Cerithiidae, common name the cerithiids or ceriths, is a large family of medium-sized marine gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha.
Distribution Ceriths are found worldwide on sandy bottoms, reef flats or coral reef rock covered with sand and algae in the sublittoral zone of warm or temperate waters. Most are found in tropical areas. A few occur along the European coastline and about 30 species in two genera are found along the American coast. A few species occur in estuarine areas of mangrove forests close to the sea. Only a few species of the subfamily Bittiinae are found in deep water.
Diet Ceriths are herbivores and detritivores that graze the sea bed.
Description Their slender shell is elongated with a pointed spire. They vary in size from 3 mm (Bittium alternatum) to 150 mm (Cerithium nodulosum). The smallest shells are found in the subfamily Bittiinae.
The many whorls have radial sculpture with axial ridges and nodules. The aperture shows at its base a vague curve or a distinct siphonal canal. The aperture is closed off by a thin oval brown operculum that is corneous and paucispiral. The palatal wall of the aperture is somewhat enlarged and often shows a varix.
The taenioglossan radula has seven teeth in each row. The single rachidian tooth is flanked on each side by one rhomboidal lateral tooth and two long, hook-like marginal teeth.
Taxonomy Subfamilies The following three subfamilies have been recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005): Alabininae Dall, 1927 Bittiinae Cossmann, 1906Cossmann (1906). Essais de paléoconchologie comparée 7: 64, 137. Cerithiinae Fleming, 1822 - synonyms: Rhinoclavinae Gründel, 1982; Colininae Golikov & Starobogatov, 1987
Bandel (2006)Bandel K. (2006). "Families of the Cerithioidea and related superfamilies (Palaeo-Caenogastropoda; Mollusca) from the Triassic to the Recent characterized by protoconch morphology - including the description of new taxa". Freiberger Forschungshefte C 511: 59-138. PDF. used different classification: Bittiinae on its own family level named Diastomatidae (overview of WoRMS).
Some authors classify Argyropezinae Bandel, 2006 as a synonym of Bittiinae.Gofas, S. (2011). Bittiinae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=411649 on 2011-06-26
Genera The following genera are recognised in the family Cerithiidae:
Alabina - type genus of the subfamily Alabininae, the type species of the genus Alabina is extinct Argyropeza †Bezanconia Bittiolum Bittium - type genus of the subfamily Bittiinae, †Bogatschevia Cacozeliana Cassiella †Cerithidella Cerithidium Cerithioclava Cerithium - type genus of the subfamily Cerithiinae, †Chavanicerithium Clavocerithium Clypeomorus Colina †Conocerithium Dahlakia Fastigiella †Globulocerithium Glyptozaria Gourmya Ittibittium †Jetwoodsia Limatium Liocerithium Lirobittium †Manulona †Megistocerithium †Mesostomella Neostylidium †Occidentocerithium †Orthochetus †Peraubium Pictorium †Pseudoaluco Pseudovertagus †Ptychocerithium Rhinoclavis Royella †Semibittium †Taxonia †Texmelanatria Varicopeza Zebittium †Zefallacia
References
Houbrick R. S. (1978). The family Cerithiidae in the Indo-Pacific. Part 1. The genera Rhinoclavis, Pseudovertagus and Clavocerithium. Monographs of Marine Mollusca 1: 1–130. Houbrick R. S. (1992). Monograph of the genus Cerithium Bruguiere in the Indo-Pacific (Cerithiidae--Prosobranchia). 211 p., Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, D.C.)], PDF. Wood, Elvira. The Phylogeny of Certain Cerithidae, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume XXIV, New York, May 1910, pp. 1–92, Pl. I-IX.
External links Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642 Houbrick, Richard S. "Phylogenetic relationships and generic review of the Bittiinae (Prosobranchia: Cerithioidea)." Malacologia (1993).