Ranellidae


The Ranellidae, common name the triton shells or tritons, are a taxonomic family of small to very large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the order Littorinimorpha.

Distribution

The Tritons are principally equatorial in their geographical distribution, and belong more especially to the
Asiatic fauna. Those with the siphonal canal very much produced are obtained from deep water. The cancellated forms are from sand, in deep water; and those covered with an epidermis are chiefly from sandy mud, in from six to thirty fathoms.

Subfamilies

According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, the family Ranellidae consisted of two subfamilies:
  • Ranellinae Gray, 1854 - synonyms: Agrobuccininae Kilias, 1973; Simpulidae Dautzenberg, 1900; Gyrineinae Higo & Goto, 1993
  • Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 - synonyms: Tritoniidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 ; Neptunellinae Gray, 1854; Lampusiidae Newton, 1891; Lotoriidae Harris, 1897; Septidae Dall & Simpson, 1901; Aquillidae Pilsbry, 1904; Nyctilochidae Dall, 1912; Charoniinae Powell, 1933
The Cymatiinae now form a separate family: Cymatiidae.

Genera

The family Ranellidae contains the following genera:
  • † Ameranella Beu, 1988
  • † Antarctiranella Stilwell, Zinsmeister & Oleinik, 2004
  • † Crassicymatium Beu, 2010
  • Obscuranella Kantor & Harasewych, 2000
  • Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858
  • Ranella Lamarck, 1816
  • † Ranellina - assigned to Bursidae by Palmer and Brann in 1966
  • † Trachytriton Meek, 1864
;Synonyms:
  • Subfamily Charoniinae Powell, 1933: synonym of Charoniidae Powell, 1933
  • Subfamily Cymatiinae Iredale, 1913 : synonym of Cymatiidae Iredale, 1913
  • Subfamily Ranellinae Gray, 1854: synonym of Ranellidae Gray, 1854
  • Dissentoma Pilsbry, 1945: synonym of Monoplex Perry, 1810
  • Eugyrina Dall, 1904: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
  • Gyrina Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
  • † Gyrinopsis Dall, 1925: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
  • Liohindsia Coen, 1947: synonym of Priene H. Adams & A. Adams, 1858
  • Mayena Iredale, 1917: synonym of Ranella Lamarck, 1816
  • † Mediargo Terry, 1968: synonym of Argobuccinum Herrmannsen, 1846