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.
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
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.
According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), followed by a revision in 2022 by Kantor et al., the family Buccinidae consists of six subfamilies:
- Subfamily Buccininae <small>Rafinesque, 1815</small>
- Subfamily Beringiinae <small>Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975</small>
- Subfamily Buccinidae incertae sedis (temporary name)
- Subfamily Busyconinae* <small>Wade, 1917</small> (1867) : presently, Busyconinae is treated as a synonym of the Busyconidae.
- Subfamily Donovaniinae <small>Casey, 1904</small> - synonym: Lachesinae L. Bellardi, 1877 (inv.)
- Subfamily Liomesinae <small>P. Fischer, 1884</small>
- Subfamily Neptuneinae <small>W. Stimpson, 1865</small>
- Subfamily Parancistrolepidinae <small>T. Habe, 1972</small>
- Subfamily Siphonaliinae <small>Finlay, 1928</small> - synonym: Austrosiphonidae Cotton & Godfrey, 1938
- Subfamily Truncariinae <small>Cossmann, 1901</small>
- Subfamily Volutopsiinae <small>Habe & Sato, 1973</small>
The subfamily Pisaniinae was raised to the status of family Pisaniidae in 2009.
Genera
Genera within the family Buccinidae include:
Genera not in a family:
- â Accidenticulabrum <small>Vermeij, 2000</small>
- â Atractodon <small>Charlesworth, 1837</small>
- â Buccinofusus <small>Conrad, 1866</small>
- â Eripachya <small>Gabb, 1869</small>
- â Hilda <small>R. Hoernes & Auinger, 1884</small>
- â Laevibuccinum <small>Conrad, 1865</small>
- â Phoracanthus <small>K. Martin, 1914</small>
- â Pirgos <small>De Gregorio, 1885</small>
- â Scalaspira <small>Conrad, 1863</small>
- â Vagantospira <small>Tembrock, 1968</small>
Subfamily Beringiinae
Subfamily Buccininae
Subfamily Buccinidae incertae sedis (temporary name)
Subfamily Liomesini <small>P. Fischer, 1884</small>
Subfamily Neptuneinae <small>W. Stimpson, 1865</small>
Subfamily Parancistrolepidinae T. Habe, 1972
Subfamily Siphonaliinae <small>Finlay, 1928</small>
Subfamily Truncariinae <small>Cossmann, 1901</small>
- Truncaria <small>A. Adams & Reeve, 1850</small>
Subfamily Volutopsiinae <small>Habe & Sato, 1973</small>
subfamily ?
- â Boreokelletia <small>Anderson, 1964</small>
- Limatofusus <small>Vaught, 1989</small>
- Ornatoconcha <small>Lus, 1987</small>: this is a nomen nudum that belongs to the temporary family Buccinoidea incertae sedis
Synonyms
- Acamptochetus Cossmann, 1901: synonym of Metula 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 <small>Dall, 1916</small>: synonym of Neptunea (Barbitonia) <small>Dall, 1916</small> represented as Neptunea <small>Röding, 1798</small>
- Bathybuccinum <small>Golikov & Sirenko, 1989</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linaeus, 1758</small>
- Bathyclionella Kobelt, 1905: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
- Beringion <small>Habe & Ito, 1965</small>: synonym of Beringius <small>Dall, 1887</small>
- Boreofusus G.O. Sars, 1878: synonym of Troschelia Mörch, 1876
- Brevisiphonia <small>Lus, 1973</small>: synonym of Thalassoplanes <small>Dall, 1908</small>
- Buccinopsis Jeffreys, 1867: synonym of Liomesus <small>Stimpson, 186</small>5
- Calliloncha <small>Lus, 1978</small>: synonym of Bayerius <small>Olsson, 1971</small>
- Chauvetiella F. Nordsieck, 1968: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
- Chrysodomus Swainson, 1840: synonym of Neptunea <small>Röding, 1798</small>
- 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
- Costaria <small>A. N. Golikov, 1977</small>: synonym of Neptunea <small>Röding, 1798</small>
- 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
- Golikovia <small>Habe & Sato, 1973</small>: synonym of Neptunea (Golikovia) <small>Habe & Sato, 1973</small> accepted as Neptunea <small>Röding, 1798</small>
- Harpofusus <small>Habe & Ito, 1965</small>: synonym of Pyrolofusus <small>Mörch, 1869</small>
- Hypojapelion <small>Okutani, 1968</small> : synonym of Japelion (Hypojapelion) <small>Okutani, 1968</small> represented as Japelion <small>Dall, 1916</small> (superseded rank)
- Jumala <small>Friele, 1882</small>: synonym of Beringius <small>Dall, 1887</small>
- Kapala Ponder, 1982: synonym of Buccipagoda Ponder, 2010
- Lachesis Risso, 1826: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
- Limatofusus <small>Dall, 1918</small>: synonym of Latisipho <small>Dall, 1916</small>
- Mada Jeffreys, 1867: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Madiella <small>Wenz, 1943</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Mala <small>Cossmann, 1901</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Minitula Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of Metula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- Morrisonella Bartsch, 1945: synonym of Belomitra P. Fischer, 1883
- Neptunia <small>Locard, 1886</small>: synonym of Neptunea <small>Röding, 1798</small>
- Nesaea Risso, 1826: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
- Ovulatibuccinum <small>Golikov & Sirenko, 1989</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Paracalliloncha <small>Lus, 1987</small>: synonym of Bayerius <small>Olsson, 1971</small>
- 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 <small>Dall, 1902</small>
- * Reticubuccinum <small>Ito & Habe, 1980</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Sipho Mörch, 1852: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
- Siphonorbis Mörch, 1869: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
- Strombella <small>Gray, 1857</small>: synonym of Volutopsius <small>Mörch, 1857</small>
- Syntagma Iredale, 1918: synonym of Chauvetia Monterosato, 1884
- Tacita <small>Lus, 1971</small>: synonym of Bayerius <small>Olsson, 1971</small>
- Tritonellium <small>Valenciennes, 1858</small>: synonym of Tritonium <small>O. F. Müller, 1776</small> accepted as Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> (unnecessary replacement name for Tritonium <small>O. F. Müller, 1776</small>, by Valenciennes considered a homonym of Tritonia <small>Cuvier</small>)
- Tritonidea Swainson, 1840: synonym of Cantharus Röding, 1798
- Thysanobuccinum <small>A. N. Golikov & Gulbin, 1980</small>: synonym of Buccinum <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Tritonium <small>O.F. Müller, 1776</small>: synonym of Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758
- Tritonofusus Beck, 1847: synonym of Colus Röding, 1798
- Turrivolutopsius <small>Tiba & Kosuge, 1979</small>: synonym of Volutopsius <small>Mörch, 1857</small> (unavailable name: no description or diagnosis)
- Ukko <small>Friele, 1893</small>: synonym of Beringius <small>Dall, 1887</small> (unnecessary nom. nov. pro Jumala <small>Friele, 1882</small>, rejected as "improper";)
- Volutopsion <small>T. Habe & Ki. Ito, 1965</small>: synonym of Volutopsius <small>Mörch, 1857</small> (junior subjective synonym)
References
Further reading
External links