechtsgewunden and cone, the cone is of medium height, rarely the case are high conical. The size ranges from about 1 cm to about 5 cm. The housings are generally white to light brown in color and have up to five dark bands on, or a zigzag pattern. The mouth is usually toothless, only in the genus Passamaella a Columellarzahn and a tooth-like depression in the palate area of housing ( Palatalbereich ) is available. The mouth edge is often simple, rarely also handled, but usually not thickened. The shell may be thin or thick. The surface is often smooth or weakly ornamented with growth lines, more rarely also strong ribs. In the male part of the genital apparatus, the flagellum is missing, as a blind sac on the Epihallus ( cecum ). The penis usually has a short conical or worm-like appendage. The vagina is more or less swollen considerably and usually lined with a spongy tissue. The spermathecae is short and mostly sessile. If a stem is present, this is without diverticula.
Geographical distribution, occurrence and life
The species of the family living in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa south of the Sahara, in southern Arabia, Socotra, the Seychelles, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, northern Australia and New Guinea. The original occurrence on St. Helena is uncertain.
System
Schileyko (1998) and other authors used for this family name Pachnodidae as the type genus of the Cerastidae, Cerastus Martens in Albers, 1860 was reportedly preoccupied by Cerastus Dejean, 1821. However, this name is a nomen nudum and nomenclatural not available. But that is Cerastus Martens in Albers, 1860 and based on it the name Cerastidae the valid name for this taxon. The family currently includes the following genera:
- Family Cerastidae Wenz, 1923 Genus Achatinelloides Nevill, 1878
- Genus Altenaia Zilch, 1972
- Genus Amimopina Solem, 1964
- Genus Apoecus Moellendorff, 1902
- Genus Archeorachis Schileyko, 1998
- Genus Cerastus Martens in Albers, 1860
- Genus Conulinus Martens, 1895
- Genus Eduardia Gude, 1914
- Genus Euryptyxis Fischer, 1883
- Genus Hoqia Neubert, 2005
- Genus Limicena Connolly, 1925
- Genus Micro Scintilla Neubert 2002
- Genus Nesiocerastus Van Mol & Coppois, 1980
- Genus Nesobia Ancey, 1887
- Genus Pachnodus Albers, 1860
- Genus Paracerastus Thiele, 1933
- Genus Passamaella Pfeiffer, 1877
- Genus Pleurorhachis Connolly, 1939
- Genus Polychordia Connolly, 1941
- Genus rachis Albers, 1850
- Genus Rachispeculum Iredale, 1933
- Genus Rhachidina Thiele, 1911
- Genus Rhachistia Connolly, 1925
- Genus Soqena Neubert, 2005
- Genus Zebrinopsis Thiele, 1931