The Terebridae, commonly referred to as auger shells or auger snails, is a family of predatory marine gastropods in the superfamily Conoidea. They have extremely high-spired shells with numerous whorls; their common name refers to the resemblance of their shells to rock-drill bit. More than 400 species are recently known worldwide.
Taxonomy
This family consists of the following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005):
In 2019 there was a comprehensive revision of the taxonomy of the Terebridae by Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. in the Journal of Molluscan Studies, including the definition of new genera and the redistribution of many species to other genera.
Shell description
The shells of the sea snails in this family are typically shaped like slender augers or screws. In that respect they share certain shell characters with the family Turritellidae, the turret shells.
One characteristic that distinguishes Terebridae from Turritellidae is the short anterior canal or notch in the aperture of the shell. Terebridae shells also tend to have characteristically flattened versus convex whorls, and they often have one or two plaits on the columella.
Numerous species in this family are grouped under the genera Terebra or Hastula, and a minority of species are placed in four other genera.
Life habits
These snails are sand-dwelling carnivores which live in warmer waters. In most species, a venomous barb similar to that of the cone snails, (see Conidae), is used to stun and immobilize prey, which typically consists of various marine worms.
Genera
Genera in the family Terebridae include:
- Bathyterebra <small>Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020</small>
- Cinguloterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- Clathroterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- Duplicaria <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Euterebra <small>Cotton & Godfrey, 1932</small>
- Gemmaterebra <small>Cotton, 1952</small>
- Gradaterebra <small>Cotton & Godfrey, 1932</small>
- Granuliterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- Hastula <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>
- Hastulopsis <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- â Kaweka <small>Marwick, 1931</small>
- Maculauger <small>Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020</small>
- Microtrypetes <small>Pilsbry & Lowe, 1932</small>
- â Mirula <small>Palmer, 1942</small>
- Myurella <small>Hinds, 1844</small>
- Myurellopsis <small>Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020</small>
- Neoterebra <small>Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020</small>
- Oxymeris <small>Dall, 1903</small>
- Partecosta <small>Dance & Eames, 1966</small>
- Pellifronia <small>Terryn & Holford, 2008</small>
- Perirhoe <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Pristiterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- Profunditerebra <small>Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020</small>
- Punctoterebra <small>Bartsch, 1923</small>
- Strioterebrum <small>Sacco, 1891</small>
- Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small> -- type taxon
- â Zeacuminia <small>Finlay, 1930</small>
Genera brought into synonymy:
- Abretia <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>: synonym of Oxymeris <small>Dall, 1903</small> (invalid: junior homonym of Abretia Rafinesque, 1814; Abretiella is a replacement name)
- Abretiella <small>Bartsch, 1923:</small> synonym of Oxymeris <small>Dall, 1903</small>
- Acuminia <small>Dall, 1908</small>: synonym of Hastula <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>
- Acus <small>Gray, 1847</small>: synonym of Oxymeris <small>Dall, 1903</small> (invalid: junior homonym of Acus Lacépède, 1803 [Pisces]; Oxymeris is a replacement name)
- Brevimyurella Oyama, 1961: synonym of Punctoterebra <small>Bartsch, 1923</small>
- Cinguloterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Clathroterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>: synonym of Myurella <small>Hinds, 1845</small>
- Decorihastula <small>Oyama, 1961</small>: synonym of Myurella <small>Hinds, 1844</small>
- Dimidacus <small>Iredale, 1929</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Diplomeriza <small>Dall, 1919</small>: synonym of Duplicaria <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Egentelaria <small>Rehder, 1980</small>: synonym of Hastula <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>
- Euterebra <small>Cotton & Godfrey, 1932</small>: synonym of Duplicaria <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Gradaterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932: synonym of Euterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932
- Hastulina <small>Oyama, 1961</small>: synonym of Hastula <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>
- Impages <small>E. A. Smith, 1873</small>: synonym of Hastula <small>H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853</small>
- Laeviacus <small>Oyama, 1961</small>: synonym of Pristiterebra <small>Oyama, 1961</small>
- Myurellina <small>Bartsch, 1923</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Myurellisca <small>Bartsch, 1923</small>: synonym of Duplicaria <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Noditerebra <small>Cossmann, 1896</small> â : synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Nototerebra <small>Cotton, 1947</small>: synonym of Oxymeris <small>Dall, 1903</small>
- Panaterebra <small>Olsson, 1967</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Paraterebra <small>Woodring, 1928</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Partecosta <small>Dance & Eames, 1966</small>: synonym of Euterebra <small>Cotton & Godfrey, 1932</small>
- Pervicacia <small>Iredale, 1924</small>: synonym of Duplicaria <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Subula <small>Schumacher, 1817</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Terebrina <small>Bartsch, 1923</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small> (invalid: junior homonym of Terebrina Rafinesque, 1815; Dimidacus is a replacement name)
- Terebrum <small>Montfort, 1810</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Terenolla <small>Iredale, 1929</small>: synonym of Myurella <small>Hinds, 1845</small>
- Triplostephanus <small>Dall, 1908</small>: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
- Vertagus Link, 1807: synonym of Terebra <small>Bruguière, 1789</small>
References
- Bratcher T. & Cernohorsky W.O. (1987). Living terebras of the world. A monograph of the recent Terebridae of the world. American Malacologists, Melbourne, Florida & Burlington, Massachusetts. 240pp
- Terryn, Y. (2007). Terebridae: A Collectors Guide. Conchbooks & Natural Art. 59pp + plates.
External links
- Gray J.E. (1853). On the division of ctenobranchous gasteropodous Mollusca into larger groups and families. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. ser. 2, 11: 124âÂÂ132
- Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. (2020). Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies.
- http://www.ncseagrant.org/
- Terebridae, Auger Shells
- Terebra dislocata, Atlantic Auger or Eastern Auger
- NC Sea Grant, Seashells of North Carolina Field Guide
- http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/beach_kids/sea_shells/atlantic_auger/
- Shell Catalogue Family Terebridae and Terebridae Images
Further reading
- Terryn Y. & Holford M. (2008). "The Terebridae of Vanuatu, with a revision of the * Granuliterebra Oyama, 1961". Visaya Supplement 3 (Malacological Journal of Conchology, Inc., Cebu, Philippines).
External links