Caecum (gastropod)

Caecum (gastropod)
Caecum is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod micromolluscs or micromollusks in the family Caecidae or blind shells.
Distribution
This genus occurs worldwide in warm and temperate seas. Many species live in sponges, in sandy spots on reefs, or in grassy beds in shallow waters in bays and lagoons. Some species are very common and can be extremely numerous where they do occur, such as the "beautiful caecum"(Caecum pulchellum), but even they can be easily overlooked as they are so tiny. Many species are considered to be uncommon, but this assessment may be a result of lack of proper sampling.
Shell description
The shells in this genus, like the others in the family, are very small with a length between 2 mm and 6 mm. Their colour is white to yellowish white and some are almost translucent. They are unusual in that the teleoconch of the adult shell is a curving tube for most of its length. In the first stage of the shell it is spiral-shaped but soon becomes cylindrical.
The shell is sealed with a permanent calcareous plug at one end and (when the animal has withdrawn into the shell) with a circular, multispiral, horny operculum at the other end, the shell aperture. The sculpture is smooth or consists of a close-set, large number of annular ridges.
Feeding habits
These snails feed on one-celled organisms on sand grains or pebbles.
Species
Species in the genus Caecum include:
† Caecum aartseni Van Dingenen, Ceulemans & Landau, 2016
Caecum achirona (de Folin, 1867)
Caecum adamsi Raines, 2020
Caecum amputatum Ch. Hedley, 1894
Caecum amydroglyptum Rehder, 1980
Caecum angustum de Folin, 1879
Caecum annulatum Emmons, 1858
Caecum antillarum Carpenter, 1858 - Antillean caecum
Caecum arabicum Issel, 1869
Caecum armoricum de Folin, 1869 - De Folin's lagoon snail. This species is fully protected in the United Kingdom under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 since 1992.
Caecum atlantidis R. B. Watson, 1897
Caecum attenuatum de Folin, 1879
Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
Caecum austrafricanum Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum australe Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum bathus Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
† Caecum benhami Goedert & Raines, 2016
† Caecum bensoni Goedert & Raines, 2016
Caecum beaufortensis Ward and Blackwelder 1987
Caecum bimamillatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum bimarginatum Carpenter, 1859
Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
Caecum borneoense de Folin, 1867
Caecum bounty Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum brasilicum de Folin, 1874
Caecum brennani Raines & Pizzini, 2009
Caecum breve de Folin, 1867
Caecum bucerium Golikov, 1967
Caecum californicum Dall, 1885 - California caecum
Caecum calvertense Martin, 1904
Caecum campanulatum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
Caecum campe Pilsbry and Olsson, 1941
Caecum carolinianum Dall, 1892 - Carolina caecum
† Caecum carpenteri Deshayes, 1861
Caecum caverna Moolenbeek, Faber & Iliffe, 1989
Caecum chilense Stuardo, 1962
Caecum chinense de Folin, 1879
Caecum chipolanum Gardner, 1947
Caecum cinctum Olsson & Harbison, 1953
Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Caecum clarkii P. P. Carpenter, 1858
Caecum clarum Lamy, 1910 [ex de Folin MS]
Caecum clathratum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum clava de Folin, 1867 - club caecum
Caecum cocoense Sibaja-Cordero, García-Méndez & Troncoso, 2013
Caecum codoceoae Gálvez & Huidobro, 2017
Caecum condylum Moore, 1969 - bone caecum
Caecum continens Van der Linden & Moolenbeek, 2000
Caecum cooki Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum cooperi S. I. Smith, 1860 - Cooper's Atlantic caecum
Caecum corrugatulum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum crassum de Folin, 1870
Caecum crebricinctum Carpenter, 1864 - many-named caecum
Caecum crispum A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900
Caecum crystallinum de Folin, 1880
Caecum cubitatum (de Folin, 1868) - smooth caecum
Caecum cuspidatum Chaster, 1896
Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867 - fatlip caecum
Caecum dakuwaqa Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum dalli Bartsch, 1920
Caecum danielei Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum debile A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900
Caecum delicatulum A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900
Caecum derjugini Golikov, 1967
Caecum dextroversum P. P. Carpenter, 1858
Caecum digitulum Hedley, 1904
Caecum diminutum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum directum Vannozzi, 2019
Caecum donmoorei Mitchell-Tapping, 1979
Caecum draperi Raines, 2020
Caecum dux de Folin, 1871
Caecum eburneum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum egenum Vannozzi, 2017
Caecum elegantissimum Carpenter, 1859
Caecum eliezeri Absalao, 1997
Caecum elongatum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum engli Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
Caecum eunoi Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
Caecum exile de Folin, 1875
Caecum farcimen P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum fijiense Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum firmatum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851 - Florida caecum
Caecum folini Kisch, 1959
Caecum frugi Vannozzi, 2019
Caecum galapagoense Raines, 2020
Caecum geigeri Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum glabellum A. Adams, 1868
Caecum glabriforme Carpenter, 1857
Caecum glabrum (Montagu, 1803)
Caecum gofasi Pizzini & Nofroni, 2001
Caecum granulatum Vannozzi, 2019
Caecum greensboroense Martin, 1904
Caecum gulosum Hedley, 1899
Caecum gurgulio Carpenter, 1858 - windpipe caecum
Caecum hemphilli Bartsch, 1920
Caecum heptagonum (Bartsch, 1920)
Caecum heterochromum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
Caecum hyalinum Vannozzi, 2022
Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858 - imbricate caecum
Caecum incisum Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum imperforatum Kanamacher, 1798 (nomen dubium)
Caecum inclinatum de Folin, 1869
Caecum infimum de Folin, 1867
Caecum inflatulum Vannozzi, 2017
Caecum inflatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum inhacaense Albano & Pizzini 2011
Caecum insculptum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum insularum Moore, 1969
Caecum intortum Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum japonicum (Habe, 1978)
Caecum johnsoni Winkley, 1908
Caecum jonatani Espinosa, Ortea & Fernandez-Garcés, 2007
Caecum jucundum de Folin, 1867
Caecum knysnaense Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum kontiki Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum laeve C.B. Adams, 1852
Caecum lapita Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum laqueatum C. B. Adams, 1852
† Caecum larieyense Lozouet, Lesport & Renard, 2001
Caecum leilae Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum lightfootanum Raines, 2020
Caecum limnetes Long, 1972
Caecum limpidum de Folin, 1874
Caecum lindae Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum lineicinctum de Folin, 1880
Caecum liratocinctum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum lohri Strong & Hertlein, 1939
Caecum loyaltense Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum lucidum de Folin, 1867
Caecum macrum Van der Linden & Moolenbeek, 2000
Caecum maestratii Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum magellanicum di Geronimo, Privitera & Valdovinos, 1995
Caecum malleatum de Folin, 1867
† Caecum mammillatum S. V. Wood, 1848
Caecum maori Pizzini & Raines, 2006
Caecum maraisi Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum marginatum de Folin, 1869
Caecum marmoratum de Folin, 1869
Caecum massambabense Absalao, 1994
Caecum mauritianum de Folin, 1867
Caecum metamorphosicum S. Lima, Santos & Absalão, 2013
Caecum mexicanum Collins, 1937
Caecum microstriatum Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
† Caecum mineuri Lozouet, 1999
Caecum mirificum de Folin, 1867
Caecum modestum de Folin, 1867
Caecum monstrosum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum moorei (Marincovich, 1973)
Caecum morgan Vannozzi, Pizzini & Raines, 2015
Caecum multicostatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum musorstomi Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum nasutum Vannozzi, 2019
† Caecum nemoralis Lozouet, 2015
Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
Caecum neoguineanum Vannozzi, 2019
Caecum nofronii Vannozzi, 2019
Caecum oahuense H. A. Pilsbry, 1921
Caecum obtusum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum occidentale (Bartsch, 1920) - western caecum
Caecum orcutti (Dall, 1885)
Caecum paradoxum de Folin, 1867
Caecum parvum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum pascuanum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
† Caecum pertenuis Laws, 1941
Caecum planum de Folin, 1874
Caecum patuxentium Martin, 1904
Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858 - plicate caecum
Caecum pollicare Carpenter, 1859
Caecum praegrande Vannozzi, 2017
Caecum profundicolum Bartsch, 1920 - deepwater caecum
Caecum properegulare Mansfield, 1925
Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851 - beautiful caecum
Caecum pygmaeum C. B. Adams, 1852
Caecum quadratum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum rapanuiense Raines & Pizzini, 2005
Caecum regulare Carpenter, 1858
Caecum rehderi Raines & Pizzini, 2005
Caecum reversum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum richthofeni A. M. Strong & J. G. Hertlein, 1939
Caecum rijgersmai Jong & Coomans, 1988
Caecum rolani Pizzini & Nofroni, 2001
Caecum rosanum Bartsch, 1920
Caecum rostratum de Folin, 1881
Caecum ruggerii Pizzini, 1997
Caecum rugulosum Phil, 1836
Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867 - minute caecum
Caecum searleswoodii Carpenter, 1859
Caecum semilaeve Carpenter, 1857
Caecum senegambianum de Folin, 1870
Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1868
Caecum shaskyi Raines, 2020
Caecum simplicissimum Thiele, 1925
Caecum sinuatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum skoglundae Pizzini, Raines & Nofroni, 2007
Caecum smriglioi Pizzini, Nofroni & Bonfitto, 2008
Caecum someri (de Folin, 1867)
Caecum spiculum Raines, 2020
Caecum striatum de Folin, 1875
Caecum strictum de Folin, 1871
Caecum strigosum de Folin, 1868
Caecum subannulatum de Folin, 1870
Caecum subaustrale Stuardo, 1970
Caecum subconicum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum subcylindratum Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum subflavum de Folin, 1879
Caecum subimpressum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum subobsoletum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum subornatum de Folin, 1874
Caecum subspirale Carpenter, 1857
Caecum subquadratum Carpenter, 1859
Caecum subspirale Carpenter, 1857
Caecum subvolutum de Folin, 1874
Caecum succineum de Folin, 1879
Caecum swinneni Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
Caecum taeniatum de Folin, 1869
Caecum tahitianum Pizzini & Raines, 2011
Caecum tenue Verrill & Bush, 1900
Caecum tenuicostatum de Folin, 1881
Caecum tenuiliratum Carpenter, 1857
† Caecum tenuistriatum O. Boettger, 1869
Caecum teres Carpenter, 1857
Caecum textile de Folin, 1867 - textile caecum
Caecum tornatum A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900
Caecum torquetum de Folin, 1867
Caecum tortile Dall, 1892 - twisted caecum
Caecum trachea G. Montagu, 1803
Caecum trindadense S. Lima, Santos & Absalão, 2013
Caecum troglodyta Moolenbeek, Faber & Iliffe, 1989
† Caecum tumidum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum uncinatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum undatum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
Caecum vanuatuarum Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum varanoi Pizzini, Nofroni & Bonfitto, 2008
Caecum variegatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum venosum de Folin, 1867
† Caecum verai Moreno, Peñas & Rolán, 2003
Caecum vertebrale Ch. Hedley, 1899
Caecum vicinum de Folin, 1870
Caecum virginiae Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013
Caecum vitreum P. P. Carpenter, 1858
Caecum wami Raines & Pizzini, 2009
Caecum wayae Pizzini & Nofroni, 2001
Caecum zaagmani Jong and Coomans, 1988
Subgenera brought into synonymy
Caecum (Defolinia) Weisbord, 1962: synonym of Caecum Fleming, 1813
Caecum (Meioceras) Carpenter, 1859: synonym of Meioceras Carpenter, 1859
Species brought into synonymy
Caecum abnormale Carpenter, 1857: synonym of Caecum subspirale Carpenter, 1857
Caecum amaltheanum Hedley, 1899: synonym of Mauroceras legumen (Hedley, 1899)
Caecum amamiense Habe, 1978: synonym of Mauroceras amamiense (Habe, 1978)
Caecum arcuatum de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1868
Caecum bahiahondaense A. M. Strong & J. G. Hertlein, 1939 : synonym of Caecum clathratum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum bakeri (Bartsch, 1920): synonym of Caecum dextroversum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum berthae Lange de Morretes, 1954: synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum biminicola Pilsbry, 1951: synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum buccina de Folin, 1870: synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Caecum bucheri Parenzan, 1979: synonym of Filogranula annulata (O. G. Costa, 1861)
Caecum butoti Jong & Coomans, 1988 : synonym of Caecum marmoratum de Folin, 1869
Caecum capitanum de Folin, 1874: synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum carmenense de Folin, 1870: synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Caecum carpenteri (Bartsch, 1920): synonym of Caecum adamsi Raines, 2020
Caecum cayoense Rehder, 1943: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum clenchi Olsson & McGinty, 1958: synonym of Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867
Caecum compactum P. P. Carpenter, 1857 : synonym of Caecum quadratum Carpenter, 1857
Caecum conjunctum de Folin, 1867: synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum contractum de Folin, 1870: synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
Caecum corneum R. W. Dunker, 1875 : synonym of Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867
Caecum cornucopiae (Carpenter, 1858) - horn-of-plenty caecum : synonym of Meioceras cornucopiae Carpenter, 1859
Caecum coronatum de Folin, 1867: synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum coronellum Dall, 1892: synonym of Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867
Caecum costatum A. E. Verrill, 1872: synonym of Caecum cooperi S. I. Smith, 1860
Caecum crassicostum Gabb, 1881: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum curtatum de Folin, 1867: synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum decussatum de Folin, 1869: synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum dux de Folin, 1871: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum eburneum de Folin, 1886: synonym of Caecum folini Kisch, 1959
Caecum elagans Deregaslavtseva, 1891: synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
Caecum elegans Perejoslavitseva, 1831 : synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
Caecum fasciatum de Folin, 1876: synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
Caecum formulosum de Folin, 1869: synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum fulvum Kisch, 1959: synonym of Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
Caecum heladum Olsson and Harbison, 1953 - fine-line caecum : synonym of Caecum multicostatum de Folin, 1867
Caecum heterapex T. Habe, 1963 : synonym of Caecum clarum Lamy, 1910
Caecum hinoidei T. Habe, 1978 : synonym of Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
Caecum insigne de Folin, 1867: synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum instructum de Folin, 1870: synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
Caecum irregulare de Folin, 1867: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum legumen Hedley, 1904: synonym of Meioceras legumen (Hedley, 1904)
Caecum leptoglyphos de Folin, 1881: synonym of Caecum textile de Folin, 1867
Caecum lermondi Dall, 1924: synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
Caecum lightfootae Pizzini, Nofroni, Oliverio, 1994 : synonym of Caecum atlantidis Watson, 1897
Caecum lilianum Ch. Hedley, 1903 : synonym of Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1867
Caecum maculatum T. Habe, 1963 : synonym of Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1867
Caecum malleatum var. sublaevis de Folin, 1868: synonym of Caecum modestum de Folin, 1868
Caecum microcyclus de Folin, 1879 : synonym of Caecum attenuatum de Folin, 1880 (subsequent spelling)
Caecum nitidum Stimpson, 1851 - little horn caecum: synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
Caecum obesum A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900 : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum orientale de Folin, 1868 : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
Caecum phronimum de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum puntagordanum Weisbord, 1962: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
Caecum putnamense Mansfield, 1924 : synonym of Caecum johnsoni Winkley, 1908
Caecum rotundum de Folin, 1868 : synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
Caecum saavedrae Beltran, 1965 : synonym of Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
Caecum sardinianum de Folin, 1869 : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
Caecum sculptum de Folin, 1881: synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum semitracheum S. Brusina, 1865 : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
Caecum smithi Cooper, 1872: synonym of Caecum cooperi S. Smith, 1860
Caecum solitarium Oliver, 1915 : synonym of Caecum maori Pizzini & Raines, 2006
Caecum syriacum de Folin, 1869: synonym of Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
Caecum tenue A. E. Verrill & Bush, 1900: synonym of Caecum armoricum de Folin, 1869
Caecum termes Heilprin, 1889: synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
Caecum tomaculum (Weisbord, 1962) : synonym of Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867
Caecum triornatum de Folin, 1870: synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
Caecum uvea Pizzini, Raines & Vannozzi, 2013: synonym of Caecum folini Kisch, 1959
Caecum veracruzanum Collins, 1937 : synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Caecum vestitum de Folin, 1868 - Vera Cruz caecum: synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Nomina dubia
Caecum abreviatum de Folin, 1870
Caecum bicinctum de Folin, 1870
Caecum gracile Carpenter, 1858
Caecum hemisphericum de Folin, 1867
Caecum imperforatum (Kanmacher, 1798)
References
Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp
Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213
Spencer, H.; Marshall. B. (2009). All Mollusca except Opisthobranchia. In: Gordon, D. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume One: Kingdom Animalia. 584 pp
Aartsen, J. J. van (1977). Revision of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean Caecidae. - Basteria 41 (1/4): 7-19
External links
Moore, Donald R., The Systematic Position of the Family Caecidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) , Bulletin of Marine Science, Volume 12, Number 4, 1962 ,pp. 695-701(7)
Moore, Donald R., Ecological and Systematic Notes on Caecidae from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bulletin of Marine Science, Volume 22, Number 4, December 1972 , pp. 881-899(19)
Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979
Shell-bearing Mollusca: : Caecidae
Malacolog Version 4.1.0 : A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca
The Paleobiology Database : Classification of the Caecidae
Goedert J.L. & Raines B.K. (2016). First Paleogene Caecidae (Gastropoda: Truncatelloidea) from the northeastern Pacific Ocean and the earliest record for the genus Caecum Fleming, 1813. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 129: 38-47
Caecidae
Gastropod genera