Scissurellidae
Encyclopedia
Scissurellidae, sometimes known by the common name
little slit snails, are a taxonomic family
of minute sea snail
s, marine
gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda
(according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005
).
The shells of these snails vary in adult size from less than 6 mm to less than 1 mm.
down to the abyssal depth
s, including around hydrothermal vent
s.
of the family is questionable.
There were about twenty-five genera divided into five subfamilies (Scissurellinae, Anatominae
, Sutilizoninae
, Temnocinclinae, Larocheinae) recognized in 2003. Three of them were updated to family level later.
This family consists of two following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005
):
However Geiger (2009) elevated Depressizoninae to the family rank as Depressizonidae.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
little slit snails, are a taxonomic family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of minute sea snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s, marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda
Vetigastropoda
Vetigastropoda is a major taxonomic group of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks that form a very ancient lineage. Taxonomically Vetigastropoda are sometimes treated as an order although they are a clade in Bouchet and Rocroi, 2005....
(according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
).
The shells of these snails vary in adult size from less than 6 mm to less than 1 mm.
Distribution
Scissurellids occur world-wide, from the intertidal zoneIntertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
down to the abyssal depth
Abyssal zone
The abyssal zone is the abyssopelagic layer or pelagic zone that contains the very deep benthic communities near the bottom of oceans. "Abyss" derives from the Greek word ἄβυσσος, meaning bottomless. At depths of 4,000 to 6,000 metres , this zone remains in perpetual darkness and never receives...
s, including around hydrothermal vent
Hydrothermal vent
A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues. Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Hydrothermal vents exist because the earth is both...
s.
Taxonomy
There are about 169 living described species of Scissurellidae, but the diversity of scissurellids is still far from being completely assessed (approximately 60 collected species await description). The monophylyMonophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
of the family is questionable.
There were about twenty-five genera divided into five subfamilies (Scissurellinae, Anatominae
Anatomidae
Anatomidae is a family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Vetigastropoda ....
, Sutilizoninae
Sutilizonidae
Sutilizonidae is a family of gastropods in the clade Vetigastropoda .- Taxonomy :This family has no subfamilies....
, Temnocinclinae, Larocheinae) recognized in 2003. Three of them were updated to family level later.
This family consists of two following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
):
- Scissurellinae Gray, 1847 - synonym: Depressizoninae Geiger, 2003
- Larocheinae Finlay, 1927
However Geiger (2009) elevated Depressizoninae to the family rank as Depressizonidae.
Genera
Genera in the family Scissurellidae include:- CoronadoaCoronadoaCoronadoa is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Trochidae, the top snails.-Species:Species within the genus Coronadoa include:* Coronadoa hasegawai Geiger & Sasaki, 2009...
Bartsch, 1915- Coronadoa demisispira Geiger & McLean, 2010
- Incisura Hedley, 1904
- Maxwellella
- SatondellaSatondellaSatondella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Scissurellidae.-Species:Species within the genus Satondella include:* Satondella brasiliensis * Satondella cachoi Luque, Geiger & Rolán, 2011...
Bandel, 1998 - Schismope
- ScissurellaScissurellaScissurella is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Scissurellidae, the small slit snails.-Species:According to the World Register of Marine Species , the following species with valid names are included within the genus Scissurella : * Scissurella alexandrei...
d'Orbigny, 1824 - Scissurona IredaleTom IredaleTom Iredale was an English-born ornithologist and malacologist who had a long association with Australia, where he lived for most of his life. He was an autodidact who never went to university and lacked formal training...
, 1824 - usually regarded as synonym of IncisuraIncisuraAn incisura is Latin for notch , and may refer to:* Incisura a genus of keyhole limpets* Angular incisure* Suprascapular notch* It may also sometimes refer to the Dicrotic notch seen with aorta pressure.... - SinezonaSinezonaSinezona is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Scissurellidae.-Species:Species in the genus Sinezona include:* Sinezona atkinsoni * Sinezona bandeli Marshall, 2002...
FinlayHarold John FinlayHarold John Finlay was a New Zealand palaeontologist and conchologist. He was born in Comilla, India , on 22 March 1901....
, 1927 - SukashitrochusSukashitrochusSukashitrochus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Scissurellidae.-Species:Species within the genus Sukashitrochus include:* Sukashitrochus armillatus...
Habe & Kosuge, 1964 - TemnocinclisTemnocinclisTemnocinclis is a monotypic genus of sea snails in family Sutilizonidae containing the single species Temnocinclis euripes. This mollusc, a species of slit-limpet that measures up to four millimeters long, lives at hydrothermal vents....
- in its own family Temnocinclidae - TemnozagaTemnozagaTemnozaga is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Sutilizonidae....
- in its own family Temnocinclidae - Triassurella - has also been placed in family Temnocinclidae
Further reading
- Marshall B. A. (2002). "Some recent scissurellids from the New Zealand region and remarks on some scissurellid genus group names (Mollusca : Gastropoda : Vetigastropoda)". Molluscan Research 22(2): 165-181. doi:10.1071/MR02008, PDF.
- Zelaya D. G. & Geiger D. L. (2007). "Species Of Scissurellidae and Anatomidae From Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Waters (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda)". MalacologiaMalacologiaMalacologia is a peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of malacology, the study of mollusks. The journal publishes articles in the fields of molluscan systematics, ecology, population ecology, genetics, molecular genetics, evolution, and phylogenetics.The journal specializes in publishing...
49(2): 393-443. doi:10.4002/0076-2997-49.2.393