''Acanthina'',

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 unicorn snails, is a genus of small predatory

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 mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.Houart, R. (2010). Acanthina Fischer von Waldheim, 1807. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=377980 on 2010-12-08

Habitat

These snails live in the

intertidal zone The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...

Species

Species within the genus ''Acanthina'': * ''

Acanthina monodon ''Acanthina monodon'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by m ...

'' (Pallas, 1774) * ''

Acanthina unicornis ''Acanthina unicornis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as ...

'' (Bruguière, 1789) ; Species brought into synonymy : * ''Acanthina paucilirata'' now ''

Acanthinucella paucilirata ''Acanthinucella paucilirata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affin ...

'' * ''Acanthina punctulata'' now ''

Acanthinucella punctulata ''Acanthinucella punctulata'' (previously known as ''Acanthina punctulata''), common name: the spotted thorn drupe, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Desc ...

'' * ''Acanthina lugubris'' now ''

Mexacanthina lugubris ''Mexacanthina lugubris'' is a species of small predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, com ...

'' * ''Acanthina spirata'' now ''

Acanthinucella spirata ''Acanthinucella spirata'' is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Distribution ''A. spirata'' occurs on the West Coast aka the Pacific Ocean coast of North Ame ...

'' * ''Acanthina angelica'' Oldroyd, 1918 : synonym of ''

Mexacanthina angelica ''Mexacanthina angelica'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity ( ...

'' (Oldroyd, 1918) * ''Acanthina costata'' Fischer, 1807 : synonym of ''Acanthina monodon'' (Pallas, 1774) * ''Acanthina imbricata'' Fischer, 1807 : synonym of ''Acanthina monodon'' (Pallas, 1774) * ''Acanthina laevigata'' Fischer, 1807 : synonym of ''Acanthina monodon'' (Pallas, 1774) * ''Acanthina tyrianthina'' Berry, 1957 : synonym of ''

'' (Sowerby, 1821)

References

* McLean, James H., 1978 ‘’Marine Shells of Southern California’’, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series 24, Revised Edition: 1-104

External links

Muricidae {{Muricidae-stub