Nerita

Nerita is a genus of medium-sized to small sea snails with a gill and an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Neritinae of the family Neritidae, the nerites.
This is the type genus of the family Neritidae.
Distribution and habitat
Species of Nerita can be found worldwide in tropical waters in the middle and upper intertidal zones. They are gregarious herbivores.
Description
The thick shell is broadly ovate or globular and low-spired. It has a smooth surface. The shells are spirally ribbed or show some axial sculpturing. The ventral side has a large columellar callus or parietal wall. The callus shows small pustules. The aperture and the edge of the columella are usually dentate with fine or robust teeth. The calcareus operculum is thick and can be smooth or with a granular structure. The whorls are covered with strong spiral cords.
Taxonomy
Several subgenera have been proposed over the course of time, but various authors in the past could not agree on the placement of many species. The subgeneric placement of the species of Nerita was revised by Vermeij in 1984. However, inconsistencies still remain over the use and validity of many taxonomic names, because species show a wide variety of colors, patterns and even details of shell morphology, which has given rise to many synonyms.
Species
Species within the genus Nerita include:
Nerita adenensis Mienis, 1978
Nerita albicilla Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita alveolus Hombron & Jacquinot, 1848
Nerita antiquata Récluz, 1841
Nerita apiata Récluz, 1843
Nerita argus Récluz, 1841
Nerita ascensionis Gmelin, 1791
Nerita aterrima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita atramentosa Reeve, 1855
Nerita balteata Reeve, 1855: probably congeneric with Nerita articulata
Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita chlorostoma Lamarck, 1816
Nerita costata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita costulata von dem Busch, 1844
† Nerita craigi Symonds, Gain & Belliard, 2017
Nerita dombeyi Récluz, 1841
Nerita eichhorsti Krijnen, Gras & Vink, 2018
Nerita ellyptica Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita erythrostoma Eichhorst & Neville, 2004
Nerita essingtoni Récluz, 1842
Nerita exuvia Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita filosa Reeve, 1855
† Nerita fortidentata Vermeij & Collins, 1988
Nerita fragum Reeve, 1855
Nerita fulgurans Gmelin, 1791 - Antillean nerite
Nerita fuliginata Reeve, 1855
Nerita funiculata Menke, 1851
Nerita gaimardii Souleyet, 1842
Nerita grasi Eichhorst, 2016
Nerita grisea Reeve, 1855
Nerita grossa Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita guamensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1834
Nerita helicinoides Reeve, 1855
Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita incerta Von dem Busch in Philippi, 1844
Nerita insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita incurva E. von Martens, 1887
Nerita japonica Dunker, 1860
Nerita lianae T. Cossignani, 2019
Nerita lirellata Rehder, 1980
Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita longii Récluz, 1842
Nerita luteonigra Dekker, 2000
Nerita maculifera Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita magdalenae Gmelin, 1791
Nerita maura Récluz, 1842
Nerita maxima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita melanotragus E.A. Smith, 1884
† Nerita minor Sandberger, 1861
Nerita morio (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833)
Nerita neritopsoides Reeve, 1855
Nerita nigerrima Dillwyn, 1817
Nerita nigrita Röding, 1798
Nerita novaeguineae Lesson, 1831
Nerita ocellata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita olivaria Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita orbignyana Récluz, 1841
Nerita oryzarum Récluz, 1841
Nerita patula Récluz, 1841
Nerita peloronta Linnaeus, 1758- bleeding tooth
Nerita picea Récluz, 1841
Nerita planospira Anton, 1839
Nerita plicata Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita quadricolor Gmelin, 1791
Nerita quoyi Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita sanguinolenta Menke, 1829
Nerita scabricosta Lamarck, 1822
Nerita semirugosa Récluz, 1841
Nerita senegalensis Gmelin, 1791
Nerita signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita striata Burrow, 1815
Nerita subgranosa Mabille, 1895
† Nerita symondsi Pacaud, 2017
Nerita tessellata Gmelin, 1791 - checkered nerite
Nerita textilis Gmelin, 1791
Nerita trifasciata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita umlaasiana Krauss, 1848
Nerita undata Linnaeus, 1758 (forms a complex)
Nerita undulata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita versicolor Gmelin, 1791 - four-tooth nerite
Nerita vexillum Reeve, 1855
Nerita vitiensis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1848
Nerita winteri Philippi, 1844
Nerita yoldii Récluz, 1841
The Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database also includes the following species with names in current use
Nerita articulata Gould, 1847
Nerita bicolor Récluz, 1843
Nerita corrosula Récluz, 1842
Nerita maxima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita nigrita Röding, 1798
Nerita panayensis Récluz, 1844
Nerita pfeifferiana Récluz, 1843
Nerita phasiana Récluz, 1842
Nerita radiata Récluz, 1841
Nerita sayana Récluz, 1844
Nerita tenebrosa Récluz, 1842
Synonyms
Nerita amoena (Gould, 1847): synonym of Neripteron amoenum (A. Gould, 1847) (unaccepted combination)
Nerita amplisulcata Macsotay & Villarroel, 2001: synonym of Nerita versicolor Gmelin, 1791
Nerita angularis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Ilynerita) planospira Anton, 1838
Nerita annulata Reeve, 1855: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita anthracina Von dem Busch, 1844: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) ocellata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita arachnoidea Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica arachnoidea (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita arcta Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita arriaca Röding, 1798: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita asperulata Récluz, 1843: synonym of Neripteron asperulatum (Récluz, 1843) synonym of Neritina asperulata (Récluz, 1843) (original combination)
Nerita atrata Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Euchelus atratus (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita atrata Reeve, 1855: synonym of Nerita (Lisanerita) melanotragus E.A. Smith, 1884
Nerita atropurpurea Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Ilynerita) planospira Anton, 1838
Nerita australis Wood, 1828: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) erythrostoma Eichhorst & Neville, 2004
Nerita avellana Récluz, 1842: synonym of Clithon avellana (Récluz, 1842)
Nerita bensoni Récluz, 1850: synonym of Puperita bensoni (Recluz, 1850)
Nerita bifasciata Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita birmanica Troschel, 1878 : synonym of Nerita balteata Reeve, 1855 (a junior synonym)
Nerita bisecta Reeve, 1855: synonym of Nerita magdalenae Gmelin, 1791
Nerita bizonalis Lamarck, 1816: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita bizonalis Mörch (non Lamarck), 1852: synonym of Nerita (Ilynerita) planospira Anton, 1838
Nerita bruguierei Récluz, 1841: synonym of Neritina pulligera (Linnaeus, 1767)
Nerita candida W. Wood, 1825: synonym of Naticarius onca (Röding, 1798)
Nerita carbonaria Philippi, 1845: synonym of Nerita (Lisanerita) morio (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833)
Nerita chemnitzii Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita semirugosa Récluz, 1841
Nerita chloroleuca Philippi, 1849: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita chrysostoma Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita striata Burrow, 1815
Nerita comma-notata Reeve, 1855: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) aterrima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita costata Brocchi, 1814: synonym of Clathrella clathrata (Philippi, 1844)
Nerita dacostae Récluz, 1844: synonym of Clithon sowerbianum (Récluz, 1843)
Nerita debilis Dufo, 1840 : synonym of Mienerita debilis (Dufo, 1840)
Nerita doreyana Quoy & Gaimard, 1834: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791, synonym of Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita dubia Turton, 1932: synonym of Neritina auriculata Lamarck, 1816
Nerita flammulata Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita undulata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita flava Mörch, 1852: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita flavescens Dillwyn, 1817: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita forskali Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita sanguinolenta Menke, 1829
Nerita fulminea Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica fulminea (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita georgina Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita grayana Récluz, 1843: synonym of Nerita undulata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita grayana Récluz, 1844: synonym of Nerita essingtoni Récluz, 1842
Nerita haneti Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Lisanerita) morio (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833)
Nerita hieroglyphica Dillwyn, 1817: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita hilleana Dunker, 1871: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita hindsii Récluz, 1844 : synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) squamulata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758 : synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) squamulata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita interrupta Récluz, 1843: synonym of Clithon faba (G. B. Sowerby I, 1836)
Nerita intricata Donovan, 1804: synonym of Payraudeautia intricata (Donovan, 1804)
Nerita islandica Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Amauropsis islandica (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita jovis Récluz, 1843: synonym of Vittina jovis (Récluz, 1843)
Nerita junghuhni Schepman, 1901: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) olivaria Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita laevilirata Sowerby, 1914: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita larva Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita leucozonias Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica vitellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita lineata Chemnitz, 1774 - lined nerite: synonym of Nerita balteata Reeve, 1855
Nerita listeri Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita litoralis Turton, 1819: synonym of Littorina obtusata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita maculata Pease, 1867 : synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) argus Récluz, 1841
Nerita mammilla Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Polinices mammilla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita marinduquenensis Vallejo, 2000: synonym of Nerita patula Récluz, 1841
Nerita marmorata Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita marochiensis Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica marochiensis (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita mascareignar Récluz, 1850: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) aterrima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita mauritiae Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) aterrima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita melanostoma Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Mammilla melanostoma (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita menkeana Récluz, 1842: synonym of Clithon olivaceum (Récluz, 1843)
Nerita modesta Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita neritinoides Reeve, 1855: synonym of Nerita (Lisanerita) morio (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833)
Nerita nigra Dillwyn, 1817: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita nodosa Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Thais (Thais) nodosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita obscura Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) ocellata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita opaca Röding, 1798: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita orbignyana Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita orientalis Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Naticarius orientalis (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita pacifica Récluz, 1850: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita panayana Récluz, 1843: synonym of Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita papilla Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Eunaticina papilla (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita pennata Born, 1778: synonym of Vittina pennata (Born, 1778)
Nerita petechialis Mörch, 1852: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita pica Gould, 1859 : synonym of Nerita japonica Dunker, 1860
Nerita picta Humphrey, 1797: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) polita Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita piscinalis O. F. Müller, 1774: synonym of Valvata piscinalis (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Nerita plexa Dillwyn : synonym of Nerita textilis Gmelin, 1791
Nerita punctata Quoy & Gaimard, 1834: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) aterrima Gmelin, 1791
Nerita pygmaea Martens, 1889: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita reticulata Karsten, 1789: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita rudis Wood, 1828: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita rufa Montagu, 1808: synonym of Lunatia montagui (Forbes, 1838)
Nerita rufa Born, 1778: synonym of Natica vitellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita rumphii Récluz, 1841: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita rustica Nardo, 1847: synonym of Littorina saxatilis (Olivi, 1792)
Nerita samoensis Dunker, 1869: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) signata Lamarck, 1822
Nerita saturata Hutton, 1884: synonym of Nerita (Lisanerita) melanotragus E.A. Smith, 1884
Nerita scabrella Philippi, 1849: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita schmeltziana Dunker, 1869: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) argus Récluz, 1841
Nerita souleyetana Récluz, 1842: synonym of Clithon souleyetanum (Récluz, 1842)
Nerita spadicea (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Natica spadicea (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita spengleriana Recluz, 1844: synonym of Nerita trifasciata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita squamulata Le Guillou, 1841: synonym of Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758
Nerita stella Dillwyn, 1817: synonym of Nerita (Argonerita) squamulata Le Guillou, 1841
Nerita stercusmuscarum Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica stercusmuscarum (Gmelin, 1791)
Nerita stricta Baird, 1873: synonym of Nerita (Amphinerita) insculpta Récluz, 1841
Nerita succinea Récluz, 1841: synonym of Neritilia succinea (Récluz, 1841)
Nerita tomlini Turton, 1933: synonym of Neritina auriculata Lamarck, 1816
Nerita tristis Pilsbry, 1901: synonym of Nerita helicinoides var. tristis Pilsbry, 1901
Nerita vitellus Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Natica vitellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nerita vitiensis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854: synonym of Nerita (Linnerita) litterata Gmelin, 1791
Nerita vittata Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Natica vittata (Gmelin, 1791)
References
Further reading
Récluz, C. 1841. Description de quelques nouvelles espèces de Nérites vivantes (2e partie, suite et fin). Revue Zoologique 4: 333-343
Reeve, L. 1855. Monograph of the genus Nerita. Conchologia Iconica 9: pls. 1-19
Tan K. S. & Lee S. S. C. (April 2009) "Neritid egg capsules: are they all that different?" Steenstrupia 30(2): 115–125. Copenhagen, Denmark. ISSN 0375-2909. PDF
Neritidae