Siphonariidae

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Siphonariidae
Siphonaria zelandica

Siphonaria zelandica

Systematics
Trunk : Molluscs (mollusca)
Class : Snails (gastropoda)
Order : Lung snails (pulmonata)
Subordination : Water lung snails (Basommatophora)
Family : Siphonariidae
Scientific name
Siphonariidae
Gray , 1840

The Siphonariidae are a family of coastal marine snails from the order of the pulmonary snails (Pulmonata). In English they are called "false limpets" (false limpets); there is no popular name in German. They are small to medium-sized snails that absorb oxygen from the air through the mantle cavity that serves as the lungs.

features

The empty shells can be easily distinguished from the real limpets to which they are not related by looking inside . In the Siphonariidae there is a clearly recognizable lateral furrow on the right side of the shell as well as a corresponding interruption of the ring-shaped bulge of the muscles. This is where the living animal's breathing hole (pneumostome) is located. H. the entry and exit openings of the lungs.

Way of life

So far investigated, the animals feed on the small algae growing loosely on the rocks , which they can rasp off with their fine-toothed radula . Algae that are firmly encrusted in the rock cannot be absorbed.

As was shown in the Hawaiian species Siphonaria alternata , the animals can show what is known as homing behavior, i. that is, they each return to their starting point.

Distribution and number of species

The Siphonariidae are distributed worldwide in tropical to moderately cool regions. The main area of ​​distribution is the littoral areas in the southern hemisphere. They can also be found in brackish water. In Europe only the genus Siphonaria occurs (e.g. Siphonaria pectinata on the coast of Gibraltar). About 75 to 78 species are currently described.

paleontology

The family has been known for fossils since the Upper Jurassic ( Oxfordian , around 160 million years ago).

Systematics

External systematics : The family is provisionally becoming the paraphyletic group of the water pulmonate i. w. S. ("Basommatophora"). Their exact position in the taxonomic system has not yet been finally clarified. In many cases, it is placed in a separate superfamily Siphonarioidea together with the Acroreiidae family, which is only described in fossil form . The Acroreiidae are found in the stages of the Coniacium (approx. 87 million years ago) up to and including Ypresium (approx. 50 million years ago). The more recent finds come from brackish deposits in the Paris basin. Due to their lack of characteristics, however, the clear classification and assignment of the Acroreiidae and thus also the superfamily Siphonarioidea remains uncertain.

Internal system : One differentiates between the following five genres:

  • Benhamina Finlay, 1927, only 1 species known ( Benhamina obliquata Sowerby), New Zealand
  • Kerguelenella AW Baden Powell, 1946; 1 to 3 types; Patagonia, New Zealand, Sub-Antarctic Islands
  • Pugillaria Iredale, 1924; probably only 1 species ( Pugillaria stowae , South Australia and Tasmania)
  • Siphonaria GB Sowerby I, 1823; about 67 species, worldwide
  • Williamia di Monterosato, 1884; 5 to 6 kinds, u. a. North America

Web links

Commons : Siphonariidae  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. T. Ocaña, DA Fa: Microalgal availability and consumption by Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) on a rocky shore. In: Bol. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr. Volume 19, 2003, pp. 65-73
  2. ^ S. Blackford Cook: A study of homing behavior in the limpet Siphonaria alternata . In: Biol. Bull. Volume 141, 1971, pp. 449-457
  3. ^ MJ Benton (Ed.): The Fossil Record 2. Chapman & Hall, London 1993.
  4. ^ Philippe Bouchet, Jean-Pierre Rocroi: Part 2. Working classification of the Gastropoda . In: Malacologia. Volume 47, Ann Arbor 2005, ISSN  0076-2997 , pp. 239-283
  5. Constance Borland: Ecological Study of Benhamina obliquata (Sowerby), A Basommatophorous Pulmonate in Otago Harbor. In: Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Volume 78, 1950, pp. 385-393
  6. ^ Bernhard Ruthensteiner: Redescription and 3D morphology of Williamia gussonii (Gastropoda: Siphonariidae). In: Journal of Molluscan Studies. Volume 72, 2006, pp. 327-336, doi : 10.1093 / mollus / eyl019