The Cerithioidea is a

superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...

of marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod containing more than 200 genera. The Cerithoidea are included unassigned in the subclass

Caenogastropoda Caenogastropoda is a taxonomic clade, a large diverse group which are mostly sea snails and other marine gastropod mollusks, but also includes some freshwater snails and some land snails. The clade is the most diverse and ecologically succ ...

. The original name of this superfamily was Cerithiacea, in keeping with common superfamily endings at the time.

Ecology

Cerithioidea is a very diverse superfamily. Its species can be found worldwide mainly in

tropic The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

and

subtropic The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° nort ...

seas on rocky

intertidal 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 ...

shores,

seagrass Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four families ( Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae), all in the ...

beds and algal fronds, but also in

estuarine An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environmen ...

and

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does in ...

habitats. The freshwater species are found on all continents, except

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest co ...

. They are dominant members of

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several ...

forests, estuarine

mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal f ...

s, fast-flowing rivers and placid lakes.Healy J. M. & Wells F. E. (). ''Mollusca, The Southern Syntthesis. Fauna of Australia.'' Melbourne, CSIRO publishing. 707 pp.

Fossil record

Their

fossil record A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

of this superfamily can be traced back as far as the early

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

Tracey S., Todd J. A. & Erwin D. H. (1993). ''The Fossil Record.'' London, Chapman & Hall. pages 131-167. but they began radiating mainly during the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...

.Houbrick R. S. (1988). "Prosobranch Phylogeny". '' Malacological Review'', Supplement 4: 88-128.

Taxonomy

The Cerithioidea are presumed to be

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic ...

(one lineage). However the

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

relationships between its families are still under investigation because

mitochondrial A mitochondrion (; ) is an organelle found in the cells of most Eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and fungi. Mitochondria have a double membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is us ...

recombinant DNA Recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecules are DNA molecules formed by laboratory methods of genetic recombination (such as molecular cloning) that bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be fou ...

sequences failed to resolve these questions.

2005 taxonomy

According to the

Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005) The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised in 2005 by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is a system for the scientific classification of gastropod mollusks. (Gastropods are a taxonomic class of animals which consists of snails and ...

, the following families are included in Cerithioidea: * '' Amphimelaniidae'' P. Fischer & Crosse, 1891 * Batillariidae Thiele, 1929 -

* †

Brachytrematidae Brachytrematidae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caenogastro ...

Cossmann, 1906 * † Cassiopidae Beurlen, 1967 * Cerithiidae Fleming, 1822 - monophyletic * Dialidae Kay, 1979 *

Diastomatidae Diastomatidae is a family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea. According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Diastomatidae has no subfamilies. Genera Genera in the fa ...

Cossman, 1894 * †

Eustomatidae Eustomatidae is an extinct family of fossil sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Cae ...

Cossmann, 1906 * †

Ladinulidae Ladinulidae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea The Cerithioidea is a superfamily of marine, brackish water and freshwater gastropod containing more than 200 genera. The Cerithoidea ar ...

Bandel, 1992 * †

Lanascalidae Lanascalidae is an extinct family of sea snails, 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 * Mar ...

Bandel, 1992 * Litiopidae Gray, 1847 * †

Maoraxidae Maoraxidae is an extinct family of snails, gastropod molluscs in the clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all it ...

Bandel, Gründel, Maxwell, 2000 *

Melanopsidae Melanopsidae, common name melanopsids, is a family of freshwater gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha. Species in this family are native to southern and eastern Europe, northern Africa, parts of the Middle East, New Zealand, and freshwater s ...

H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 - freshwater snails,

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

Modulidae Modulidae, common name modulids, is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cerithioidea. According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Modulidae has no subfamilies. Genera ...

P. Fischer, 1884 * Pachychilidae P. Fischer & Crosse, 1892 * Paludomidae Stoliczka, 1868 * Pelycidiidae Ponder & Hall, 1983 * Pickworthiidae Iredale, 1917 * Planaxidae Gray, 1850 *

Pleuroceridae Pleuroceridae, common name pleurocerids, is a family of small to medium-sized freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea.These snails have an operculum and typically a robust high-spired shell. Reprodu ...

P. Fischer, 1885 (1863) - freshwater snails, polyphyletic * †

Popenellidae Popenellidae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caenogastropoda ...

Bandel, 1992 *

Potamididae ''Potamididae'', common name potamidids (also known as horn snails or mudwhelks) are a family of small to large brackish water snails that live on mud flats, mangroves and similar habitats. They are amphibious gastropod molluscs in the superfa ...

H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 - monophyletic * †

Procerithiidae Procerithiidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha. ''Argyropeza'' is the only extant genus in the Procerithiidae. Taxonomy The following three subfamilies are recognized in the taxonomy o ...

Cossmann, 1906 - If the genus ''

Argyropeza ''Argyropeza'' is a genus of small deep-sea sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Procerithiidae.WoRMS (2010). ''Argyropeza'' Melvill & Standen, 1901. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database ...

'' is placed in the Procerithiidae, then this family is no longer exclusively a family of fossils. * †

Propupaspiridae Propupaspiridae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caenogastrop ...

Nützel, Pan & Erwin, 2002 * †

Prostyliferidae Prostyliferidae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caenogastrop ...

Bandel, 1992 * Scaliolidae Jousseaume, 1912 - monophyletic *

Semisulcospiridae Semisulcospiridae, common name semisulcospirids, is a family of freshwater snails, aquatic gilled gastropod mollusks with an operculum, in the superfamily Cerithioidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Semisulcospiridae J. P. E. Morris ...

J. P. E. Morrison, 1952 * Siliquariidae Anton, 1838 *

Thiaridae Thiaridae, common name thiarids or trumpet snails, is a family of tropical freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Thiaridae Gill, 1871 (1823). ...

Gill, 1871 (1823) - freshwater snails, polyphyletic *

Turritellidae Turritellidae, common name the "tower shells" or "tower snails", is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Sorbeoconcha. These snails are filter feeders. This method of feeding is somewhat ...

Lovén, 1847 - monophyletic * Zemelanopsidae Neiber & Glaubrecht, 2019 (Extinct taxa indicated by a

dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...

, †.) It is possible that a further detailed examination may show that the polyphyletic families

and

are one family. There is also a close phylogenetic relationship between the families

and

and between the families Cerithiidae and Litiopidae.

2006 taxonomy

Bandel (2006)Bandel K. (2006). "Families of the Cerithioidea and related superfamilies (Palaeo-Caenogastropoda; Mollusca) from the Triassic to the Recent characterized by protoconch morphology - including the description of new taxa". '' Freiberger Forschungshefte'' C 511: 59-138
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made numerous changes in Cerithioidea. He classified superfamily Cerithioidea in the clade Cerithimorpha. Changes include: superfamily Cerithioidea * family Bittiidae Cossmann, 1906 - consider Bittiidae in its own family level. It was as subfamily Bittiinae within Cerithiidae by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005. * family †

Maturifusidae Pseudotritoniidae is an extinct family of fossil sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Neogastropoda Neogastropoda is an order of sea snails, both freshwater and marine gastropod molluscs. Description The available fossil ...

- moved to Cerithioidea from Hypsogastropoda * family †

Canterburyellidae † Canterburyellidae is an extinct family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caeno ...

- moved to Cerithioidea from unallocated Sorbeoconcha * family † Prisciphoridae - moved to Cerithioidea from unallocated Sorbeoconcha * family † Zardinellopsidae Bandel, 2006 - new family * family

Pachymelaniidae Thiaridae, common name thiarids or trumpet snails, is a family of tropical freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cerithioidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Thiaridae Gill, 1871 (1823). ...

- considered as valid family. It was as synonym of Thiaridae. * some Pyrguliferidae members (a synonym) are in Paludomidae and some are in Paramelaniidae (instead of Thiaridae) * family Paramelaniidae at family level (instead of a synonym of Paludomidae) * and some moves to other taxa

2009 taxonomy

* Subfamily Semisulcospirinae within

was elevated to family level under the name

by Strong & Köhler (2009).

2017 Taxonomy

In the updated taxonomy by Bouchet et al. (2017)are listed below: * Batillariidae * †

* Cerithiidae * Dialidae *

* †

* Hemisinidae P. Fischer & Crosse, 1891 * †

* Litiopidae * †

* † Metacerithiidae *

* Pachychilidae * Paludomidae * Pelycidiidae * Pickworthiidae * Planaxidae *

* †

* Scaliolidae *

* Siliquariidae *

Unassigned: * '' Microstilifer'' Warén, 1980 The following two extinct families were moved out: *

† * Metacerithiidae †

References

External links

* Halder K. & Sinha P. (2014). "Some Eocene Cerithioids (Gastropoda, Mollusca) from Kutch, Western India, and Their Bearing on Palaeobiogeography of the Indian Subcontinent". ''

Paleontology Journal This is a list of academic journals published by Hindawi. A B C D E G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W References {{Reflist External linksList of journals published by Hindawi * Hindawi ...

'' 2014: Article ID 673469, 11 pp. . * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1055279 Sorbeoconcha