''Synaptocochlea'' 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 ...
of very small
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 ...
Trochidae
The Trochidae, common name top-snails or top-shells, are a family of various sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is commonly known as the top-snails because in many species the shell resembles ...
, the top snails.
Description
The oval shell is intermediate between ''
Stomatella
''Stomatella'' is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Trochidae, the top snails and their allies.
Lamarck in the Philos. Zool., 1809, mentioned the genus as "Stom ...
'' and ''Gena'' in contour. The very short
spire
A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...
is sub-marginal. The surface is spirally striated or decussated. The very large
aperture
In optics, the aperture of an optical system (including a system consisting of a single lens) is the hole or opening that primarily limits light propagated through the system. More specifically, the entrance pupil as the front side image o ...
is longer than it is wide. The animal has an
operculum.
Distribution
This marine genus occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific, Indo-Malaysia,
Oceania
Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...
and off Australia (
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
,
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
,
Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
)
Species
Species within the genus ''Synaptocochlea'' include:
* ''
Synaptocochlea asperulata''
(A. Adams, 1850)
* ''
Synaptocochlea belmonti''
Simone, 2009
* ''
Synaptocochlea caliginosa''
H. & A. Adams, 1863
* ''
Synaptocochlea concinna''
(Gould, 1845)
* ''
Synaptocochlea granosa''
(Lambert, 1874)
* ''
Synaptocochlea montrouzieri''
(Pilsbry, 1890)
* ''
Synaptocochlea picta''
(d'Orbigny, 1847)
* ''
Synaptocochlea pulchella''
(A. Adams, 1850)
* ''
Synaptocochlea stellata''
(Souverbie, 1863)
The Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database also mentions the following species
OBIS: ''Synaptocochlea''
/ref>
* '' Synaptocochlea hexagonum'' Philippi, 1850
* '' Synaptocochlea tursicus'' Reeve, 1848
; Species brought into synonymy:
* ''Synaptocochlea inconcinna'' auct. non Pilsbry, 1921: synonym of '' Synaptocochlea picta'' (d'Orbigny, 1847)
* ''Synaptocochlea lactea'' Usticke, 1959: synonym of '' Synaptocochlea picta'' (d'Orbigny, 1847)
* ''Synaptocochlea nigrita'' Rehder, 1939: synonym of '' Synaptocochlea picta'' (d'Orbigny, 1847)
* ''Synaptocochlea picta'' (Montrouzier in Souverbie & Montrouzier, 1862): synonym of ''Synaptocochlea montrouzieri'' (Pilsbry, 1890)
References
* Vaught, K.C. (1989). ''A classification of the living Mollusca''. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp.
External links
Pilsbry, H. A. (1890-1891). Manual of conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species. Ser. 1. Vol. 12: Stomatellidae, Scissurellidae, Pleurotomariidae, Haliotidae, Scutellinidae, Addisoniidae, Cocculinidae, Fissurellidae. pp 1-323, pls 1-65. Philadelphia, published by the Conchological Section, Academy of Natural Sciences.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3177327
Trochidae
Gastropod genera