Volutidae

Volutidae, common name volutes, are a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails that range in size from 9 mm to over 500 mm. They are marine gastropod mollusks. Most of the species have no operculum.
Distribution
This family of sea snails are found mainly in tropical seas, though some species also inhabit the waters of the polar circles.
Description
The large head has the eyes sessile on the sides below the base of the tentacles. The tentacles are far apart,
united by a broad veil over the head. The mantle is sometimes greatly developed, covering the sides of the shell. The siphon is recurved, short, with auricles on each side of the base. The foot is very large, partly hiding the shell. There is no operculum.
The shell shows distinct plaits on the columella. The apex of the spire is mamillated. The shells have an elongated aperture in their first whorl and an inner lip characterised by a number of deep plaits.
The family of Volutidae comprises a suite of large shells remarkable for their great beauty and elegance of form.
The shell of species such as Melo amphora can grow as large as 50 cm (19.7 inches) in length.
Volutes are distinguished by their distinctively marked spiral shells (to which the family name refers, voluta meaning "scroll" in Latin).
The elaborate decorations of the shells has made them a popular collectors' item, with the imperial volute (Voluta imperialis) of the Philippines being particularly prized.
Taxonomy
Subfamilies and tribes
According to Bail & Poppe (2001) Volutidae can be subdivided into the following Subfamilies and tribes:
Amoriinae Gray, 1857
Tribe Meloini Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Tribe Amoriini Gray, 1857
Athletinae Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Calliotectinae Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Cymbiinae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Tribe Adelomelonini Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Tribe Alcithoini Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Tribe Cymbiini H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Tribe Livoniini Bail & Poppe, 2001
Tribe Odontocymbiolini Clench & Turner, 1964
Tribe Zidonini H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Fulgorariinae Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Plicolivinae Bpichet, 1990
Scaphellinae Gray, 1857
Volutinae
Tribe Lyriini Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Tribe Volutini Rafinesque, 1815
Genera
Genera within the Volutidae include:
Adelomelon Dall, 1906
Alcithoe H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Amoria Gray, 1855
Ampulla Röding, 1798
Arctomelon Dall, 1915
Athleta Conrad, 1853
Callipara Gray, 1847
Calliotectum Dall, 1890
Cymbiola Swainson, 1831
Cymbiolacca
Cymbium Röding, 1798
Cymbium cymbium
Cymbium glans
Cymbium marmoratum
Cymbium olla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Cymbium pepo
Enaeta H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853
Ericusa H. Adams and A. Adams, 1858
Festilyria Pilsbry & Olsson, 1954
Fulgoraria Schumacher, 1817
Fusivoluta E. von Martens, 1902
Harpovoluta Thiele, 1912
Harpulina Dall, 1906
Iredalina Finlay, 1926
Leptoscapha Fischer, 1883
Livonia Gray, 1855
Lyria Gray, 1847
† Mauira Marwick, 1943
† Mauithoe Finlay, 1930
Melo Broderip in Sowerby I, 1826
† Metamelon Marwick, 1926
Minicymbiola Klappenbach, 1979
Miomelon Dall, 1907
† Mitreola Swainson, 1833
Nannamoria Iredale, 1929
Nanomelon Leal & Bouchet, 1989
Neptuneopsis Sowerby III, 1898
Notopeplum Finlay, 1927
Notavoluta Cotton, 1946
Odontocymbiola Clench & Turner, 1964
† Pachymelon Marwick, 1926
Paramoria McMichael, 1960
Plicoliva Petuch, 1979
Provocator Watson, 1882
Scaphella Swainson, 1832
Spinomelon Marwick, 1926
Tenebrincola Harasewych & Kantor, 1991
Teramachia
Tractolira Dall, 1890
Voluta Linnaeus, 1758
Volutifusus Conrad, 1863
Volutoconus Crosse, 1871
Waihaoia Marwick, 1926
Zygomelon Harasewych & Marshall, 1995
Zidona H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853
References
ITIS
"Volute." Encyclopædia Britannica, 2006.
Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979
Merle & Pacaud & Marivaux, 2014 <ref>Merle & Pacaud & Marivaux, Volutidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Lakhra Formation (Earliest Eocene, Sindh, Pakistan): systematics, biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography; Zootaxa, 3826 (1) : 101–138, fig. 1-12. , 2014
External links
Biodiversity Library: Maxwell Smith, A review of the Volutidae, Beal-Maltbie Shell Museum, Florida, 1942
Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642
Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
Gastropod families
Volutoidea