Family Aporrhaidae
Aporrhais is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Aporrhaidae and the superfamily Stromboidea.
The genus is known from the Triassic to the Recent periods (age range: 205.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils of species within this genus have been found all over the world
Family: Aporrhaidae
Aporrhais pespelecani, common name the "pelican's foot" (or more precisely "common pelican's foot" to distinguish it from congeners), is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Aporrhaidae.
Until the early 20th century the scientific name was usually written with a hyphen and spelled "pes-pelicani"
This snail lives in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea [2] and also in the Black Sea[
This species of sea snail lives below the low tide level, in the sublittoral zone, from 10 to 130 m depth, on mud or muddy sand. The empty shells do sometimes wash up on beaches however. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Family Cymatiidae.
Cymatium is a genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cymatiidae.
This genus has numerous species, perhaps as many as 100, some of which have a worldwide distribution. The genus has been divided into at least 10 subgenera. Some authors have elevated those subgenera, giving them the full status of genera, but this is by no means universally accepted.
Fossil records
This genus is known in the fossil records from the Eocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 55.8 to 0.012 million years ago).
Description
These sea snails have separate sexes. They lay egg capsules. After hatching, the larvae have a planktonic stage that can (in some species) last several months; this is what enables the very widespread distribution seen in certain species, as the planktonic larvae can be carried great distances before settling to the sea floor. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photo by George Konstantinou
Family Gastrochaenidae
Gastrochaena is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Gastrochaenidae. The type species of this genus is Gastrochaena cuneiformis.
The rock boring bivalve Gastrochaena dubia (Pennant, 1777) can also live freely on soft substrata, within a claviform crypt consisting of a thick, coarsely agglutinated external layer and an inner lining. Examination of Pleistocene material from Monte Mario, Rome (Cerulli-Irelli collection), allows an understanding of the ecological requirements necessary for this life habit and provides new information about crypt functional morphology and construction. The crypt of G. dubia rests subhorizontally, partly buried and with the siphonal tip emerging from the substratum. A low-energy substratum, with a sandy-muddy texture rich in a coarse biogenic fraction, is the main ecological requirement. Through a process of dissolution and re-secretion, G. dubia enlarges the crypt during growth, particularly anteriorly. The agglutinated, blistered structure of the external layer seems to be formed by means of mucous "bubbles" which mineralise, incorporating sand grains and bioclasts. An elongate, thin appendage of the foot seems to be involved in this process. The same foot appendage produces thin tubules which penetrate the crypt wall. They have a probing function in the boring life-habit, but it is not known if they have any function in the free tube-dwelling habit. From Rafael La Perna - Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
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Family Cardiidae.
Acanthocardia is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae. They are infaunal suspension feeders.
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Family: Dentaliidae
Dentalium is a large genus of tooth shells or tusk shells, marine scaphopod molluscs in the family Dentaliidae. The genus contains 50 described species and about 50 extinct species
The mantle of Dentalium species is entirely within the shell. The foot extends from the larger end of the shell, and is used to burrow through the substrate. They position their head down in the substrate, with the apical end of the shell (at the rear of the animal's body) projecting up into the water. These molluscs live on seafloor sediment, feeding on microscopic organisms, detritus and foraminiferans.
The shells are conical and curved in a planispiral way, and they are usually whitish in color. Because of these characteristics, the shell somewhat resembles a miniature elephant's tusk. They are hollow and open at both ends; the opening at the larger end is the main or anterior aperture of the shell. The smaller opening is known as the apical aperture..From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Family: Dentaliidae
Dentalium is a large genus of tooth shells or tusk shells, marine scaphopod molluscs in the family Dentaliidae. The genus contains 50 described species and about 50 extinct species
The mantle of Dentalium species is entirely within the shell. The foot extends from the larger end of the shell, and is used to burrow through the substrate. They position their head down in the substrate, with the apical end of the shell (at the rear of the animal's body) projecting up into the water. These molluscs live on seafloor sediment, feeding on microscopic organisms, detritus and foraminiferans.
The shells are conical and curved in a planispiral way, and they are usually whitish in color. Because of these characteristics, the shell somewhat resembles a miniature elephant's tusk. They are hollow and open at both ends; the opening at the larger end is the main or anterior aperture of the shell. The smaller opening is known as the apical aperture..From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Family Chamidae
Chama is a genus of cemented saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Chamidae, the jewel boxes
This genus is known in the fossil record from the Cretaceous period to the Quaternary period (age range 130.0 to 0.0 million years ago.). Fossil shells within this genus have been found all over the world
Photos by George Konstantinou
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Family Vermetidae
Vermetus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails or worm shells.
The genus Vermetus is very ancient: it occurs in the fossil record from the Jurassic to the Quaternary (age range: from 164.7 to 0.0 million years ago)
Photos by George Konstantinou
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Family Columbellidae
Mitrella is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Columbellidae, the dove shells or dove snails
Photos by George Konstantinou
Family Columbellidae
Mitrella is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Columbellidae, the dove shells or dove snails
Photos by George Konstantinou
Family Cylichnidae
Cylichna cylindracea is a species of gastropods belonging to the family Cylichnidae.
The species is found in America, Europe, Africa. It is a predator of foraminiferans, Ammonia batavus and Globobulimina turgida
Photos by Demetris Kolokotronis
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