''Cantharidella'' 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 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 ...

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

s in the subfamily

Trochinae 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 ...

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 ...

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.WoRMS (2013). Cantharidella Pilsbry, 1889. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=413456 on 2014-01-09

Description

This genus consists of small forms with much the aspect of tiny ''

Cantharidus ''Cantharidus'', common name the kelp shells, is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs of the family Trochidae, the top shells.Rosenberg, G.; Bouchet, P. (2013). Cantharidus Montfort, 1810. Accessed through: World Register of Marine S ...

''. They are usually polished, narrowly or not perforate. The shell is conical, and elongated.Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
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Distribution

This genus of marine species occurs off

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

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 ...

(New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia).

Species

Species within the genus ''Cantharidella'' include: * '' Cantharidella balteata'' (Philippi, 1849) * '' Cantharidella beachportensis'' Cotton & Godfrey, 1934 * '' Cantharidella ocellina'' (Hedley, 1911) * '' Cantharidella picturata'' (A. Adams & Angas, 1864) * '' Cantharidella rottnestensis'' Verco, 1911 * '' Cantharidella tiberiana'' (Crosse, 1863) ;Species brought into synonymy: * ''Cantharidella aurea'' Tenison-Woods, J.E., 1876: synonym of '' Cantharidella tiberiana'' (Crosse, 1863) * ''Cantharidella tesselata'' Tenison-Woods, J.E., 1878: synonym of '' Cantharidella tiberiana'' (Crosse, 1863) * ''Cantharidella tesselata'' (A. Adams, 1853): synonym of ''

Cantharidus tessellatus ''Cantharidus'', common name the kelp shells, is a genus of sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod molluscs of the family (biology), family Trochidae, the top shells.Rosenberg, G.; Bouchet, P. (2013). Cantharidus Montfort, 1810. Accessed th ...

'' (A. Adams, 1853)

Description

Distribution

Species

References

Further reading