† ''Bembexia'' 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
fossil
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 preserve ...
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. This genus is placed in the subfamily
Eotomariinae, of 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 ...
Eotomariidae
Eotomariidae is an extinct family of gastropods in the clade Vetigastropoda
Vetigastropoda is a major taxonomic group of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks that form a very ancient lineage. Taxonomically the Vetigastropoda are sometimes ...
. The shell characters resemble those of
Balbinipleura. These snails have been interpreted as herbivorous, probably grazing on algae.
These fossils are found in sedimentary rocks deposited from 340 to , including the
Hamilton Group of eastern North America. Other fossil sites include
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
,
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
including the
UK,
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.
Species
Species within the genus ''Bembexia'' include:
* ''
Bembexia adjutor''
* ''
Bembexia babini''
* ''
Bembexia chapernowni''
* ''
Bembexia crenatostriata''
* ''
Bembexia disjuncta''
* ''
Bembexia gradilispira''
* ''
Bembexia headillus''
* ''
Bembexia insolita''
* ''
Bembexia inumbilicata''
* ''
Bembexia laevis''
* ''
Bembexia larteti''
* ''
Bembexia micula''
* ''
Bembexia minima''
* ''
Bembexia neapolitana''
* ''
Bembexia planidorsalis''
* ''
Bembexia procteri''
* ''
Bembexia seminuda''
* ''
Bembexia testis''
References
*
*
*
Eotomariidae
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