Biology:Capulidae
The Capulidae, the cap snails or cap shells, are a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs.[1]
Capulidae is the only family in the superfamily Capuloidea. Capulidae is assigned to the paraphyletic order Littorinimorpha,[1] but is more closely related to neogastropods than some other littorinimorphs as it is a member of the clade Latrogastropoda.[2]
The name Trichotropidae was previously used for this family, but this name is invalid, as it is a junior synonym.[3]
Characteristics
(Original description; described as Capulusidae) The foot is complicated on its anterior margin. The shell adheres to the animal by a circular muscle, leaving an opening in front for the issue of the head and the entrance to the branchial cavity. The gills form a single ridge across the roof. The aperture is in the form of an extended proboscis, with a deep groove above. The tentacula, which are two in number, have the eyes at their external base. The anus is on the right side of the branchial cavity. [4]
Cup-shaped or bonnet-like, the shells of this family start with flat, tightly coiled initial whorls. From this beginning, they expand rapidly in a planospiral way, flaring out dramatically like a funnel.
The interior of the shell is porcelaneous. Some forms develop internal partitions or septa, a feature that makes them superficially resemble the Calyptraeidae (slipper limpets). Externally, the shell is covered by a thick periostracum that feels either felt-like or hairy. There is no operculum.
Species in this family are parasites, praying mostly on other molluscs. They steal the food from these animals with a long proboscis.
Genera
Genera within the family Capulidae include:[5]
- Subfamily Capulinae J. Fleming, 1822
- Ariadnaria Habe, 1961
- † Armenostoma Hacobjan, 1976
- † Blackdownia Kollmann, 1976 [6]
- Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Cerithioderma Conrad, 1860 (?)
- Ciliatotropis Golikov, 1986
- Cryocapulus Schiaparelli, Bouchet, Fassio & Oliverio, 2020
- Discotrichoconcha Powell, 1951
- Echinospira Girotti, 1970 [citation needed]
- Hyalorisia Dall, 1889
- Icuncula Iredale, 1924
- Krebsia Montfort, 1810 : synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Latticosta S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2021
- Lippistes Montfort, 1810 (?)
- Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978
- Malluvium Melvill, 1906 : belongs to the family Hipponicidae.
- † Profusinus Bandel, 2000
- Rufodardanula Ponder, 1965; synonym of Skenella Pfeffer, 1886
- Separatista Gray, 1847
- Sirius Hedley, 1900
- † Tintorium Sohl, 1961
- Torellia Lovén in Jeffreys, 1867
- Trichamathina Habe, 1962
- Trichosirius Finlay, 1926 (?)
- Trichotropis Broderip and G. B. Sowerby I, 1829
- † Turbinopsis Conrad, 1860
- Turritropis Habe, 1961
- † Vermeijia Amano, 2019
- Verticosta S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2020
- † Xuwenospira H.-J. Wang, 1982
- Zelippistes Finlay, 1927
- Subfamily † Lysinae Saul & Squires, 2008
- † Garzasia Saul & Squires, 2008
- † Lysis Gabb, 1864
- † Spirogalerus H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937
- Genera brought into synonymy
- Actita Fischer von Waldheim, 1823: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Antitrichotropis Powell, 1951: synonym of Torellia Jeffreys, 1867
- Ariadna P. Fischer, 1864: synonym of Ariadnaria T. Habe, 1961 (junior homonym, junior homonym of Ariadna Audouin, 1826 [Arachnida]; Ariadnaria is a replacement name)
- Brocchia Bronn, 1828: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Capulonix Iredale, 1929: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Dolichosirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Eosirius P. A. Maxwell, 1966: synonym of † Trichosirius (Eosirius) P. A. Maxwell, 1966 represented as Trichosirius H. J. Finlay, 1926
- Iphinoe H. Adams & A. Adams, 1856 : synonym of Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978
- † Mesostoma Deshayes, 1861: synonym of † Cerithioderma Conrad, 1860 (junior subjective synonym, invalid: junior homonym of Mesostoma Ehrenberg, 1836)
- Neoconcha E.A. Smith, 1907: synonym of Torellia (Neoconcha) E.A. Smith, 1907
- Opposirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900
- Ovotropis Egorov & Alexeyev, 1998: synonym of Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978
- Pileopsis Lamarck, 1822: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810
- Opposirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900
- Trichoconcha E.A. Smith, 1907: synonym of Torellia Jeffreys, 1867
- † Tropidothais L. R. Cox, 1925: synonym of † Lysis Gabb, 1864 (junior subjective synonym)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gofas, S. (2012). Capulidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2012-07-24
- ↑ Colgan, Donald J.; Ponder, Winston F. (2025-07-28). "Redefining Latrogastropoda Again and Searching for Its Sister Group in Hypsogastropoda (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda)". Diversity 17 (8): 524. doi:10.3390/d17080524. ISSN 1424-2818. Bibcode: 2025Diver..17..524C.
- ↑ ITIS Capulidae Fleming, 1822
- ↑ Fleming, J. (1822). "The philosophy of zoology: or a general view of the structure, functions and classification of animals". Edinburgh 2: 494. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230157. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ↑ Gofas, S. (2010). Capulidae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.eu/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2010-06-06
- ↑ Kiel S. (2003) New taxonomic data for the gastropod fauna of the Umzamba Formation (Santonian–Campanian, South Africa); Cretaceous Research 24 (2003) 449–475
- Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). ISBN 0-915826-22-4. XII, 195 pp
- Discover Life
- "Capulidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=72606.
External links
- image of Capulus dilatatus
- Beu, AG (2010). "Marine Mollusca of isotope stages of the last 2 million years in New Zealand. Part 3. Gastropoda (Vetigastropoda - Littorinimorpha)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 40 (3–4): 59–180. doi:10.1080/03036758.2010.500717. Bibcode: 2010JRSNZ..40...59B.
- Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Wikidata ☰ Q3141569 entry
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