Charonia tritonis.png
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''Charonia'' is a genus of very large
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 ...
, commonly known as Triton's trumpet or Triton snail. They are marine
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 ...
mollusks in the monotypic family Charoniidae.


Etymology

The common name "Triton's trumpet" is derived from the Greek god
Triton Triton commonly refers to: * Triton (mythology), a Greek god * Triton (moon), a satellite of Neptune Triton may also refer to: Biology * Triton cockatoo, a parrot * Triton (gastropod), a group of sea snails * ''Triton'', a synonym of ''Triturus' ...
, who was the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. The god Triton is often portrayed blowing a large seashell horn similar to this species.


Fossil records

This genus is known in the fossil records as far back as the Cretaceous period. Fossils are found in the marine strata throughout the world. Fossilworks
/ref>


Description

Species within the genus ''Charonia'' have large fusiform shells, usually whiteish with brown or yellow markings. The shell of the giant triton '' Charonia tritonis'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
), which lives in the
Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...
, can grow to over half a metre (20 inches) in length. One slightly smaller (shell size but still very large species, ''
Charonia variegata ''Charonia variegata'', the Atlantic triton or Atlantic triton's trumpet, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae, the triton snails, triton shells, or tritons. Distribution This species has a ...
'' ( Lamarck, 1816), lives in the western Atlantic, from North Carolina to Brazil.


Distribution

''Charonia'' species inhabit temperate and tropical waters worldwide.


Life habits

Unlike
pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an order, and before that a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includ ...
and
opisthobranch Opisthobranchs () is now an informal name for a large and diverse group of specialized complex gastropods which used to be united in the subclass Opisthobranchia. That taxon is no longer considered to represent a monophyletic grouping. Euopisth ...
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 ...
s, tritons are not
hermaphrodite In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes. Many Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrate ...
s; they have separate
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...
es and undergo sexual reproduction with internal fertilization. The female deposits white capsules in clusters, each of which contains many developing larvae. The larvae emerge free-swimming and enter the plankton, where they drift in open water for up to three months.


Feeding behavior

Adult tritons are active predators and feed on other
mollusc 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 esti ...
s and
starfish Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...
.Christopher Ma
Snails that eat Starfish : Predation in the tropical Indo-Pacific
/ref> The giant triton has gained fame for its ability to capture and eat
crown-of-thorns starfish The crown-of-thorns starfish (frequently abbreviated to COTS), ''Acanthaster planci'', is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyps (Scleractinia). The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thorn-like spine ...
, a large species (up to 1 m in diameter) covered in venomous spikes an inch long. The crown-of-thorns starfish has few other natural predators, and are capable of destroying large sections of coral reef. Tritons can be observed to turn and give chase when the scent of prey is detected. Some starfish (including the crown-of-thorns starfish) appear to be able to detect the approach of the mollusc by means which are not clearly understood, and they will attempt flight before any physical contact has taken place. Tritons, however, are faster than starfish, and only large starfish have a reasonable hope of escape, and then only by abandoning whichever limb the snail seizes first. The triton grips its prey with its muscular foot and uses its toothy
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 ...
(a serrated, scraping organ found in gastropods) to saw through the starfish's armoured skin. Once it has penetrated, a paralyzing saliva subdues the prey and the snail feeds at leisure, often beginning with the softest parts such as the gonads and gut. Tritons ingest smaller prey animals whole without troubling to paralyse them, and will spit out any poisonous spines, shells, or other unwanted parts later.


Species and subspecies

Species within the genus ''Charonia'' include: * ''
Charonia guichemerrei ''Charonia'' is a genus of very large sea snail, commonly known as Triton's trumpet or Triton snail. They are marine gastropod mollusks in the monotypic family Charoniidae. Etymology The common name "Triton's trumpet" is derived from the Gr ...
'' Lozouet, 1998 † * ''
Charonia lampas ''Charonia lampas'' is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae. Distribution This marine species has a wide distribution: the North Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean (Azores, Madeira, the Canaries, C ...
'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* '' Charonia marylenae'' Petuch & Berschauer, 2020 * ''
Charonia seguenzae ''Charonia variegata'', the Atlantic triton or Atlantic triton's trumpet, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae, the triton snails, triton shells, or tritons. Distribution This species has ...
'' (Aradas & Benoit, 1872) * '' Charonia tritonis'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''
Charonia variegata ''Charonia variegata'', the Atlantic triton or Atlantic triton's trumpet, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae, the triton snails, triton shells, or tritons. Distribution This species has a ...
'' ( Lamarck, 1816) - Caribbean Triton's trumpet * '' Charonia veterior'' Lozouet, 1999 † ;Synonymized species: * ''Charonia capax'' Finlay, 1926: synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia digitalis'' (Reeve, 1844): synonym of ''
Maculotriton serriale ''Maculotriton serriale'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. It is difficult to find differences between ''Maculotriton serriale'' and '' Maculotriton digitalis'' ...
'' (Deshayes, 1834) * ''Charonia eucla'' Hedley, 1914 : synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia eucla instructa'' Iredale, 1929: synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia grandimaculatus'' Reeve: synonym of ''
Lotoria grandimaculata ''Lotoria grandimaculata'', common name : the large spotted triton, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cymatiidae. Description The shell size varies between 50 mm and 132 mm Distribution ...
'' (Reeve, 1844) * ''
Charonia maculosum ''Colubraria maculosa'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Colubrariidae Colubrariidae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Buccinoidea. Bouchet, ...
'' Gmelin: synonym of ''
Colubraria maculosa ''Colubraria maculosa'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Colubrariidae. Description Distribution This species is found in the seas around Madagascar and Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link= ...
'' (Gmelin, 1791) (new combination) * ''Charonia mirabilis'' Parenzan, 1970: synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia nodifera''(Lamarck, 1822): synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia poecilostoma'' Smith, 1915: synonym of ''
Ranella gemmifera ''Ranella gemmifera'' is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ranellidae, the triton snails, triton shells or tritons. Distribution Description The maximum recorded shell length is 126 mm.Welch J. ...
'' (Euthyme, 1889) * ''Charonia powelli'' Cotton, 1957 : synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia rubicunda'' (Perry, 1811): synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia sauliae'' (Reeve, 1844): synonym of ''Charonia lampas'' ( Linnaeus,
1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
)
* ''Charonia seguenzae''(Aradas & Benoit, 1872) synonym of ''Charonia variegata'' (Lamarck, 1816) * ''Charonia variegatus'' Reeve: synonym of ''Charonia variegata'' (Lamarck, 1816) Charonia lampas sauliae 145a.jpg, ''
Charonia lampas ''Charonia lampas'' is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae. Distribution This marine species has a wide distribution: the North Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean (Azores, Madeira, the Canaries, C ...
'' Charonia tritonis a1.jpg, '' Charonia tritonis'' Charonia variegata c2.jpg, ''
Charonia variegata ''Charonia variegata'', the Atlantic triton or Atlantic triton's trumpet, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Charoniidae, the triton snails, triton shells, or tritons. Distribution This species has a ...
''


References

* Beu A.G. 1998. ''Indo-West Pacific Ranellidae, Bursidae and Personidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). A monograph of the New Caledonian fauna and revisions of related taxa''. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 178: 1-255


External links


An article on the crown-of-thorns starfish
which contains excellent pictures of one being eaten by a triton. {{Taxonbar, from1=Q591104, from2=Q58377059 Charoniidae Gastropod genera Cenomanian genus first appearances Extant Late Cretaceous first appearances Taxa named by Johannes von Nepomuk Franz Xaver Gistel