Teinostoma


Teinostoma is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Teinostomatidae.
This genus used to be placed within the family Skeneidae or family Tornidae

Shell description

The shells of species in this genus are usually white and glossy, are transparent when fresh, and are only a few millimeters in maximum size.
The shell is orbicular, depressed, subspiral and polished. The body whorl is rounded at the periphery. The umbilical region is covered with a large, flat callosity. The aperture is transverse, rounded, greatly produced and elongated, ending anteriorly in a slightly canaliculated point. The inner lip is smooth, callous, not emarginate or truncate anteriorly. The outer lip is thin, simple, not margined or reflected.

Type species

There were two species cited along with the description of Teinostoma by H. & A. Adams but one of them, Teinostoma anomalum C. B. Adams, was nomen nudum, therefore leaving Teinostoma politum A. Adams, made available therein by a figure, as type species by monotypy. ICZN art. 67.2.1. defines "originally included nominal species" to comprise only species that have been cited in the original publication by an available name. The intended description of Teinostoma as "new genus" by A. Adams appeared only later and there T. politum is the sole included species.

Species

This genus includes the following species:
;Taxa inquirenda: