''Merica'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

sea snail Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...

s, marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusk Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. Some of the shells of the species in this ...

, the nutmeg snails.

Species

Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & Harasewych, 1986) * ''

Merica asperella ''Merica asperella'', common name the elegant nutmeg, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small ...

'' (Lamarck, 1822) * '' Merica boucheti'' (Petit & Harasewych, 1986) * † ''

Merica crenata ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † ''Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * ''Merica aqual ...

'' (Hörnes, 1856) * '' Merica deynzeri'' Petit & Harasewych, 2000 * '' Merica ektyphos'' Petit & Harasewych, 2000 * '' Merica elegans'' (G.B. Sowerby I, 1822) * † '' Merica estotiensis'' Lozouet, 2019 * ''

Merica gigantea ''Merica gigantea'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, marin ...

'' (Lee & Lan, 2002) * † '' Merica krocki'' Kovács & Vicián, 2016 * ''

Merica laticosta ''Merica laticosta'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, mari ...

'' (Löbbecke, 1881) * '' Merica lussii'' Petit & Harasewych, 2000 * ''

Merica marisca ''Merica marisca'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Description The length of the shell attains 25.4 mm. Distribution This marine species occurs off New Caledonia N ...

'' Bouchet & Petit, 2002 * ''

Merica melanostoma ''Merica melanostoma'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Subspecies * ''Merica melanostoma melanostoma'' (Sowerby, G.B. II, 1849) * ''Merica melanostoma westralis'' (Garrard, ...

'' (G.B. Sowerby II, 1849) * † ''

Merica mutabilis ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & H ...

'' Lozouet, 2019 * ''

Merica oblonga ''Merica oblonga'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, marine ...

'' (G.B. Sowerby I, 1825) * †''

Merica obsoleta ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & H ...

'' (Hörnes, 1856) * ''

Merica pilasensis ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & H ...

'' Verhecken, 2018 * ''

Merica purpuriformis ''Merica purpuriformis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, ...

'' (Kiener, 1841) * ''

Merica semperiana ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, marine (ocean), ...

'' (Crosse, 1863) * ''

Merica sinensis ''Merica sinensis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae Cancellariidae, common name the nutmeg snails or nutmeg shells, are a family (biology), family of small to medium-large sea snails, marin ...

'' (Reeve, 1856) * ''

Merica stuardoi ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & H ...

'' (McLean & Andrade, 1982) * † ''

Merica succineiformis ''Merica'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Merica'' include: * † '' Merica admirabilis'' Lozouet, 2019 * '' Merica aqualica'' (Petit & H ...

'' (Boettger, 1906) * ''

Merica undulata ''Merica undulata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails.MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Merica undulata (G. B. Sowerby II, 1849). Accessed through: World Register of Mari ...

'' (G. B. Sowerby II, 1849) * '' Merica westralis'' (Garrard, 1975) Synonyms: * ''Merica (Merica)'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854: alternate representation of ''Merica'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 * ''Merica (Sydaphera)'' Iredale, 1929: synonym of '' Sydaphera'' Iredale, 1929 * †''Merica haweraensis'' Laws, 1940: synonym of † ''

Scalptia haweraensis ''Scalptia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Scalptia'' include: * '' Scalptia aliguayensis'' Verhecken, 2008 * '' Scalptia androyensis'' Ve ...

'' (Laws, 1940) * † ''Merica kaiparaensis'' Laws, 1939: synonym of † ''

Scalptia kaiparaensis ''Scalptia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Scalptia'' include: * ''Scalptia aliguayensis'' Verhecken, 2008 * ''Scalptia ...

'' (Laws, 1939) (original combination) * † ''Merica mioquadrata'' Sacco, 1894: synonym of † ''

Perplicaria mioquadrata ''Perplicaria'' is a genus of sea snails, marine Gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails. Species Species within the genus ''Perplicaria'' include: * † ''Perplicaria aquitanica'' (Peyrot, 1928) * ' ...

'' (Sacco, 1894) (nov. comb.) * † ''Merica pukeuriensis'' Finlay, 1930: synonym of † '' Scalptia pukeuriensis'' (Finlay, 1930)

References

* Petit, R.E. & Harasewych, M.G. (2000). Three new species of the genus Merica (Neogastropoda: Cancellariidae) from South Africa and the Philippines. The Nautilus. 114(4): 142–148.

External links

Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1853-1858). The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization. London, van Voorst.

Hemmen J. (2007) ''Recent Cancellariidae. Annotated and illustrated catalogue of Recent Cancellariidae. Privately published, Wiesbaden. 428 pp. [With amendments and corrections taken from Petit R.E. (2012) A critique of, and errata for, Recent Cancellariidae by Jens Hemmen, 2007''. Conchologia Ingrata 9: 1-8
Cancellariidae {{Cancellariidae-stub