The Ranellidae, common name the triton shells or tritons, are a taxonomic family of small to very large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the order Littorinimorpha.
Distribution The Tritons are principally equatorial in their geographical distribution, and belong more especially to the Asiatic fauna. Those with the siphonal canal very much produced are obtained from deep water. The cancellated forms are from sand, in deep water; and those covered with an epidermis are chiefly from sandy mud, in from six to thirty fathoms.Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1853–1858). The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization. London, van Voorst. Vol. 1: xl + 484 pp.; vol. 2: 661 pp.; vol. 3: 138 pls
Subfamilies According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, the family Ranellidae consisted of two subfamilies: Ranellinae Gray, 1854 – synonyms: Agrobuccininae Kilias, 1973; Simpulidae Dautzenberg, 1900; Gyrineinae Higo & Goto, 1993 (n.a.) Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 (1854) – synonyms: Tritoniidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 (inv.); Neptunellinae Gray, 1854; Lampusiidae Newton, 1891; Lotoriidae Harris, 1897; Septidae Dall & Simpson, 1901; Aquillidae Pilsbry, 1904; Nyctilochidae Dall, 1912; Charoniinae Powell, 1933
The Cymatiinae now form a separate family: Cymatiidae.
Genera The family Ranellidae contains the following genera: † Ameranella Beu, 1988 † Antarctiranella Stilwell, Zinsmeister & Oleinik, 2004 † Crassicymatium Beu, 2010 Obscuranella Kantor & Harasewych, 2000 Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858 Ranella Lamarck, 1816 † Ranellina – assigned to Bursidae by Palmer and Brann in 1966 † Trachytriton Meek, 1864
Synonyms Subfamily Charoniinae Powell, 1933: synonym of Charoniidae Powell, 1933 Subfamily Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 (1854): synonym of Cymatiidae Iredale, 1913 Subfamily Ranellinae Gray, 1854: synonym of Ranellidae Gray, 1854 Dissentoma Pilsbry, 1945: synonym of Monoplex Perry, 1810 (junior subjective synonym) Eugyrina Dall, 1904: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816 Gyrina Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816 † Gyrinopsis Dall, 1925: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816 (invalid: junior homonym of Gyrinopsis Handlirsch, 1906 [Coleoptera]) Liohindsia Coen, 1947: synonym of Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858 Mayena Iredale, 1917: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816 † Mediargo Terry, 1968: synonym of Argobuccinum Herrmannsen, 1846
References
Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia. 47(1–2): 1-397
Further reading Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 Glen Pownall, New Zealand Shells and Shellfish, Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979
External links Beu A. G. (1998). Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM: 19. Indo-West Pacific Ranellidae, Bursidae and Personidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda), a monograph of the New Caledonian fauna and revisions of related taxa. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. 178: 1-255 Strong E. E., Puillandre N., Beu A. G., Castelin M. & Bouchet P. (2019). Frogs and tuns and tritons – A molecular phylogeny and revised family classification of the predatory gastropod superfamily Tonnoidea (Caenogastropoda). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 130: 18-34