Buccinidae

Buccinidae
The Buccinidae are a very large and diverse taxonomic family of large sea snails, often known as whelks or true whelks.
The family includes more than 1500 species.
Taxonomy
The family Busyconidae was for a time treated as a subfamily of Buccinidae called Busyconinae.
Genera Antillophos, Engoniophos, Phos, Nassaria, Tomlinia, Anentome and Clea were treated within family Buccinidae, but they were moved to Nassariidae in 2016.
Habitat
The true whelks occur worldwide in all seas from tropical oceans to the cold seas of the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean. They are found from the intertidal to the bathypelagic zones. Most prefer a solid bottom, but some inhabit sandy substrates.
Description
The shells of species in this family are moderate to large in size, conical to fusiform in shape. The shell often has deep sutures. The shell surface is generally smooth, sometimes with a spiral and/ or axial sculpture. The thickness of the shell is more pronounced in tropical shallow-water species, while the shell of species living in moderate and colder waters is generally thin or moderately thin. The top of the whorls are more or less shouldered. The radial ribs of the shell sometimes show shoulder knobs. The aperture is large with a well-defined siphonal canal. The rim of the aperture is sometimes used to pry open the shell of bivalves. The aperture is closed by a horny operculum.
The soft body is elongated and spiral. The head has two conical, depressed tentacles which bear the eyes on a lobe or prominence at their base. The mouth contains a long, cylindrical, annulated proboscis and a small tongue. The mantle forms a thin-edged flap over the branchial cavity. On the left side, it has an elongated, open canal, that emerges by a notch or groove in the shell. The two gills are elongated, unequal and pectinate (i.e. in a comb-like arrangement). The large foot is generally broad.
True whelks are carnivores and scavengers. They feed on clams, carrion, and sometimes even on detritus. Their sense of smell is very well-developed; they can sense chemical signals from their prey from a considerable distance with their osphradia. Many whelks are capable of boring through the shell of bivalves, and because of this, some species cause much harm in oyster farms. True whelks can even attack fish caught in a net by extending their probosces to twice the length of their own bodies.
The female whelk lays spongy egg capsules with hundreds of eggs. These form round clusters or a tower-shaped masses. Only about 10% of these eggs hatch. The larvae then feed on the rest of the eggs that have not yet hatched.
The flesh of the common northern whelk, Buccinum undatum, is much appreciated by connoisseurs as a food item, but its consumption is currently somewhat in decline.
The empty shell of a whelk is often used by the hermit crab to make its home.
Taxonomy
According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), the family Buccinidae consists of six subfamilies:
Subfamily Buccininae Rafinesque, 1815
tribe Ancistrolepidini Habe & Sato, 1973
tribe Buccinini Rafinesque, 1815
tribe Buccinulini Finlay, 1928
tribe Colini Gray, 1857 - synonyms: Neptuneinae Stimpson, 1865; Chrysodominae Dall, 1870; Pyramimitridae Cossmann, 1901; Truncariinae Cossmann, 1901; Metajapelioninae Gorychaev, 1987
tribe Cominellini Gray, 1857: in 2021 upgraded to family level Cominellidae
tribe Liomesini P. Fischer, 1884 - synonym: Buccinopsidae G. O. Sars, 1878 (inv.)
tribe Parancistrolepidini Habe, 1972 - synonym: Brevisiphoniinae Lus, 1973
tribe Prosiphonini Powell, 1951
tribe Volutopsiini Habe & Sato, 1973
Subfamily Beringiinae Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975
Subfamily Busyconinae* Wade, 1917 (1867) : presently, Busyconinae is treated as a synonym of the Busyconidae.
Subfamily Donovaniinae Casey, 1904 - synonym: Lachesinae L. Bellardi, 1877 (inv.)
Subfamily Neptuneinae W. Stimpson, 1865
Subfamily Siphonaliinae Finlay, 1928 - synonym: Austrosiphonidae Cotton & Godfrey, 1938
The subfamily Pisaniinae has been raised to the status of family Pisaniidae in 2009 by Galindo, L. A.; Puillandre, N.; Utge, J.; Lozouet, P.; Bouchet, P.
Genera
Genera within the family Buccinidae include:
subfamily Buccininae
tribe Ancistrolepidini
Ancistrolepis Dall, 1895
tribe Buccinini
Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
Suessionia Cossmann, 1889 †
tribe Buccinulini
Buccinulum Deshayes, 1830
tribe Colini
Truncaria Adams & Reeve, 1850
tribe Liomesini
Liomesus Stimpson, 1865
tribe Parancistrolepidini
Parancistrolepis Azuma, 1965
tribe Prosiphonini
Prosipho Thiele, 1912
tribe Volutopsiini
Volutopsius Mörch, 1857
Subfamily Beringiinae
Beringius Dall, 1887
subfamily Donovaniinae
Subfamily Neptuneinae W. Stimpson, 1865
Aulacofusus Dall, 1918
Neptunea Röding, 1798
subfamily Siphonaliinae
Siphonalia A. Adams, 1863
subfamily ?
Aeneator Finlay, 1927
Afer Conrad, 1858
Anomacme Strebel, 1905
Anomalosipho Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912
Antarctodomus A. Adams, 1863
Antarctoneptunea Dell, 1972
Antistreptus Dall, 1902
Argeneuthria Pastorino, 2016
Atractodon Charlesworth, 1837
Austrofusus Kobelt, 1879
Bartschia Rehder, 1943
Bathyancistrolepis Habe & Ito, 1968
Bathybuccinum Golikov & Sirenko, 1989
Bathydomus Thiele, 1912
Bayerius Olsson, 1971
Beringion Habe & Ito, 1965
† Boreokelletia Anderson, 1964
Calliloncha Lus, 1978
Cavineptunea Powell, 1951
Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Chlanidota Martens, 1878
Chlanidotella Thiele 1929
Chlanificula Powell, 1958
Clea A. Adams, 1855
Clinopegma Grant & Gale, 1931
Corneobuccinum Golikov & Gulbin, 1977
Costaria Golikov, 1977
Crenatosipho Linse, 2002
Drepanodontus Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
Egotistica Marwick, 1934
Euthrenopsis Powell, 1929
Euthria M. E Gray, 1850
Euthriostoma Marche-Marchard & Brebion, 1977
Falsimohnia Powell, 1951
Fusinella Thiele, 1917
Germonea Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
† Golikovia Habe & Sato, 1972
Habevolutopsius Kantor, 1983
Harpofusus Habe & Ito, 1965
Helicofusus Dall, 1916
Hindsia A. Adams, 1855
Japelion Dall, 1916
Japeuthria Iredale, 1918
Kelletia Fischer, 1884
Latisipho Dall, 1916
Limatofusus Vaught, 1989
Lirabuccinum Vermeij, 1991
Lussivolutopsius Kantor, 1983
Metaphos Olsson, 1964
Meteuthria Thiele, 1912
Mohnia Friele in Kobelt, 1879
Muffinbuccinum Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
Neancistrolepis Habe & Sato, 1972
Neoberingius Habe & Ito, 1965
Neobuccinum Smith, 1877
Neoteron Pilsbry & Lowe, 1932
Northia Gray, 1847
Ornatoconcha Lus, 1987
Ovulatibuccinum Golikov & Sirenko, 1989
Parabuccinum Harasewych, Kantor & Linse, 2000
Paracalliloncha Lus, 1987
Paranotoficula Kantor & Harasewych, 2008
Pararetifusus Kosuge, 1967
Parviphos Sarasua, 1984
Penion Fischer, 1884
Phaenomenella Fraussen, 2006
Plicibuccinum Golikov & Gulbin, 1977
Plicifusus Dall, 1902
Probuccinum Thiele, 1912
Proneptunea Thiele, 1912
Pseudoliomesus Habe & Sato, 1972
Pyrolofusus Friele, 1882
Reticubuccinum Ito & Habe, 1980
Savatieria Rochebrune & Mabille, 1885
Searlesia Harmer, 1914
Serratifusus Darragh, 1969
Siphonofusus Kuroda & Habe, 1952
Spikebuccinum Harasewych & Kantor, 2004
Strebela Kantor & Harasewych, 2013
Tacita Lus, 1971
Tasmeuthria Iredale, 1925
Thalassoplanes Dall, 1908
Trajana Gardner, 1948
Troschelia Mörch, 1876
Volutharpa Fischer, 1856
† Zelandiella Finlay, 1926
Genera brought into synonymy
Acamptochetus Cossmann, 1901: synonym ofMetula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Adansonia Pallary, 1902: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Agassitula Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Anomalosipho: synonym of Anomalisipho Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912
Antemetula Rehder, 1943: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Antimitra Iredale, 1917: synonym ofMetula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Barbitonia Dall, 1916: synonym of Neptunea (Barbitonia) Dall, 1916 represented as Neptunea Röding, 1798
Bathyclionella Kobelt, 1905: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
Boreofusus G.O. Sars, 1878: synonym of Troschelia Mörch, 1876
Brevisiphonia Lus, 1973: synonym of Thalassoplanes Dall, 1908
Buccinopsis Jeffreys, 1867: synonym of Liomesus Stimpson, 1865
Chauvetiella F. Nordsieck, 1968: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Chrysodomus Swainson, 1840: synonym of Neptunea Röding, 1798
Colicryptus Iredale, 1918: synonym of Turrisipho Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912
Colubrarina Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Cryptomitra Dall, 1924: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
Dellina Beu, 1970: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
Donovania Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1883: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Donovaniella F. Nordsieck, 1968: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Echinosipho Kaiser, 1977: synonym of Americominella Klappenbach & Ureta, 1972
Floritula Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Folineaea Monterosato, 1884: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Fulgur Montfort, 1810: synonym of Busycon Röding, 1798
Jumala Friele, 1882: synonym of Beringius Dall, 1887
Kapala Ponder, 1982: synonym of Buccipagoda Ponder, 2010
Lachesis Risso, 1826: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Mada Jeffreys, 1867: synonym of Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
Madiella Wenz, 1943: synonym of Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
Mala Cossmann, 1901: synonym of Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
Minitula Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Morrisonella Bartsch, 1945: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
Neptunia Locard, 1886: synonym of Neptunea Röding, 1798
Nesaea Risso, 1826: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Parasipho Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912: synonym of Plicifusus Dall, 1902
Pleurobela Monterosato in Locard, 1897: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
Quasisipho Petrov, 1982: synonym of Plicifusus Dall, 1902
Sipho Mörch, 1852: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
Siphonorbis Mörch, 1869: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
Strombella Gray, 1857: synonym of Volutopsius Mörch, 1857
Syntagma Iredale, 1918: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
Tritonidea Swainson, 1840: synonym of Cantharus Röding, 1798
Tritonium O.F. Müller, 1776: synonym of Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
Tritonofusus Beck, 1847: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
References
Further reading
Hayashi S. (2005). "The molecular phylogeny of the Buccinidae (Caenogastropoda: Neogastropoda) as inferred from the complete mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences of selected representatives". Molluscan Research 25(2): 85-98. abstract PDF
The Seashells of New South Wales : Buccinidae
Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979
Glen Pownall, New Zealand Shells and Shellfish, Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979
Checklist of Mollusca
OBIS
Obis Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database : Buccinidae
Worldwide Malacological Catalog : Buccinidae
External links
Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642
Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque