Ranellidae Explained

The Ranellidae, common name the triton shells or tritons, are a taxonomic family of small to very large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the order Littorinimorpha.

Distribution

The Tritons are principally equatorial in their geographical distribution, and belong more especially to the Asiatic fauna. Those with the siphonal canal very much produced are obtained from deep water. The cancellated forms are from sand, in deep water; and those covered with an epidermis are chiefly from sandy mud, in from six to thirty fathoms.^[1]

Subfamilies

According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, the family Ranellidae consisted of two subfamilies:

• Ranellinae Gray, 1854 - synonyms: Agrobuccininae Kilias, 1973; Simpulidae Dautzenberg, 1900; Gyrineinae Higo & Goto, 1993 (n.a.)
• Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 (1854) - synonyms: Tritoniidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 (inv.); Neptunellinae Gray, 1854; Lampusiidae Newton, 1891; Lotoriidae Harris, 1897; Septidae Dall & Simpson, 1901; Aquillidae Pilsbry, 1904; Nyctilochidae Dall, 1912; Charoniinae Powell, 1933

The Cymatiinae now form a separate family: Cymatiidae.

Genera

The family Ranellidae contains the following genera:

• † Ameranella Beu, 1988
• † Antarctiranella Stilwell, Zinsmeister & Oleinik, 2004
• † Crassicymatium Beu, 2010
• Obscuranella Kantor & Harasewych, 2000
• Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858
• Ranella Lamarck, 1816
• † Ranellina - assigned to Bursidae by Palmer and Brann in 1966^[2]
• † Trachytriton Meek, 1864

Synonyms:

• Subfamily Charoniinae Powell, 1933: synonym of Charoniidae Powell, 1933
• Subfamily Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 (1854): synonym of Cymatiidae Iredale, 1913
• Subfamily Ranellinae Gray, 1854: synonym of Ranellidae Gray, 1854
• Dissentoma Pilsbry, 1945: synonym of Monoplex Perry, 1810 (junior subjective synonym)
• Eugyrina Dall, 1904: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
• Gyrina Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
• † Gyrinopsis Dall, 1925: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816 (invalid: junior homonym of Gyrinopsis Handlirsch, 1906 [Coleoptera])
• Liohindsia Coen, 1947: synonym of Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858
• Mayena Iredale, 1917: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
• † Mediargo Terry, 1968: synonym of Argobuccinum Herrmannsen, 1846

References

• Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (2005). Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia. 47(1–2): 1-397

Further reading

• 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

External links

• Beu A.G. (1998). Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM: 19. Indo-West Pacific Ranellidae, Bursidae and Personidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda), a monograph of the New Caledonian fauna and revisions of related taxa. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. 178: 1-255
• Strong E.E., Puillandre N., Beu A.G., Castelin M. & Bouchet P. (2019). Frogs and tuns and tritons – A molecular phylogeny and revised family classification of the predatory gastropod superfamily Tonnoidea (Caenogastropoda). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 130: 18-34

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3782650 Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1853-1858). The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization. London, van Voorst. Vol. 1: xl + 484 pp.; vol. 2: 661 pp.; vol. 3: 138 pls
2. Palmer K. V. & Brann D. C.. Catalogue of the Paleocene and Eocene Mollusks of the Southern and Eastern United States Part II. Gastropoda. Bulletins of American Paleontology. 1966. 218. 471–1057.