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
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 ...
Raphitomidae
Raphitomidae is a Family (biology), family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.) (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families" ...
.
This genus is closely related to ''
Pseudodaphnella
''Pseudodaphnella'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Raphitomidae.
In the past this generic name, ''Pseudodaphnella'', has been refused recognition by most modern writers, who have distributed i ...
'' Boettger, 1895. They form together a genus-complex with a highly underestimated diversity, leading to intermixed
clade
In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...
s. The lack of morphologic criteria requires the generic assignment of several species clearly to be reconsidered.
Description
The elongate, fusiform shell has a narrow
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 ...
that is nearly half the length of the shell. The
protoconch
A protoconch (meaning first or earliest or original shell) is an embryonic or larval shell which occurs in some classes of molluscs, e.g., the initial chamber of an ammonite or the larval shell of a gastropod. In older texts it is also called " ...
consists of two
whorl
A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs).
In nature
File:Photograph and axial plane floral diagra ...
s. But only in a few species the
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
of the protoconch is coarsely diagonally reticulate. The shell structure is reticulate with glossy nodules on the intersections of the ribs and lirae. The
siphonal canal
The siphonal canal is an anatomical feature of the shells of certain groups of sea snails within the clade Neogastropoda. Some sea marine gastropods have a soft tubular anterior extension of the mantle called a siphon through which water i ...
is short and wide. The U-shaped or linguiform anal sinus is deep, located near the suture and is surrounded by a thick outer
lip
The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...
. The outer lip is denticulate within. The
columella
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (, Arabic: ) was a prominent Roman writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire.
His in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture and ancient Roman cuisin ...
is smooth.
Distribution
This marine genus is widely distributed in the Indo Pacific, from the
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
to
Easter Island
Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...
; off
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 ...
, Australia
Species
Species within the genus ''Kermia'' include:
* ''
Kermia aegyptiaca
''Kermia aegyptiaca'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 6 mm.
Distribution
This species occurs in the Red Sea off Hurghada, Egypt
References
Extern ...
'' Kilburn & Dekker, 2008
* ''
Kermia aglaia
''Kermia aglaia'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 10 mm, its diameter 3 mm.
A graceful, attenuate, fusiform species. The shell contains 11 - 12 whorl ...
Kermia albifuniculata
''Kermia albifuniculata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
Distribution
This species occurs off New Caledonia and Mauritius
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, i ...
'' (Reeve, 1846)
* ''
Kermia alveolata
''Kermia alveolata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family (biology), family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 5.2 mm, its diameter 2.3 mm.
The solid, elongate shell has a uniform ...
'' (Dautzenberg, 1912)
* ''
Kermia aniani
''Kermia aniani'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 3.1 mm, its diameter 1.2 mm.
Distribution
This marine species occurs off Hawaii and Tahiti
...
'' Kay, 1979
* ''
Kermia apicalis
''Kermia apicalis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.MolluscaBase (2019). MolluscaBase. Kermia apicalis (Montrouzier, 1861). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marine ...
'' (Montrouzier in Souverbie, 1861)
* ''
Kermia benhami
''Kermia benhami'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 4 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.
(Original description) The shell is fusiform. The body whorl ...
'' Oliver, 1915
* ''
Kermia bifasciata
''Kermia bifasciata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
It was assigned to ''Kermia'' by Kay, 1979
Description
The length of the shell varies between 5.32 mm and 8.04 mm.
(Original de ...
Kermia caletria
''Kermia caletria'' is a species of sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae. Measuring a length of 4.5 mm, with a 1.5 mm diameter, the species is white and slightly ochraceous at the sutures. It contains seven whorls, tu ...
'' (Melvill & Standen, 1896)
* ''
Kermia canistra
''Kermia canistra'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 12 mm.
(Original description) The subulate shell is rather solid. The adult shell contains s ...
'' (Hedley, 1922)
* ''
Kermia catharia
''Kermia catharia'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 4 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.
The small delicate, white shell has an ovate-fusiform shape. ...
Kermia crassula
''Kermia crassula'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 2.4 mm and 3.1 mm.
Distribution
This marine species occurs off Easter Island
East ...
Kermia tessellata
''Kermia tessellata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The shell grows to a length of 10 mm
The whorls are granular, decussated with longitudinal and spiral lines. They are pai ...
'' (Hinds, 1843)
* ''
Kermia thespesia
''Kermia thespesia'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 6 mm, its diameter 2.5 mm.
(Original description) A beautiful species, by the descript ...
Pseudodaphnella barnardi
''Pseudodaphnella barnardi'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.MolluscaBase (2019). MolluscaBase. Pseudodaphnella barnardi (Brazier, 1876). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: htt ...
'' (Brazier, 1876)
* ''Kermia chrysolitha'' (Melvill & Standen, 1896): synonym of ''Kermia punctifera'' (Garrett, 1873)
* ''Kermia clandestina'' Deshayes, 1863: synonym of ''Kermia pumila clandestina'' (Deshayes, 1863)
* ''Kermia edychroa'' (Hervier, 1897): synonym of '' Exomilus edychrous'' (Hervier, 1897)
* ''Kermia gracilis'' de Folin, 1879 : synonym of '' Exomilus edychrous'' (Hervier, 1897)
* ''Kermia hirsuta'' (de Folin, 1867): synonym of ''
Microdaphne trichodes
''Microdaphne trichodes'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Description
The length of the shell attains 3.4 mm.
The shell is yellowish white, the earlier whorls darker. Pseudodaphnella oligoina'' Hedley, 1922
* ''Kermia picta'' Dunker, 1871: synonym of '' Philbertia felina'' (Reeve, 1843)
* ''Kermia pyrgodea'' (Melvill, 1917): synonym of ''Kermia producta'' (Pease, 1860)
* ''Kermia receptoria'' (Melvill & Standen, 1901): synonym of '' Daphnella receptoria'' Melvill & Standen, 1901
* ''Kermia rufolirata'' (Hervier, 1897): synonym of '' Pseudodaphnella rufolirata'' (Hervier, 1897)
* ''Kermia semilineata'' Garrett, 1873 : synonym of ''Kermia granosa'' (Dunker, 1871)
* ''Kermia spelaeodea'' (Hervier, 1897): synonym of '' Pseudodaphnella infrasulcata'' (Garrett, 1873)
* ''Kermia subspurca'' (Hervier, 1896): synonym of '' Hemilienardia subspurca'' (Hervier, 1896)
* ''Kermia thereganum'' Melvill & Standen, 1896: synonym of ''Kermia lutea'' (Pease, 1860)
* ''Kermia violacea'' Pease, W.H., 1868 : synonym of ''Kermia pumila'' (Mighels, 1845)
;Species that are nomem dubium:
* '' Kermia foraminata'' (Reeve, 1845)
References
* Bouchet P., Kantor Yu.I., Sysoev A. & Puillandre N. (2011) ''A new operational classification of the Conoidea''. Journal of Molluscan Studies 77: 273-308.
* Powell, A.W.B. 1966. T''he molluscan families Speightiidae and Turridae, an evaluation of the valid taxa, both Recent and fossil, with list of characteristic species.'' Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland, New Zealand 5: 1–184, pls 1–23
* Kilburn, R. N. 2009. ''Genus Kermia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea: Conidae: Raphitominae) in South African waters, with observations on the identities of related extralimital species.'' African Invertebrates 50(2): 217-236