Turritellidae, with the

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...

"tower shells" or "tower snails", is a

taxonomic 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme of classes (a taxonomy) and the allocation ...

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 ...

of small- to medium-sized

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

Sorbeoconcha Sorbeoconcha is a taxonomic clade of snails, i.e. gastropods, mainly marine species with gills and opercula, within the clade Caenogastropoda. The taxon Sorbeoconcha was named by Winston Ponder and David R. Lindberg in 1997. Taxonomy 1997 t ...

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 ...

. They are

filter feeder Filter feeders are aquatic animals that acquire nutrients by feeding on organic matters, food particles or smaller organisms (bacteria, microalgae and zooplanktons) suspended in water, typically by having the water pass over or through a s ...

s; this method of feeding is somewhat unusual among gastropod mollusks, but is very common in

bivalves Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed by a calcified exoskeleton consis ...

Shell description

The shells of turritellid species have

whorls 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 diagram ...

that are more convex and their

apertures 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 of ...

being more circular than it is in the

auger shell The Terebridae, commonly referred to as auger shells or auger snails, is a family of predatory marine gastropods in the superfamily Conoidea.Gofas, S. (2012). Terebridae. World Register of Marine Specie2012-10-12 They have extremely high- Spire ...

s, which are similarly high-spired. 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 curved and the thin operculum has many horns.

Anatomy of the soft parts

These snails burrow into mud or sand, with their feet being relatively small. Seashell1

Turritella shells in Vienna Natural History Museum - IZE-2290b

Taxonomy

The following genera are recognised in the family Turritellidae: ;†Omalaxinae * †'' Omalaxis'' Deshayes, 1832 ;Orectospirinae * ''

Orectospira ''Orectospira'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae Turritellidae, with the common name "tower shells" or "tower snails", is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family (biology), family of small- to me ...

'' Dall, 1925 ;Pareorinae * †'' Batillona'' Finlay, 1927 * †'' Eligmostoma'' Cossmann, 1888 * ''

Mesalia ''Mesalia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae. Species Species within the genus ''Mesalia'' include: * ''Mesalia brevialis'' (Lamarck, 1822) * '' Mesalia flammifera'' (Locard, 1896) * '' Mesalia ...

'' Gray, 1847 * ''

Pareora Pareora is a small town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located close to State Highway 1, which bypasses the western edge of the town, and close to the Pacific Ocean coast, five kilometres north of Saint Andrews and 10 kilometres sou ...

'' Marwick, 1931 * †'' Sigmesalia'' H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937 ;Protominae * †'' Allmonia'' Harzhauser & Landau, 2019 * ''

Protoma ''Protoma'' is a genus of sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Turritellidae. Species Extant species within the genus ''Protoma'' include: * ''Protoma knockeri'' Baird, 1870 ; Species brought int ...

'' Baird, 1870 ;Turritellinae *''

Archimediella ''Archimediella'' is a genus of sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Turritellidae.MolluscaBase (2019). MolluscaBase. Archimediella Sacco, 1895. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species a ...

'' *''

Armatus Flavius Armatus (died 477), also known as Harmatius, was an Eastern Roman military commander, ''magister militum'' under Emperors Leo I, Basiliscus and Zeno, and consul. He was instrumental in the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his ...

'' *†'' Asiella'' *'' Banzarecolpus'' *'' Broderiptella'' *'' Callostracum'' *†'' Calvertitella'' *'' Caviturritella'' *†'' Colposigma'' *'' Colpospira'' *†'' Costacolpus'' *†''

Cristispira ''Cristispira'' is a genus of bacteria of the spirochaete phylum. They are known as large spirochetes. They are characterized by the host species in which they reside. They are known as harmless parasites of freshwater and marine molluscs and gas ...

'' *'' Gazameda'' *'' Haustator'' *'' Helminthia'' *'' Incatella'' *†''

Kapalmerella ''Kapalmerella'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae Turritellidae, with the common name "tower shells" or "tower snails", is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family (biology), f ...

'' *'' Maoricolpus'' *†'' Mariacolpus'' *†'' Nairiella'' *'' Neohaustator'' *†'' Nodosella'' *†'' Oligodia'' *†'' Peyrotia'' *†'' Ptychidia'' *†'' Roamerella'' *†'' Spirocolpus'' *'' Stiracolpus'' *†'' Tachyrhinchella'' *'' Tachyrhynchus'' *''

Torcula ''Turritella'' is a genus of medium-sized sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae.Vos, C.; Gofas, S. (2013). Turritella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www. ...

'' *†'' Torquesia'' *†'' Torquesiella'' *'' Tropicolpus'' *''

Turritella ''Turritella'' is a genus of medium-sized sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae.Vos, C.; Gofas, S. (2013). Turritella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www. ...

'' - the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of the family *'' Turritellinella'' *''

Vermicularia ''Vermicularia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod molluscs in the family (biology), family Turritellidae. Species Species within the genus ''Vermicularia'' include: * ''Vermicularia bathyalis'' Petuch, 2002 * ''Vermicul ...

'' *†'' Viennella'' *''

Zeacolpus ''Zeacolpus'' is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Turritellidae, known as the turritellas or tower shells.Vos, C. (2010). Zeacolpus Finlay, 1927. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World ...

'' ;Other * †'' Arcotia'' Stoliczka, 1867 * †'' Leptocolpus'' H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937

Palaeontological locations

* The

Turritellenplatte The Turritellenplatte of Ermingen ("Erminger Turritellenplatte" near Ulm, Germany) is a type of very rich, fossil-bearing rock which is of particular interest to geologists and paleontologists. It occurs in a very restricted outcrop and is protect ...

of Ermingen ("Erminger Turritellenplatte" near

Ulm Ulm () is the sixth-largest city of the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with around 129,000 inhabitants, it is Germany's 60th-largest city. Ulm is located on the eastern edges of the Swabian Jura mountain range, on the up ...

, Germany) is situated in the northern part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin (NAFB) and is of interest for its abundance of ''

turris''

shells within

sedimentary deposit Sedimentary rocks are types of rock formed by the cementation of sediments—i.e. particles made of minerals (geological detritus) or organic matter (biological detritus)—that have been accumulated or deposited at Earth's surface. Sedimentat ...

s. The fauna of the gastropod-rich sandstone reflects mainly towards near-coastal and shallow marine conditions. Petrographical and palaeontological data allow for a correlation with this area and the

Burdigalian The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age (geology), age or stage (stratigraphy), stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 annum, Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma (million years ago). Preceded by the Aquitanian (sta ...

age (Lower

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

epoch). Based on the Sr-isotope composition of

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

teeth in the area, the age of the area is about 18,5 Ma.Baier J. (2008). "Ein Beitrag zur Erminger Turritellenplatte (Mittlere Schwäbische Alb, SW-Deutschland)". ''Jahresbericht Mitt. oberrhein. geol. Ver.'', N.F. 90: 9-17. Stuttgart, .

References

External links

*
Selachian fauna of Turritellenplatte
Abstract of Baier et al. 2004

Abstract of Baier 2008

Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642
{{Authority control Gastropod families