Costellariidae

Costellariidae sometimes called the "ribbed miters" is a taxonomic family of minute to medium-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks. This family of snails is also sometimes referred to as Vexillum miters. The main family of miter shells however is Mitridae, a closely related group.

The monophyly of this family has been confirmed.

Taxonomy

This family was previously sometimes known as Vexillidae.

Latiromitra (from family Ptychatractidae) has been found to be closely related to Costellariidae in the molecular phylogeny analysis by Fedosov & Kantor (2010).

Description

The shell ranges from small to medium-sized, with an elongate shape that is typically fusiform, elongate-fusiform, or turriform. The protoconch is glossy and smooth, usually multispiral and narrowly conical, though it can sometimes be paucispiral and bulbous. The shell often features a high spire, a very narrow aperture, and a well-developed siphonal canal. The distinct suture is either impressed or canaliculated. The sculpture primarily consists of well-developed axial ribs, which can vary from rounded and widely spaced folds to dense, sharp ribs. While these axial ribs may become less pronounced or be overtaken by spiral elements on adult whorls, they remain prominent on earlier teleoconch whorls. The outer lip generally has three or four strong columellar folds, with the adapical fold usually being the strongest. A callus is typically present on the parietal side. There is no operculum.

Although their shape resembles that of the Mitridae, these shells are more closely related to the Muricidae.

Distribution

Species of this genus are found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Indo-Pacific, usually at depths between 0 mm and 200 m.

Genera

Genera within the family Costellariidae include:

Alisimitra Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Ã¢ÂÂ Antithala Harzhauser & Landau, 2021
Atlantilux S.-I Huang, 2015
Austromitra Finlay, 1927
Bathythala Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Ã¢ÂÂ Bellardithala Harzhauser & Landau, 2021
Canaripusia Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Caribbonus Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Ceratoxancus Kuroda, 1952
Cernohorskyola Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Costapex Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Ebenomitra Monterosato, 1917
Eupusia Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Ã¢ÂÂ Fedosovia Harzhauser & Landau, 2021
Kilburniola Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Latiromitra Locard, 1897
Mitromica S. S. Berry, 1958
Nodicostellaria Petuch, 1987
Orphanopusia Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Pacifilux Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Pilgrivexillum Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Ponderiola Fedosov, Bouchet, Dekkers, Gori, S.-I Huang, Kantor, Lemarcis, Marrow, Ratti, Rosenberg, R. Salisbury, Zvonareva & Puillandre, 2025
Protoelongata Herrmann, Stossier & R. Salisbury, 2014
Pusia Swainson, 1840 - It is either a distinct genus or a subgenus of Vexillum
Suluspira Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Thala H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Thaluta Rosenberg & Callomon, 2003
Tosapusia Azuma, 1965
Turricostellaria Petuch, 1987
Turriplicifer Fedosov, Marrow, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Vexillena Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017
Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798 - synonym: Turricula Fabricius, 1823 non Schumacher, 1817

Synonyms

Arenimitra Iredale, 1929: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Ã¢ÂÂ Balcomitra H. J. Finlay, 1927: synonym of Austromitra H. J. Finlay, 1926
Callithea Swainson, 1840: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798 (Invalid: junior homonym of Callithea Feisthamel, 1835; Pulchritima is a replacement name)
Costellaria Swainson, 1840: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Cyomesus Quinn, 1981: synonym of Latiromitra Locard, 1897 (junior subjective synonym)
Ã¢ÂÂ Micromitra Bellardi, 1888 Ã¢ÂÂ : synonym of Ã¢ÂÂ Bellardithala Harzhauser & Landau, 2021 (invalid: junior homonym of Micromitra Meek, 1873 [Brachiopoda]; Bellardithala is a replacement name)
Mitropifex Iredale, 1929: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Okinawavoluta H. Noda, 1980: synonym of Latiromitra Locard, 1897
Pulchritima Iredale, 1929: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Subfamily Pusiinae Habe, 1961: synonym of Costellariidae MacDonald, 1860
Pusiolina Cossmann, 1921 is a synonym of Pusia (Ebenomitra) Monterosato, 1917 represented as Pusia Swainson, 1840
Tiara Swainson, 1831: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Tongsuapusia S.-I Huang, 2015: synonym of Tosapusia M. Azuma, 1965
Turricula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 (not to be confounded with Turricula Schumacher, 1817 ) : synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Uromitra Bellardi, 1887: synonym of Vexillum (Costellaria) Swainson, 1840: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Visaya Poppe, Guillot de Suduiraut & Tagaro, 2006: synonym of Suluspira Fedosov, Herrmann & Bouchet, 2017 (invalid: junior homonym of Visaya Ahyong, 2004; Suluspira is a replacement name)
Vulpecula Blainville, 1824: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798
Zierliana Gray, 1847: synonym of Vexillum RÃÂ¶ding, 1798

Ecology

carnivorous.