Amathinidae


Amathinidae, is a taxonomic family mostly consisting of small and minute sea snails, marine heterobranch gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs in the superfamily Pyramidelloidea.
Together with Pyramidellidae, Ebalidae, Turbonillidae, Odostomidae and other genera they form the superfamily Pyramidelloidea.
Little is known on the biology of the group, but some data on the anatomy and systematic position is given by Ponder and Huber.

1999 taxonomy

Genera within the family Amathinidae according to the taxonomy of Schander, Van Aartsen & Corgan include:
  • Genus Amathina J. E. Gray, 1842
  • Genus Amathinoides Sacco, 1896
  • Genus Carinorbis Conrad, 1862
  • Genus Cyclothyca Stearns, 1861
  • Genus Faluniella Cossman, 1921
  • Genus Iselica Dall, 1918
  • Genus Leucotina A. Adams, 1860
  • Genus Phasianema Wood, 1842
  • Genus Plicifer H. Adams, 1868

    2005 taxonomy

This family has no subfamilies.

Genera

This family presently comprises less than 100 recent and fossil species divided into seven genera: Amathina, Amathinoides, Carinorbis, Cyclothyca, Iselica, Leucotina and Phasianema.
Two additional genera, Faluniella and Plicifer may also be a part of Amathinidae:
Genera within the family Amathinidae include:
  • Amathina Gray, 1842
  • Cyclothyca Stearns, 1891
  • Iselica Dall, 1918
  • Leucotina A. Adams, 1860
  • Monotygma G. B. Sowerby II, 1839
  • Plicifer H. Adams, 1868
  • † Raulinia Mayer, 1864
;Genera brought into synonymy:
  • Adelactaeon Cossmann, 1895: synonym of Leucotina A. Adams, 1860
  • Amathinoides Sacco, 1896 † accepted as Clathrella Récluz, 1864 accepted as Carinorbis Conrad, 1862
  • Clathrella Récluz, 1864 accepted as Carinorbis Conrad, 1862
  • Isapis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 accepted as Iselica Dall, 1918
  • Myonia A. Adams, 1860: synonym of Leucotina A. Adams, 1860

    Anatomy

The shells are usually flat without coiling. They usually have strong axial ribs. Ponder described giant neurons in the cerebral ganglion.