Acteonidae,

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

the "barrel bubble snails", is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of small

sea snails 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 of the informal group

Lower Heterobranchia Lower Heterobranchia, also known as the Allogastropoda, is a group of rather specialized, highly evolved sea slugs and sea snails, ( marine gastropod mollusks) within the subclass Heterobranchia. WoRMS (2020). "Lower Heterobranchia". Accessed ...

.Bouchet, P. (2012). Acteonidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=155 on 2012-08-04

Shell description

The shell is usually smaller than 25 mm."Family summary for Acteonidae"

AnimalBase AnimalBase is a project brought to life in 2004 and is maintained by the University of Göttingen, Germany. The goal of the AnimalBase project is to digitize early zoological literature, provide copyright-free open access to zoological works, and pr ...

, last change 25-10-2007, accessed 3 August 2010 The shell of these sand-dwelling

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 is small, but it is large enough to house the retracted soft parts including the entire

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 ...

. The aperture is elongated. The narrow shell

aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. An opt ...

, which is ovate and pointed on the top, can be closed with an operculum. The thick shell is oviform to

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

, with a short (sometimes sunken) conical

apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...

. They have spiral sculpturing. The elongated aperture opens up from narrow at the posterior notch to enlarged at the base. The base of the

columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (; Arabic: , 4 – ) was a prominent writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire. His ' in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture, together with the wo ...

has several characteristic plaits.

Anatomy

The

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 ...

has no central tooth, and there are five or six laterals on each side. The teeth are very similar in shape and size across the radula, which is specialised for a diet of

polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are mad ...

s. The eggs are enclosed in a long, gelatinous mass, which is attached to the substrate with a short stalk. The foot is with operculum.

Ecology

Acteonidae occur in warm seas in shallow and deep water. Animals predate

polychaetes Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are mad ...

Genera

Genera within the family Acteonidae include: Genus '' Acteon'' Montfort, 1810 - type genus † Genus '' Acteonina'' d'Orbigny, 1850 Genus '' Bathyacteon'' Valdés, 2008 Genus '' Callostracon'' Repetto & Bianco, 2012 * '' Callostracon amabile'' Watson, 1886 * '' Callostracon chariis'' (Watson, 1886) * '' Callostracon tyrrhenicum'' (Smriglio, C. & P. Mariottini, 1996) ** Distribution : Tyrrhenian Sea. † Genus '' Colostracon'' Hamlin, 1884 Genus '' Crenilabium'' Cossmann, 1889 * '' Crenilabium aciculatum'' Cossman, 1889 * '' Crenilabium exile'' (Jeffreys, 1870) ** Distribution : Florida, Mexico, Eastern Atlantic, Iceland, Mediterranean. ** Length : 8.1 mm ** Description : found at depths of 270 m to 2640 m * '' Crenilabium pacifica'' Kuroda & Habe, 1958 ** Distribution : Indo-Pacific Genus '' Inopinodon'' Bouchet, 1975 * '' Inopinodon azonicus'' Locard, 1897 Genus '' Japonactaeon'' Taki, 1956 Genus '' Liocarenus'' Harris & Burrows, 1891 * '' Liocarenus globulinus'' Forbes, 1844 ** Distribution : Atlantic, Mediterranean Genus '' Lissacteon'' Monterosato, 1890 Genus ''

Maxacteon ''Maxacteon'' is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Acteonidae, the barrel bubble snails.Bouchet, P.; Rosenberg, G. (2015). Maxacteon Rudman, 1971. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Reg ...

'' Rudman, 1971 Acteon fabreanus 002

* ''

Maxacteon cratericulatus ''Maxacteon cratericulatus'' is a species of small sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Acteonidae Acteonidae, common name the "barrel bubble snails", is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks of th ...

'' Hedley, 1906 ** Distribution : New Zealand * '' Maxacteon fabreanus'' (= ''Acteon fabreanus'') Crosse, 1874 ** Distribution : Philippines ** Length : 17–30 mm ** Description : white shell with five whorls, each whorl filled with light brown bands covering the many spirals of each whorl. * ''

Maxacteon flammeus ''Maxacteon flammeus'' is a species of small sea snail, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Acteonidae, the barrel bubble snails.Rosenberg, G. (2015). Maxacteon flammeus (Bruguière, 1789). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed th ...

'' (= ''Acteon flammeus'')

Gmelin Gmelin may refer to: * Gmelin's test, a chemical test * Gmelin database, a German handbook/encyclopedia of inorganic compounds initiated by Leopold Gmelin People * Carl Christian Gmelin (1762–1837), German botanist, author of ''Flora Badensis ...

, 1791 ** Distribution : Red Sea, tropical Indo-West Pacific ** Length : 17 mm ** Description : the headshield is developing secondary tentacles. * ''

Maxacteon hancocki ''Maxacteon hancocki'' is a species of small sea snail, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Acteonidae, the barrel bubble snails.Rosenberg, G. (2014). Maxacteon hancocki Rudman, 1971. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' (synonym: ''Acteon hancocki'') Rudman, 1971 * ''

Maxacteon milleri ''Maxacteon milleri'' is a species of small sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Acteonidae, the barrel bubble snails.Rosenberg, G. (2014). Maxacteon milleri Rudman, 1971. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Spec ...

'' (synonym: ''Acteon milleri'') Rudman, 1971 Genus '' Mysouffa'' Marcus, 1974 * '' Mysouffa cumingii'' (= ''Acteon mysouffa cumingii'') (A. Adams, 1855) ** Distribution : Florida, Brazil ** Length : 20 mm * '' Mysouffa turrita'' (Watson, 1883) ** Distribution : Jamaica, Cuba, Caribbean ** Length : 14 mm ** Description : found at depths of around 700 m Genus '' Neactaeonina'' Thiele, 1912 Genus '' Obrussena'' Iredale, 1930 * '' Obrussena bracteata'' Iredale, 1930 ** Distribution : Australia * '' Obrussena moeshimaensis'' T. Habe, 1952 ** Distribution : Japan Genus '' Ongleya'' Finlay & Marwick, 1937 Genus '' Ovulacteon'' Dall, 1889 * '' Ovulacteon meekii'' Dall, 1889 ** Distribution : Cuba, Bahamas, East Brazil ** Length : 5.5 mm ** Description : found at depths of 360 to 820 m Genus ''

Pseudacteon ''Pseudacteon'' is a genus of flies in the family Phoridae. There are over 70 described species of ''Pseudacteon'' fly. They are also known as ant-decapitating flies due to their parasitic larval stage. An egg is injected by the female fly into t ...

'' Thiele, 1925. There is also a homonym genus ''

'' Coquillett, 1907, arthropods in the family

Phoridae The Phoridae are a family of small, hump-backed flies resembling fruit flies. Phorid flies can often be identified by their escape habit of running rapidly across a surface rather than taking to the wing. This behaviour is a source of one of thei ...

WoRMS (2010). Pseudacteon. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=183517 on 2012-08-04 * '' Pseudacteon albus'' Sowerby III, 1873 ** Distribution : South Africa * '' Pseudacteon pusillus'' Forbes, 1844 ** Distribution : Florida, North Atlantic, Mediterranean ** Length : 11 mm * ''

Pseudacteon tenellus ''Pseudacteon'' is a genus of flies in the family Phoridae. There are over 70 described species of ''Pseudacteon'' fly. They are also known as ant-decapitating flies due to their parasitic larval stage. An egg is injected by the female fly into t ...

'' Loven, 1846 * ''Pseudactaeon luteofasciatus'' (Mühlfeldt, 1829): synonym of ''

Acteon tornatilis ''Acteon tornatilis'', common name the "lathe acteon", is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recog ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) Genus '' Punctacteon'' Kuroda & Habe, 1961 * '' Punctacteon amakusaensis'' T. Habe, 1949 ** Distribution : Indo-Pacific * '' Punctacteon cebuanus'' Lan, 1985 ** Distribution : Philippines * '' Punctacteon eloisae'' Abbott, 1973 Eloise’s acteon ** Distribution : Red Sea, Oman. ** Length : 25–38 mm ** Description: sublittoral on sandy bottoms; cream-colored shell with 5 convex whorls, each whorl with many spiral windings; each whorl is filled with red-brown separate patterns with dark brown to black borders; similar to ''

Maxacteon flammea ''Maxacteon'' is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod molluscs in the family (biology), family Acteonidae, the barrel bubble snails.Bouchet, P.; Rosenberg, G. (2015). Maxacteon Rudman, 1971. In: MolluscaBase (2 ...

''. * '' Punctacteon fabreanus '' (H. Crosse, 1874) ** Distribution : Philippines ** Length : 17–30 mm ** Description : white shell with five whorls, each whorl filled with light brown bands covering the many spirals of each whorl. * '' Punctacteon kajiyamai'' T. Habe, 1976 ** Distribution : Indo-Pacific * '' Punctacteon kawamurai'' T. Habe, 1952 ** Distribution : Japan * '' Punctacteon kirai'' T. Habe, 1949 ** Distribution : Indo-Pacific off the Philippines ** Length : 20 mm ** Description : shell whitish to brownish; five whorls, first whorl being the largest; each whorl has many spiral windings; outer lip is notched. * '' Punctacteon variegatus'' (synonym: Acteon variegatus) Bruguière, 1789 Pink-spotted acteon ** Distribution : Philippines, West Australia. ** Length : 9–27 mm ** Description : sublittoral on sandy bottoms; convex, cream-colored shell with five whorls, each whorls is covered with transverse pink-colored to light brown patterns, without dark borders; whirls with prominent shoulder. Genus ''

Pupa A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...

'' Röding, 1798: Genus '' Rictaxis'' Dall, 1871: Genus ''Tenuiacteon'' Aldrich, 1921 * '' Tenuiacteon ambiguus'' Hutton, 1885 Genus ''Tomlinula'' Strand, 1932 * '' Tomlinula turrita'' Watson, 1886 † Genus '' Volvaria'' Lamarck, 1801 ;Genera brought into synonymy: * ''Actaeon'' Ersch & Gruber, 1818: synonym of '' Acteon'' Montfort, 1810 * † ''Actaeonidea'' Gabb, 1872: synonym of ''Rictaxis'' Dall, 1871 * ''Buccinulus'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854: synonym of ''

'' Röding, 1798 * ''Callostracon'' sensu Nordsieck, 1972: synonym of † '' Colostracon'' Hamlin, 1884 * ''Crenilabrum'' Kobelt, 1892: synonym of '' Crenilabium'' Cossmann, 1889 * ''Dactylus'' Schumacher, 1817: synonym of ''

'' Röding, 1798 * ''Japonacteon'' ic synonym of '' Japonactaeon'' Taki, 1956 * ''Lissactaeon'' Monterosato, 1890: synonym of '' Crenilabium'' Cossmann, 1889 * ''Neoacteonina'' ic: synonym of '' Neactaeonina'' Thiele, 1912 * ''Obrussa'' Iredale, 1925: synonym of '' Obrussena'' Iredale, 1930 * ''Solidula'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1807: synonym of ''

'' Röding, 1798 * ''Strigopupa'' Habe, 1958: synonym of ''

'' Röding, 1798 * ''Tornatella'' Lamarck, 1816: synonym of '' Acteon'' Montfort, 1810

References

;Sources * Vaught, K.C. (1989). ''A classification of the living Mollusca.'' American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp. ;Notes

External links

Acteonidae
fro
Sea slugs of Hawaii

Serge GOFAS, Ángel A. LUQUE, Joan Daniel OLIVER,José TEMPLADO & Alberto SERRA (2021) - The Mollusca of Galicia Bank (NE Atlantic Ocean); European Journal of Taxonomy 785: 1–114
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