The family Fasciolariidae probably appeared about 110 million years ago during the
Cretaceous[1]
Distribution
The recent species inhabit tropical to temperate waters.
Description
The shells are usually reddish in color and have a moderate to large size, reaching a height between 1.0 and 60 cm. The shells are spindle-shaped and biconic. The
spire is elongated. The
siphonal canal is well developed and is long to moderately long. The
columella varies between a smooth appearance and showing spiral folds. The horny
operculum has an oval shape. Their
radula is characteristic with narrow central teeth with three cusps. The wide lateral teeth show numerous ctenoid (= comblike) cusps.
Snails in the family Fasciolariidae are carnivorous. They feed on other
gastropods and on
bivalves. Some also prey on
worms and
barnacles.
The snails are
gonochoristic, i.e. the individuals have just one sex. The female snails deposit their eggs in horny capsules either in a single form or in clusters arranged around a hollow axis. The single forms have a flattened, disk-shaped, or vase-shaped form. The clusters are hemispherical or cylindrical. Development is usually direct. The
larvae emerge from the capsules as free-swimming young or as crawling young.[1]
^WoRMS (2010). Pseudolatirus Bellardi, 1884. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=446090 on 2010-08-01
The family Fasciolariidae probably appeared about 110 million years ago during the
Cretaceous[1]
Distribution
The recent species inhabit tropical to temperate waters.
Description
The shells are usually reddish in color and have a moderate to large size, reaching a height between 1.0 and 60 cm. The shells are spindle-shaped and biconic. The
spire is elongated. The
siphonal canal is well developed and is long to moderately long. The
columella varies between a smooth appearance and showing spiral folds. The horny
operculum has an oval shape. Their
radula is characteristic with narrow central teeth with three cusps. The wide lateral teeth show numerous ctenoid (= comblike) cusps.
Snails in the family Fasciolariidae are carnivorous. They feed on other
gastropods and on
bivalves. Some also prey on
worms and
barnacles.
The snails are
gonochoristic, i.e. the individuals have just one sex. The female snails deposit their eggs in horny capsules either in a single form or in clusters arranged around a hollow axis. The single forms have a flattened, disk-shaped, or vase-shaped form. The clusters are hemispherical or cylindrical. Development is usually direct. The
larvae emerge from the capsules as free-swimming young or as crawling young.[1]
^WoRMS (2010). Pseudolatirus Bellardi, 1884. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=446090 on 2010-08-01