Clavatulidae


Clavatulidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea. The family is not well differentiated morphologically.
Clavatulidae was raised, based on cladistic analysis, from subfamily to the family level by Rosenberg in 1998. It is no longer regarded as a subfamily of Turridae by several malacologists. This family has no subfamilies.

General characteristics

This family consists of species with a medium-sized to rather large, fusiform shell. The oblong, pointed spire is rather high. The aperture is oval and mostly white. The operculum has a medio-lateral nucleus. The siphonal canal varies between rather short to moderately long and slightly incurved. The anal sinus varies from very shallow to rather deep. The outer lip can be slightly incurved and serrated on its side. The subsutural ramp is usually well developed. The sculpture of the shell in this family shows various forms, going from a rather smooth surface to being finely ribbed longitudinally and striated transversally. The stenoglossan radula has the formula 1--1

Genera

Genera in the family Clavatulidae include:Benthoclionella Kilburn, 1974Caliendrula Kilburn, 1985Clavatula Lamarck, 1801Clionella Gray, 1847
; Genera moved to other families:Danilacarina Bozzetti, 1997, moved to CochlespiridaeIwaoa Kuroda, 1953, moved to Horaiclavidae
;Genera brought into synonymy:Melatoma Swainson, 1840: synonym of Clionella Gray, 1847Netrum Philippi, 1850: synonym of Pusionella Gray, 1847Surcula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Turricula Schumacher, 1817Tomella Swainson, 1840: synonym of Tomellana Wenz, 1943
  • †Trachelochetus Cossmann, 1889: synonym of †Clavatula Cossmann, 1889 represented as Clavatula Lamarck, 1801Tyrrhenoturris Coen, 1929: synonym of Fusiturris Thiele, 1929

Ecology

Species from family Clavatulidae are omnivores, predators and scavengers.