Caecum (gastropod)

Caecum
Caecum trachea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Rissooidea
Family: Caecidae
Genus: Caecum
Fleming, 1817
Type species
Caecum tracheum tracheum Montagu, G., 1803
Species

See text.
Synonyms[1]
  • Brochina Gray, 1857
  • Brochus T. Brown, 1827
  • Caecum (Defolinia) Weisbord, 1962
  • Odontidium Philippi, 1836
  • Pictocaecum Habe, 1978

Caecum is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod micromolluscs or micromollusks in the family Caecidae or blind shells. [1]

Distribution

This genus is distributed worldwide in warm and temperate seas. Many species live in sponges, in sandy spots on reefs or in grassy beds in shallow waters in bays and lagoons. Some species are very common, such as the Beautiful Caecum (Caecum pulchellum), but they can be easily missed as they are so tiny. Many are rather rare, but this usually originates in lack of sampling.

↑Jump back a section

Shell description

The shells in this genus, like the others in the family,are very small with a length between 2 mm and 6 mm. >Their colour is white to yellowish white and some are almost translucent. They are unusual in that the teleoconch of the adult shell is a curving tube for most of its length. In the first stage of the shell it is spiral-shaped but soon becomes cylindrical. The shell is sealed with a permanent calcareous plug at one end and (when the animal has withdrawn into the shell) with a circular,multispiral, horny operculum at the other end, the shell aperture. The sculpture is smooth or consists of a close-set, large number of annular ridges.

↑Jump back a section

Feeding habits

Blind shells feed on one-celled animals, collected on sand grains or pebbles.

↑Jump back a section

Species

Species in the genus Caecum include[2][1]:

  • Caecum abnormale Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum achirona de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum amaltheanum Hedley, 1899
  • Caecum amamiense Habe, 1978
  • Caecum amputatum Ch. Hedley, 1894
  • Caecum amydroglyptum Rehder, 1980
  • Caecum angustum de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum antillarum Carpenter, 1858 - Antillean caecum
  • Caecum arabicum Issel, 1869
  • Caecum arcuatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum armoricum de Folin, 1869 - De Folin's lagoon snail. This species is fully protected in the United Kingdom under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 since 1992.[3]
  • Caecum atlantidis R. B. Watson, 1897
  • Caecum attenuatum de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
  • Caecum bahiahondaense A. M. Strong & J. G. Hertlein, 1939
  • Caecum bakeri (Bartsch, 1920)
  • Caecum beaufortensis Ward and Blackwelder 1987 [citation needed]
  • Caecum bimamillatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum borneoensis de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum brasilicum de Folin, 1874
  • Caecum brennani Raines & Pizzini, 2009
  • Caecum breve de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum bucerium Golikov, 1967
  • Caecum californicum Dall, 1885 - California caecum
  • Caecum calvertense Martin, 1904 [citation needed]
  • Caecum campanulatum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
  • Caecum campe Pilsbry and Olsson, 1941 [citation needed]
  • Caecum carolinianum Dall, 1892 - Carolina caecum
  • Caecum carpenteri (Bartsch, 1920)
  • Caecum caverna Moolenbeek, Faber & Iliffe, 1989
  • Caecum chilense Stuardo, 1962 [4]
  • Caecum chinense de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum chipolanum Gardner, 1947 [5]
  • Caecum cinctum Olsson & Harbison, 1953
  • Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum clarkii P. P. Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum clarum Lamy, 1910 [ex de Folin MS]
  • Caecum clathratum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum clava de Folin, 1867 - club caecum
  • Caecum compactum P. P. Carpenter, 1857 [citation needed]
  • Caecum condylum Moore, 1969 - bone caecum
  • Caecum continens Van der Linden & Moolenbeek, 2000
  • Caecum cooperi S. Smith, 1860 - Cooper's Atlantic caecum
  • Caecum corrugatulum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum crassum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum crebricinctum Carpenter, 1864 - many-named caecum
  • Caecum crispum Verrill & Bush, 1900
  • Caecum cubitatum (de Folin, 1868) - smooth caecum[citation needed]
  • Caecum cuspidatum Chaster, 1896
  • Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867 - fatlip caecum
  • Caecum dalli Bartsch, 1920
  • Caecum debile Verrill & Bush, 1900
  • Caecum delicatulum Verrill & Bush, 1900
  • Caecum derjugini Golikov, 1967
  • Caecum dextroversum P. P. Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum digitulum Hedley, 1904 [6]
  • Caecum diminutum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum donmoorei Mitchell-Tapping, 1979
  • Caecum eburneum C. B. Adams, 1852 [7]
  • Caecum elegantissimum Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum eliezeri Absalao, 1997
  • Caecum elongatum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum engli Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
  • Caecum eunoi Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
  • Caecum exile de Folin, 1875
  • Caecum farcimen P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum firmatum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851 - Florida caecum
  • Caecum glabella A. Adams, 1868
  • Caecum glabriforme Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum glabrum (Montagu, 1803)
  • Caecum gofasi Pizzini & Nofroni, 2001
  • Caecum greensboroense Martin, 1904 [citation needed]
  • Caecum gulosum Hedley, 1899
  • Caecum gurgulio Carpenter, 1858 - windpipe caecum
  • Caecum hemphilli Bartsch, 1920[citation needed]
  • Caecum heptagonum (Bartsch, 1920)
  • Caecum heterapex T. Habe, 1963 [8]
  • Caecum heterochromum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
  • Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858 - imbricate caecum
  • Caecum imperforatum Kanamacher, 1798 [9] (nomen dubium)
  • Caecum inclinatum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum infimum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum inflatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum inhacaense Albano & Pizzini 2011[10]
  • Caecum insculptum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum insularum Moore, 1969 [11]
  • Caecum irregulare de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum japonicum (Habe, 1978)
  • Caecum johnsoni Winkley, 1908
  • Caecum jonatani Espinosa, Ortea & Fernandez-Garcés, 2007
  • Caecum jucundum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum laeve C.B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum laqueatum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum limnetes Long, 1972
  • Caecum limpidum de Folin, 1874
  • Caecum lineicinctum de Folin, 1880
  • Caecum liratocinctum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum lohri Strong & Hertlein, 1939
  • Caecum macrum Van der Linden & Moolenbeek, 2000
  • Caecum magellanicum di Geronimo, Privitera & Valdovinos, 1995
  • Caecum malleatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum mammilatum P. P. Carpenter, 1865
  • Caecum maori Pizzini & Raines, 2006
  • Caecum marginatum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum marmoratum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum massambabense Absalao, 1994
  • Caecum mauritianum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum mexicanum Collins, 1937 [citation needed]
  • Caecum microcyclus de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum mirificum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum modestum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum monstrosum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum multicostatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum oahuense H. A. Pilsbry, 1921
  • Caecum obtusum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum occidentale (Bartsch, 1920) - western caecum
  • Caecum orcutti (Dall, 1885)
  • Caecum paradoxum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum parvum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum pascuanum Raines & Pizzini, 2005
  • Caecum patuxentium Martin, 1904 [citation needed]
  • Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858 - plicate caecum
  • Caecum pollicare Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum profundicolum Bartsch, 1920 - deepwater caecum[citation needed]
  • Caecum properegulare Mansfield, 1925 [citation needed]
  • Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851 - beautiful caecum
  • Caecum puntagordanum Weisbord, 1962
  • Caecum pygmaeum C. B. Adams, 1852
  • Caecum quadratum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum rapanuiense Raines & Pizzini, 2005
  • Caecum regulare Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum rehderi Raines & Pizzini, 2005
  • Caecum reversum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum richthofeni A. M. Strong & J. G. Hertlein, 1939
  • Caecum rijgersmai Jong & Coomans, 1988
  • Caecum rosanum Bartsch, 1920[citation needed]
  • Caecum ruggerii Pizzini, 1997 [citation needed]
  • Caecum rugulosum Phil, 1836 [citation needed]
  • Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867 - minute caecum
  • Caecum searleswoodii Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum senegambianum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum semilaeve P. P. Carpenter, 1857 [12]
  • Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1868
  • Caecum sinuatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum skoglundae Pizzini, Raines & Nofroni, 2007
  • Caecum smriglioi Pizzini, Nofroni & Bonfitto, 2008
  • Caecum striatum de Folin, 1875
  • Caecum strictum de Folin, 1871
  • Caecum strigosum de Folin, 1868
  • Caecum subannulatum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum subconicum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum subflavum de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum subimpressum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum subobsoletum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum subornatum de Folin, 1874
  • Caecum subspirale Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum subvolutum de Folin, 1874
  • Caecum succineum de Folin, 1879
  • Caecum swinneni Nofroni, Pizzini, Oliverio, 1997
  • Caecum taeniatum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum tenuicostatum de Folin, 1881
  • Caecum tenuiliratum Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum teres Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum textile de Folin, 1867 - textile caecum
  • Caecum tornatum Verrill & Bush, 1900
  • Caecum torquetum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum tortile Dall, 1892 - twisted caecum
  • Caecum trachea G. Montagu, 1803
  • Caecum troglodyta Moolenbeek, Faber & Iliffe, 1989
  • Caecum uncinatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum undatum P. P. Carpenter, 1857
  • Caecum varanoi Pizzini, Nofroni & Bonfitto, 2008
  • Caecum variegatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum venosum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum verai Moreno, Peñas & Rolán, 2003
  • Caecum vertebrale Ch. Hedley, 1899
  • Caecum vicinum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum vitreum P. P. Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum wami Raines & Pizzini, 2009
  • Caecum wayae Pizzini & Nofroni, 2001
  • Caecum zaagmani Jong and Coomans, 1988
Subgenera brought into synonymy 
  • Caecum (Defolinia) Weisbord, 1962 : synonym of Caecum Fleming, 1813
  • Caecum (Meioceras) Carpenter, 1859 : synonym of Meioceras Carpenter, 1859
Species brought into synonymy 
  • Caecum annulatum Emmons, 1858: synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum berthae Lange de Morretes, 1954 : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum biminicola Pilsbry, 1951 : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum buccina de Folin, 1870 : synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum bucheri Parenzan, 1979 : synonym of Filogranula annulata (O. G. Costa, 1861)
  • Caecum butoti Jong & Coomans, 1988  : synonym of Caecum marmoratum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum capitanum de Folin, 1874 : synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum carmenense de Folin, 1870 : synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum cayoense Rehder, 1943 : synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum clenchi Olsson & McGinty, 1958 : synonym of Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum conjunctum de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum contractum de Folin, 1870 : synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum corneum R. W. Dunker, 1875  : synonym of Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum cornucopiae (Carpenter, 1858) - horn-of-plenty caecum  : synonym of Meioceras cornucopiae Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum coronatum de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum coronellum Dall, 1892 : synonym of Caecum cycloferum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum costatum A.E. Verrill, 1872: synonym of Caecum cooperi S. Smith, 1860
  • Caecum crassicostum Gabb, 1881 : synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum curtatum de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum decussatum de Folin, 1869 : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum dux de Folin, 1871 : synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum elagans Deregaslavtseva, 1891 : synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
  • Caecum elegans Perejoslavitseva, 1831 : synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
  • Caecum fasciatum de Folin, 1876 : synonym of Caecum trachea (Montagu, 1803)
  • Caecum formulosum de Folin, 1869 : synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum fulvum Kisch, 1959 : synonym of Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum heladum Olsson and Harbison, 1953 - fine-line caecum  : synonym of Caecum multicostatum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum hinoidei T. Habe, 1978  : synonym of Caecum neocaledonicum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum insigne de Folin, 1867 : synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum instructum de Folin, 1870 : synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum legumen Hedley, 1904 : synonym of Meioceras legumen (Hedley, 1904)
  • Caecum leptoglyphos de Folin, 1881 : synonym of Caecum textile de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum lermondi Dall, 1924 : synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
  • Caecum lightfootae Pizzini, Nofroni, Oliverio, 1994  : synonym of Caecum atlantidis Watson, 1897
  • Caecum lilianum Ch. Hedley, 1903  : synonym of Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum maculatum T. Habe, 1963  : synonym of Caecum sepimentum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum nitidum Stimpson, 1851 - little horn caecum : synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
  • Caecum obesum Verrill & Bush, 1900  : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum orientale de Folin, 1868  : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum phronimum de Folin, 1867  : synonym of Caecum floridanum Stimpson, 1851
  • Caecum putnamense Mansfield, 1924  : synonym of Caecum johnsoni Winkley, 1908
  • Caecum rotundum de Folin, 1868  : synonym of Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851)
  • Caecum saavedrae Beltran, 1965  : synonym of Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
  • Caecum sardinianum de Folin, 1869  : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum sculptum de Folin, 1881 : synonym of Caecum imbricatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum semitracheum S. Brusina, 1865  : synonym of Caecum clarkii Carpenter, 1859
  • Caecum smithi Cooper, 1872 : synonym of Caecum cooperi S. Smith, 1860
  • Caecum solitarium Oliver, 1915  : synonym of Caecum maori Pizzini & Raines, 2006
  • Caecum syriacum de Folin, 1869 : synonym of Caecum auriculatum de Folin, 1868
  • Caecum tenue Verrill & Bush, 1900: synonym of Caecum armoricum de Folin, 1869
  • Caecum termes Heilprin, 1889 : synonym of Caecum plicatum Carpenter, 1858
  • Caecum tomaculum (Weisbord, 1962)  : synonym of Caecum ryssotitum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum triornatum de Folin, 1870 : synonym of Caecum bipartitum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum veracruzanum Collins, 1937  : synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum vestitum de Folin, 1868 - Vera Cruz caecum : synonym of Caecum circumvolutum de Folin, 1867
Nomina dubia 
  • Caecum abreviatum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum bicinctum de Folin, 1870
  • Caecum hemisphericum de Folin, 1867
  • Caecum imperforatum (Kanmacher, 1798)
↑Jump back a section

References

  1. ^ a b c Gofas, S. (2011). Caecum Fleming, 1813. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137718 on 2011-02-04
  2. ^ "Caecum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 
  3. ^ Protection for wild animals on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. website accessed 7 August 2009.
  4. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum chilense; accessed : 4 February 2011
  5. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum chipolanum; accessed : 4 February 2011
  6. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum (Brochina) digitulum; accessed : 4 February 2011
  7. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum eburneum; accessed : 5 February 2011
  8. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum heterapex; accessed : 5 February 2011
  9. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum imperforatum; accessed : 5 February 2011
  10. ^ Albano, P.G. & Pizzini, M. 2011. Notes on Caecidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from southern Mozambique, with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 52 (1): 1-10.[1]
  11. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum insularum; accessed : 5 February 2011
  12. ^ Gastropods.com : Caecum semilaeve; accessed : 5 February 2011
  • Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). ISBN 0-915826-22-4. XII, 195 pp
  • Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180-213
  • Spencer, H.; Marshall. B. (2009). All Mollusca except Opisthobranchia. In: Gordon, D. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume One: Kingdom Animalia. 584 pp
  • Aartsen, J. J. van (1977). Revision of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean Caecidae. - Basteria 41 (1/4): 7-19
↑Jump back a section

External links

↑Jump back a section
Last modified on 7 March 2013, at 15:40