The Capulidae, the cap snails or cap shells, are a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs.Gofas, S. (2012). Capulidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2012-07-24
Capulidae is the only family in the superfamily Capuloidea. Capulidae is assigned to the paraphyletic order Littorinimorpha, but is more closely related to neogastropods than some other littorinimorphs as it is a member of the clade Latrogastropoda.
The name Trichotropidae was previously used for this family, but this name is invalid, as it is a junior synonym.ITIS Capulidae Fleming, 1822
Characteristics (Original description; described as Capulusidae) The foot is complicated on its anterior margin. The shell adheres to the animal by a circular muscle, leaving an opening in front for the issue of the head and the entrance to the branchial cavity. The gills form a single ridge across the roof. The aperture is in the form of an extended proboscis, with a deep groove above. The tentacula, which are two in number, have the eyes at their external base. The anus is on the right side of the branchial cavity.
Cup-shaped or bonnet-like, the shells of this family start with flat, tightly coiled initial whorls. From this beginning, they expand rapidly in a planospiral way, flaring out dramatically like a funnel.
The interior of the shell is porcelaneous. Some forms develop internal partitions or septa, a feature that makes them superficially resemble the Calyptraeidae (slipper limpets). Externally, the shell is covered by a thick periostracum that feels either felt-like or hairy. There is no operculum.
Species in this family are parasites, praying mostly on other molluscs. They steal the food from these animals with a long proboscis.
Genera Genera within the family Capulidae include:Gofas, S. (2010). Capulidae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.eu/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2010-06-06 Subfamily Capulinae J. Fleming, 1822 Ariadnaria Habe, 1961 † Armenostoma Hacobjan, 1976 † Blackdownia Kollmann, 1976 Kiel S. (2003) New taxonomic data for the gastropod fauna of the Umzamba Formation (Santonian–Campanian, South Africa); Cretaceous Research 24 (2003) 449–475 Capulus Montfort, 1810 Cerithioderma Conrad, 1860 (?) Ciliatotropis Golikov, 1986 Cryocapulus Schiaparelli, Bouchet, Fassio & Oliverio, 2020 Discotrichoconcha Powell, 1951 Echinospira Girotti, 1970 Hyalorisia Dall, 1889 Icuncula Iredale, 1924 Krebsia Montfort, 1810 : synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810 Latticosta S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2021 Lippistes Montfort, 1810 (?) Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978 Malluvium Melvill, 1906 : belongs to the family Hipponicidae. † Profusinus Bandel, 2000 Rufodardanula Ponder, 1965; synonym of Skenella Pfeffer, 1886 Separatista Gray, 1847 Sirius Hedley, 1900 † Tintorium Sohl, 1961 Torellia Lovén in Jeffreys, 1867 Trichamathina Habe, 1962 Trichosirius Finlay, 1926 (?) Trichotropis Broderip and G. B. Sowerby I, 1829 † Turbinopsis Conrad, 1860 Turritropis Habe, 1961 † Vermeijia Amano, 2019 Verticosta S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2020 † Xuwenospira H.-J. Wang, 1982 Zelippistes Finlay, 1927
Subfamily † Lysinae Saul & Squires, 2008 † Garzasia Saul & Squires, 2008 † Lysis Gabb, 1864 † Spirogalerus H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Genera brought into synonymy Actita Fischer von Waldheim, 1823: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810 Antitrichotropis Powell, 1951: synonym of Torellia Jeffreys, 1867 Ariadna P. Fischer, 1864: synonym of Ariadnaria T. Habe, 1961 (junior homonym, junior homonym of Ariadna Audouin, 1826 [Arachnida]; Ariadnaria is a replacement name) Brocchia Bronn, 1828: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810 Capulonix Iredale, 1929: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810 Dolichosirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900 (junior subjective synonym) † Eosirius P. A. Maxwell, 1966: synonym of † Trichosirius (Eosirius) P. A. Maxwell, 1966 represented as Trichosirius H. J. Finlay, 1926 Iphinoe H. Adams & A. Adams, 1856 : synonym of Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978 † Mesostoma Deshayes, 1861: synonym of † Cerithioderma Conrad, 1860 (junior subjective synonym, invalid: junior homonym of Mesostoma Ehrenberg, 1836) Neoconcha E.A. Smith, 1907: synonym of Torellia (Neoconcha) E.A. Smith, 1907 Opposirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900 Ovotropis Egorov & Alexeyev, 1998: synonym of Neoiphinoe Habe, 1978 Pileopsis Lamarck, 1822: synonym of Capulus Montfort, 1810 Opposirius Iredale, 1931: synonym of Sirius Hedley, 1900 Trichoconcha E.A. Smith, 1907: synonym of Torellia Jeffreys, 1867 † Tropidothais L. R. Cox, 1925: synonym of † Lysis Gabb, 1864 (junior subjective synonym)
References
Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). . XII, 195 pp Discover Life
External links image of Capulus dilatatus
Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642