Cystiscus is a

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of minute

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s or

micromollusk A micromollusk is a shelled mollusk which is extremely small, even at full adult size. The word is usually, but not exclusively, applied to marine mollusks, although in addition, numerous species of land snails and freshwater mollusks also ...

s. This genus was placed in the family

Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Description The shell is minute to large, either white, uniformly colored, or patterned; the surface is smooth, sculptured, or axially costate; ...

by Coovert and Coovert, 1995. Previously the genus was in the family Marginellidae, where it is still placed by many other malacologists.

Diagnosis

Shell minute to small, white, hyaline;

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

immersed to low; lip thickened, smooth or weakly denticulate; external

varix A varix (pl. varices) is an abnormally dilated vessel with a tortuous course. Varices usually occur in the venous system, but may also occur in arterial or lymphatic vessels. Examples of varices include: * Varicose veins, large tortuous veins usua ...

absent; siphonal notch absent; posterior notch absent; lacking collabral parietal callus ridge; columella multiplicate, with combined usually 2 to 8 plications plus parietal lirae, first plication usually strong and raised.

Mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...

smooth, at least partially extending over external shell surface.

Shell description

Shell minute to small (adult length ). Color white, hyaline; surface smooth, glossy. Shape usually elliptic, obovate, or subtriangular; weakly shouldered. Spire completely immersed to low. Aperture narrow to broad, usually wider anteriorly. Lip slightly to distinctly thickened, flared posteriorly in some species, smooth on inside edge to weakly denticulate, lacking lirae, external varix absent. Shell lacking a siphonal notch and posterior notch. Shell with weak parietal callus wash or weak parietal callus deposits in some species, but lacking collabral parietal callus ridge. Columella multiplicate, with combined total 2 to 8 plications plus parietal lirae, rarely to 17 in which the posteriormost are denticles; one species with only 1 plication. Plications usually occupying less than half the length of the aperture, but most of the aperture in some. Plications excavated just inside aperture in a few species, usually evenly rounded, first plication usually raised and very strong. Shell with cystiscid internal whorls.

Animal anatomy

Internal: Unknown
External: Animal with eyes at side of head, usually on lateral swelling; mantle smooth, at least partially extending onto external shell surface, in some species nearly covering shell; foot relatively narrow, about as wide as shell length; head and mantle usually uniformly colored, often bright red, orange, or yellow, or brown, or black, internal mantle color pattern often showing through translucent shell.

Radula The radula (, ; plural radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food ...

: Uniserial, ribbon long, narrow, composed of 80-209 plates. Rachidian plates overlapping, narrow, moderately to strong arched, with 6-14 sharp cusps on posterior edge, the central cusp usually the strongest. The anterior edge of the rachidian plate is strongly concave, resulting in U- or V-shaped plates.

Habitat

Intertidal to .

Fossil record

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, upper

Oligogene Oligogenic inheritance (Greek ὀλίγος – ''ὀligos'' = few, a little) describes a trait that is influenced by a few genes. Oligogenic inheritance represents an intermediate between monogenic inheritance in which a trait is determined by a ...

and

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

of Western

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

, to Recent.

Remarks

The two halves of the head are capable of closing together at will, thus appearing unsplit. The long siphon usually distinguishes this group from ''Gibberula''. The shell of ''Persicula'' is usually patterned, often has a distinct external varix, and the spire is usually immersed. These conchological features serve to separate the two groups.

Species

''Cystiscus'' contains the following accepted species: *''

Cystiscus angasi ''Cystiscus angasi'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description The size of the shell attains 1.8 mm. Distribution This marine species was found off Port Jackson ...

'' (

Crosse Crosse is a surname, and may refer to: * Andrew Crosse (1784–1855), British amateur scientist * Charles Crosse, British rugby * Charles G. Crosse, American physician and politician * Edmond Francis Crosse (1858-1941), first Archdeacon of Cheste ...

, 1870) *''

Cystiscus aphanacme ''Cystiscus aphanacme'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Descripti ...

'' ( Tomlin, 1918) *''

Cystiscus aurantius ''Cystiscus aurantius'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description Distribution This marine species occurs off New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New ...

'' Boyer, 2003 *''

Cystiscus beqae ''Cystiscus beqae'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Description ...

'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *''

Cystiscus boucheti ''Cystiscus boucheti'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description Distribution This marine species occurs off New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New C ...

'' Boyer, 2003 *''

Cystiscus bougei ''Cystiscus bougei'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description The size of the shell attains 1.45 mm. Distribution This marine species occurs off New Caledonia ...

'' ( Bavay, 1917) *''

Cystiscus bucca ''Cystiscus bucca'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Description ...

'' ( Tomlin, 1916) *'' Cystiscus caeruleus'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus camelopardalis'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus carinifer'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2005 *'' Cystiscus connectans'' (May, 1911) *'' Cystiscus cooverti'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus cratericula'' (Tate & May, 1900) *'' Cystiscus cymbalum'' (Tate, 1878) *''

Cystiscus cystiscus ''Cystiscus connectans'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Descript ...

'' (Redfield, 1870) *'' Cystiscus deeae'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus deltoides'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus flindersi'' (Pritchard & Gatliff, 1899) *'' Cystiscus freycineti'' (May, 1915) *'' Cystiscus garretti'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus gorii'' Boyer, 2018 *''

Cystiscus goubini ''Cystiscus goubini'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae Cystiscidae is a taxonomic family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. Description ...

'' ( Bavay, 1922) *''

Cystiscus halli ''Cystiscus halli'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. References Cystiscidae Gastropods described in 1899 Halli Halli may refer to: * Halli Airport, a military ai ...

'' (Pritchard & Gatliff, 1899) *'' Cystiscus havannensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus hernandezi'' Boyer, 2018 *'' Cystiscus incertus'' (May, 1920) *'' Cystiscus indiscretus'' (May, 1911) *''

Cystiscus iota Cystiscus is a taxonomic genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. This genus was placed in the family Cystiscidae by Coovert and Coovert, 1995. Previously the genus was in the family Marginellidae, where it is stil ...

'' (Hedley, 1899) *'' Cystiscus jucundus'' (W. Turton, 1932) *'' Cystiscus mainardii'' Cossignani, 2009 *'' Cystiscus maloloensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *''

Cystiscus manceli ''Cystiscus mancelli'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description Distribution This marine species occurs in the Mascarene The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipela ...

'' (Jousseaume, 1875) *'' Cystiscus marshalli'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus maskelynensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus matoensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus melwardi'' (Laseron, 1957) *''

Cystiscus microgonia Cystiscus is a taxonomic genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. This genus was placed in the family Cystiscidae by Coovert and Coovert, 1995. Previously the genus was in the family Marginellidae, where it is sti ...

'' (Dall, 1927) *'' Cystiscus minor'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus minusculus'' Lussi & G. Smith, 1998 *''

Cystiscus minutissimus Cystiscus is a taxonomic genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. This genus was placed in the family Cystiscidae by Coovert and Coovert, 1995. Previously the genus was in the family Marginellidae, where it is stil ...

'' (Tenison Woods, 1876) *''

Cystiscus montrouzieri ''Cystiscus montrouzieri'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description The size of the shell attains 1.55 mm. Distribution This marine shell occurs off New Caledonia ...

'' ( Bavay, 1922) *'' Cystiscus mosaica'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2005 *'' Cystiscus nebulosa'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2005 *'' Cystiscus obesulus'' (May, 1920) *''

Cystiscus pardus ''Cystiscus pardus'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk from the family Cystiscidae. Description The shell of ''C. pardus'' is translucent, and white. The shells have been observed to grow up to 1. ...

'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus peelae'' Lussi & G. Smith, 1998 *'' Cystiscus politus'' (Carpenter, 1857) *'' Cystiscus problematicus'' (Gatliff & Gabriel, 1916) *'' Cystiscus pseudoaurantius'' Boyer, 2003 *''

Cystiscus pseustes Cystiscus is a taxonomic genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks. This genus was placed in the family Cystiscidae by Coovert and Coovert, 1995. Previously the genus was in the family Marginellidae, where it is stil ...

'' (E. A. Smith, 1904) *'' Cystiscus punctatus'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus pusillus'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus rendai'' Boyer, 2018 *'' Cystiscus robini'' Boyer, 2018 *'' Cystiscus sandwicensis'' (Pease, 1860) *'' Cystiscus subauriculatus'' (May, 1915) *'' Cystiscus thouinensis'' (May, 1915) *'' Cystiscus tomlinianus'' (May, 1918) *'' Cystiscus triangularis'' Cossignani, 2008 *'' Cystiscus tricinctus'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus truncatus'' (Dall, 1927) *'' Cystiscus vavauensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus viaderi'' Boyer, 2004 *'' Cystiscus vidae'' (Dell, 1956) *'' Cystiscus viridis'' Boyer, 2003 *'' Cystiscus vitiensis'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006 *'' Cystiscus wakefieldi'' T. Cossignani, 2001 *''

Cystiscus yasawaensis ''Cystiscus yasawaensis'' is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae. Description The shell can grow to be 2.2 mm in length. Distribution ''Cystiscus yasawaensis'' can be found o ...

'' Wakefield & McCleery, 2006

References

* 2005. Classification and Nomenclator of Gastropod Families. Malacologia 47(1-2):1-397. * Laseron, C. F. (1957). A new classification of the Australian Marginellidae (Mollusca), with a review of species from the Solanderian and Dampierian zoogeographical provinces. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 8(3): 274-311

External links

Stimpson W. 1865. On certain genera and families of zoophagous gasteropods. American Journal of Conchology, 1: 55-64, pl. 8-9

Coovert G.A. & Coovert H.K. (1995) Revision of the supraspecific classification of marginelliform gastropods. The Nautilus 109(2-3): 43-110
{{Commons category Taxa named by William Stimpson Cystiscidae