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 Species 2012-10-12 They have extremely high-spired shells with numerous whorls; their common name refers to the resemblance of their shells to rock-drill bit. More than 400 species are recently known worldwide.Terryn, Y. (2007): A Collectors Guide to Recent Terebridae (Mollusca: Neogastropoda). 57 pp., 65 color plts. ConchBooks & NaturalArt, Hackenheim & Gent, * Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. (2020). Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies, Volume 85, Issue 4, November 2019
Taxonomy This family consists of the following subfamilies (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005): Terebrinae Mörch, 1852 - synonyms: Acusidae; Acidae Gray, 1853 (inv.) Pellifroniinae Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 (with de deep-water genera Pellifronia and Bathyterebra) Pervicaciinae Rudman, 1969 (with the predominantly Indo-Pacific genera Duplicaria and Partecosta).
In 2019 there was a comprehensive revision of the taxonomy of the Terebridae by Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. in the Journal of Molluscan Studies, including the definition of new genera and the redistribution of many species to other genera.
Shell description The shells of the sea snails in this family are typically shaped like slender augers or screws. In that respect they share certain shell characters with the family Turritellidae, the turret shells.
One characteristic that distinguishes Terebridae from Turritellidae is the short anterior canal or notch in the aperture of the shell. Terebridae shells also tend to have characteristically flattened versus convex whorls, and they often have one or two plaits on the columella.
Numerous species in this family are grouped under the genera Terebra or Hastula, and a minority of species are placed in four other genera.
Life habits These snails are sand-dwelling carnivores which live in warmer waters. In most species, a venomous barb similar to that of the cone snails, (see Conidae), is used to stun and immobilize prey, which typically consists of various marine worms.
Genera Genera in the family Terebridae include:Gofas, S. (2010). Terebridae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=160424 on 2010-04-01 Bathyterebra Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 Cinguloterebra Oyama, 1961 Clathroterebra Oyama, 1961 Duplicaria Dall, 1908 Euterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 Gemmaterebra Cotton, 1952 Gradaterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 Granuliterebra Oyama, 1961 Hastula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Hastulopsis Oyama, 1961 † Kaweka Marwick, 1931 Maculauger Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 Microtrypetes Pilsbry & Lowe, 1932 † Mirula Palmer, 1942 Myurella Hinds, 1844 Myurellopsis Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 Neoterebra Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 Oxymeris Dall, 1903 Partecosta Dance & Eames, 1966 Pellifronia Terryn & Holford, 2008 Perirhoe Dall, 1908 Pristiterebra Oyama, 1961 Profunditerebra Fedosov, Malcolm, Terryn, Gorson, Modica, Holford & Puillandre, 2020 Punctoterebra Bartsch, 1923 Strioterebrum Sacco, 1891 Terebra Bruguière, 1789 -- type taxon † Zeacuminia Finlay, 1930
Genera brought into synonymy Abretia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Oxymeris Dall, 1903 (invalid: junior homonym of Abretia Rafinesque, 1814; Abretiella is a replacement name) Abretiella Bartsch, 1923: synonym of Oxymeris Dall, 1903 Acuminia Dall, 1908: synonym of Hastula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Acus Gray, 1847: synonym of Oxymeris Dall, 1903 (invalid: junior homonym of Acus Lacépède, 1803 [Pisces]; Oxymeris is a replacement name) Brevimyurella Oyama, 1961: synonym of Punctoterebra Bartsch, 1923 Cinguloterebra Oyama, 1961: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Clathroterebra Oyama, 1961: synonym of Myurella Hinds, 1845 Decorihastula Oyama, 1961: synonym of Myurella Hinds, 1844 Dimidacus Iredale, 1929: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Diplomeriza Dall, 1919: synonym of Duplicaria Dall, 1908 Egentelaria Rehder, 1980: synonym of Hastula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Euterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932: synonym of Duplicaria Dall, 1908 Gradaterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932: synonym of Euterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 Hastulina Oyama, 1961: synonym of Hastula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Impages E. A. Smith, 1873: synonym of Hastula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Laeviacus Oyama, 1961: synonym of Pristiterebra Oyama, 1961 Myurellina Bartsch, 1923: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Myurellisca Bartsch, 1923: synonym of Duplicaria Dall, 1908 Noditerebra Cossmann, 1896 †: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Nototerebra Cotton, 1947: synonym of Oxymeris Dall, 1903 Panaterebra Olsson, 1967: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Paraterebra Woodring, 1928: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Partecosta Dance & Eames, 1966: synonym of Euterebra Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 Pervicacia Iredale, 1924: synonym of Duplicaria Dall, 1908 Subula Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Terebrina Bartsch, 1923: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 (invalid: junior homonym of Terebrina Rafinesque, 1815; Dimidacus is a replacement name) Terebrum Montfort, 1810: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Terenolla Iredale, 1929: synonym of Myurella Hinds, 1845 Triplostephanus Dall, 1908: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789 Vertagus Link, 1807: synonym of Terebra Bruguière, 1789
References
Bratcher T. & Cernohorsky W.O. (1987). Living terebras of the world. A monograph of the recent Terebridae of the world. American Malacologists, Melbourne, Florida & Burlington, Massachusetts. 240pp Terryn, Y. (2007). Terebridae: A Collectors Guide. Conchbooks & Natural Art. 59pp + plates.
External links
Gray J.E. (1853). On the division of ctenobranchous gasteropodous Mollusca into larger groups and families. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. ser. 2, 11: 124–132 Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. (2020). Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies.
Terebridae, Auger Shells Terebra dislocata, Atlantic Auger or Eastern Auger NC Sea Grant, Seashells of North Carolina Field Guide
Shell Catalogue Family Terebridae and Terebridae Images
Further reading Terryn Y. & Holford M. (2008). "The Terebridae of Vanuatu, with a revision of the * Granuliterebra Oyama, 1961". Visaya Supplement 3 (Malacological Journal of Conchology, Inc., Cebu, Philippines).
External links
Terebridae at Seashells of New South Wales Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642 Fedosov, A. E.; Malcolm, G.; Terryn, Y.; Gorson, J.; Modica, M. V.; Holford, M.; Puillandre, N. (2020). Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies