Turritellidae
family of molluscs
Turritellidae, with the common name tower shells or tower snails, is a taxonomic family of small- to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the Sorbeoconcha clade.
They are filter feeders; this method of feeding is somewhat unusual among gastropod mollusks, but is very common in bivalves.
Shell description
The shells of turritellid species have whorls that are more convex and their apertures being more circular than it is in the auger shells, which are similarly high-spired. The columella is curved and the thin operculum has many horns.
Anatomy of the soft parts
These snails burrow into mud or sand, with their feet being relatively small.
Taxonomy
The following genera are recognised in the family Turritellidae:
†Omalaxinae
†Omalaxis Deshayes, 1832
Orectospirinae
Orectospira Dall, 1925
Pareorinae
†Batillona Finlay, 1927
†Eligmostoma Cossmann, 1888
Mesalia Gray, 1847
Pareora Marwick, 1931
†Sigmesalia H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Protominae
†Allmonia Harzhauser & Landau, 2019
Protoma Baird, 1870
Turritellinae
Archimediella Sacco, 1895
Armatus A. N. Golikov, 1986
†Asiella Kryachkova, 1969
Banzarecolpus A. W. B. Powell, 1957
Broderiptella Olsson, 1964
Callostracum E. A. Smith, 1909
†Calvertitella Petuch, 1988
Caviturritella Friend & B. M. Anderson, 2023
†Colposigma H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Colpospira J. Donald, 1900
†Costacolpus Marwick, 1966
†Cristispira Allison, 1965
Gazameda Iredale, 1924
Haustator Montfort, 1810
Helminthia Handmann, 1882
Incatella DeVries, 2007
†Kapalmerella Allmon, 2005
Maoricolpus H. J. Finlay, 1926
†Mariacolpus Petuch, 1988
†Nairiella Hacobjan, 1969
Neohaustator Ida, 1952
†Nodosella Hacobjan, 1969
†Oligodia Handmann, 1882
†Peyrotia Cossmann, 1912
†Ptychidia Handmann, 1882
†Roamerella S. K. Donovan & van den Hoek Ostende, 2013
†Spirocolpus H. J. Finlay, 1926
Stiracolpus H. J. Finlay, 1926
†Tachyrhinchella Titova, 1994
Tachyrhynchus Mörch, 1868
Torcula J. E. Gray, 1847
†Torquesia H. Douvillé, 1929
†Torquesiella Pchelintsev, 1969
Tropicolpus Marwick, 1931
Turritella Lamarck, 1799 - the type genus of the family
Turritellinella Harzhauser & Landau, 2019
Vermicularia Lamarck, 1799
†Viennella Harzhauser & Landau, 2019
Zeacolpus H. J. Finlay, 1926
Other
†Arcotia Stoliczka, 1867
†Leptocolpus H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Palaeontological locations
The Turritellenplatte of Ermingen ("Erminger Turritellenplatte" near Ulm, Germany) is situated in the northern part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin (NAFB) and is of interest for its abundance of Turritella turris gastropod shells within sedimentary deposits. The fauna of the gastropod-rich sandstone reflects mainly towards near-coastal and shallow marine conditions. Petrographical and palaeontological data allow for a correlation with this area and the Burdigalian age (Lower Miocene epoch). Based on the Sr-isotope composition of shark teeth in the area, the age of the area is about 18,5 Ma.
References
Further reading
Mayr H. (1985).
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