The Naticinae are a subfamily of medium to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Naticinae Guilding, 1834. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=411695 on 2021-09-14
General characteristics The Naticinae are characterized by their calcareous operculum and by the presence of a distinct funicle within the umbilicus, which is observable in most species. It is mainly a tropical group, which is brightly colored and patterned.
The shell is small to moderate in size, varicoloured, ornamented with bands, spots or axial flames: often smooth, occasionally sculptured with spiral striae or radial ribs at the sutures. The spire is low, the body whorl is inflated. The aperture is semiovate, rarely ovate, smooth within. The labial lip is moderately thin. The umbilicus is open; the funicle is well developed, occasionally covered by a parietal callus
The operculum is calcareous, unisulcate or multisulcate. The rachidian of the radula has 1-5 cusps in addition to 2 accessory basal cusps, lateral with 1-7 cusps; inner marginal generally bifid but occasionally simple, outer marginal always simple.
The animal is moderate in size, andis able to retract completely into its shell.
Genera Genera within the subfamily Naticinae include: Cochlis Röding, 1798 Cryptonatica Dall, 1892 Glyphepithema Rehder, 1943 Natica Scopoli, 1777, the type genus Naticarius Duméril, 1805 Notocochlis Powell, 1933 Paratectonatica Azuma, 1961 Proxiuber Powell, 1933 † Pseudolinices Harzhauser, Landau & Guzhov, 2025 Quantonatica Iredale, 1936 Stigmaulax Mörch, 1852 Tanea Marwick, 1931 † Taniella Finlay & Marwick, 1937 Tasmatica Finlay & Marwick, 1937 Tectonatica Sacco, 1890
Genera brought into synonymy Aloconatica Shikama, 1971: synonym of Stigmaulax Mörch, 1852 Boreonatica Golikov & Kussakin, 1974: synonym of Cryptonatica Dall, 1892 (junior objective synonym of Cryptonatica) Eunatica Melvill, 1899 : synonym of Natica Scopoli, 1777 (junior subjective synonym) Lunaia S. S. Berry, 1964: synonym of Natica Scopoli, 1777 Nacca Risso, 1826: synonym of Natica Scopoli, 1777 Naticarinus [sic] : synonym of Naticarius Duméril, 1805 (misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling) Naticus Montfort, 1810: synonym of Naticarius Duméril, 1805 Pristinacca Finlay & Marwick, 1937: synonym of † Taniella Finlay & Marwick, 1937 Sulconatica Golikov & Kussakin, 1974: synonym of Cryptonatica Dall, 1892
References
Marincovich, L.N. (1977) Cenozoic Naticidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Northeastern Pacific. Bulletins of American Paleontology, 70, 169-212. Kabat, A.R. (1991) The classification of the Naticidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda): Review and analysis of the supraspecific taxa. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 152, 417-449.
External links Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. (2005). Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia. 47 (1-2): 1-397 Huelsken, T. et al. (2008) The Naticidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Isola del Giglio (Tuscany, Italy): Shell characters, live animals, and a molecular analysis of egg masses. Zootaxa, 1770, 1-40.