Benthofascis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conorbidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Benthofascis Iredale, 1936. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=432414 on 2011-03-21Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2009) Systematic classification of Recent and fossil conoidean gastropods. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 296 pp., at pp. 134–135.)
Like other species in the superfamily Conoidea these snails are predatory and venomous, able to inject neurotoxins into their prey with their radula.
This genus was previously included in the family Turridae (subfamily Conorbinae) Powell, A.W.B. (1966) The molluscan families Speightiidae and Turridae an evaluation of the valid taxa, both Recent and fossil, with lists of characteristic species. Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum, 5, 1–184, 23 pls. and later in the family Conidae.Taylor, J.D., Kantor, Yu.I. & Sysoev, A.V. (1993) Foregut anatomy, feeding mechanisms, relationships and classification of the Conoidea (= Toxoglossa) (Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum of London, Zoology, 59, 125–170 In 2009 Tucker & Tenorio included it in the family Conorbidae.Tucker, J.K. & Tenorio, M.J. (2009) Systematic Classification of Recent and Fossil Conoidean Gastropods, with Keys to the Genera of Cone Shells. ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany, 295 pp
Species The known living species within the genus Benthofascis are: Benthofascis angularis Tucker, Tenorio & Stahlschmidt, 2011 † Benthofascis atractoides (Tate, 1890) Benthofascis biconica (Hedley, 1903) Benthofascis conorbioides Tucker, Tenorio & Stahlschmidt, 2011 Benthofascis lozoueti Sysoev & Bouchet, 2001 † Benthofascis otwayensis Long, 1981 – from Oligocene of Victoria, Australia Benthofascis pseudobiconica Tucker, Tenorio & Stahlschmidt, 2011 Benthofascis sarcinula (Hedley, 1905)
References
Further reading Sysoev, A. & Bouchet, P. 2001. New and uncommon turriform gastropods (Gastropoda: Conoidea) from the South-West Pacific. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Paris 185: 271–320
External links
Image of Benthofascis biconica (Hedley, 1903) at Gastropods.com Iredale, T. (1936). Australian molluscan notes, no. 2. Records of the Australian Museum. 19(5): 267-340, pls 20-24