Cochlespiridae

Cochlespiridae is a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.[1]

Cochlespiridae
Apertural view of a shell of Aforia circinata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Caenogastropoda
Clade: Hypsogastropoda
Clade: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Cochlespiridae
Powell, 1942
Genera

See text

This family is not well differentiated morphologically, and there is poor congruence between the molecular and shell characters. Its limits are uncertain. Even the contents of most of the genera are in need of revision.

The family is composed of some genera that used to belong to the subfamily Cochlespirinae, in the family Turridae. This family has no subfamilies.

General characteristics

This family consists of moderately sized shells, usually between 20 and 30 mm, but in Nihonia maxima the length of shell can reach 128 mm. The shell of Aforia magnifica even reaches 150 mm. The shell is turriculated and fusiform with a long, sharp spire. Axial sculpture is absent or feebly developed. The aperture is ovate. The columellar margin is smoot. The outer lip has a narrow profound anal sinus on the subsutural ramp. The open siphonal canal is long, narrow, and straight. The operculum has a terminal nucleus.

The foot of the animal is truncated anteriorly, obtuse posteriorly. The eyes are located externally near the base of cylindrical tentacles. The radula formula is 1-0-R-0-1 [1] The duplex radular teeth are nonhypodermic.

Genera
Genera brought into synonymy
  • Coronasyrinx Powell, 1944: synonym of Cochlespira Conrad, 1865
  • Danilacarina Bozzetti, 1997: synonym of Aforia Dall, 1889
  • Irenosyrinx Dall, 1908: synonym of Aforia Dall, 1889
  • Pagodasyrinx Shuto, 1969: synonym of Cochlespira Conrad, 1865
  • Steiraxis Dall, 1896: synonym of Aforia Dall, 1889
  • Tahusyrinx Powell, 1942 : synonym of Cochlespira Conrad, 1865
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References
  1. P. Bouchet; Yu. I. Kantor; A. Sysoev; N. Puillandre (2011). "A new operational classification of the Conoidea (Gastropoda)". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 77 (3): 273–308. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyr017.
  • Sysoev, A. V., and Yu I. Kantor. "Deep-sea gastropods of the genus Aforia (Turridae) of the Pacific species composition, systematics, and functional morphology of the digestive system." The Veliger 30.2 (1987): 105-121.
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