Charonia
Charonia Temporal range:
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Apertural view of a shell of Charonia variegata | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Superfamily: | Tonnoidea |
Family: | Charoniidae Powell, 1933 |
Genus: | Charonia Gistel, 1847 |
Type species | |
Charonia tritonis | |
Species | |
See text | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Charonia is a
Etymology
The common name "Triton's trumpet" is derived from the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. The god Triton is often portrayed blowing a large seashell horn similar to this species.
Fossil records
This genus is known in the
Description
Species within the genus Charonia have large fusiform shells, usually whiteish with brown or yellow markings.
The shell of the giant triton Charonia tritonis (Linnaeus, 1758), which lives in the Indo-Pacific, can grow to over half a metre (20 inches) in length.
One slightly smaller (shell size 100–385 millimetres (3.9–15.2 in) but still very large species,
Distribution
Charonia species inhabit
Life habits
Unlike
Feeding behavior
Adult tritons are active
Tritons can be observed to turn and give chase when the scent of prey is detected. Some starfish (including the crown-of-thorns starfish) appear to be able to detect the approach of the mollusc by means which are not clearly understood, and they will attempt flight before any physical contact has taken place. Tritons, however, are faster than starfish, and only large starfish have a reasonable hope of escape, and then only by abandoning whichever limb the snail seizes first.
The triton grips its prey with its
Tritons ingest smaller prey animals whole without troubling to paralyse them, and will spit out any poisonous spines, shells, or other unwanted parts later.
Species and subspecies
Species within the genus Charonia include:[1]
- Charonia guichemerrei Lozouet, 1998 †
- Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia marylenae Petuch & Berschauer, 2020
- Charonia seguenzae(Aradas & Benoit, 1872)
- Charonia tritonis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Lamarck, 1816) - Caribbean Triton's trumpet
- Charonia veterior Lozouet, 1999 †
- Synonymized species
- Charonia capax Finlay, 1926: synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia digitalis (Reeve, 1844): synonym of Maculotriton serriale(Deshayes, 1834)
- Charonia eucla Hedley, 1914 : synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia eucla instructa Iredale, 1929: synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia grandimaculatus Reeve: synonym of Lotoria grandimaculata (Reeve, 1844)
- Charonia maculosum Gmelin: synonym of Colubraria maculosa(Gmelin, 1791) (new combination)
- Charonia mirabilis Parenzan, 1970: synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia nodifera(Lamarck, 1822): synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia poecilostoma Smith, 1915: synonym of Ranella gemmifera (Euthyme, 1889)
- Charonia powelli Cotton, 1957 : synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia rubicunda (Perry, 1811): synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia sauliae (Reeve, 1844): synonym of Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Charonia seguenzae (Aradas & Benoit, 1872): synonym of Charonia variegata (Lamarck, 1816)
- Charonia variegatus Reeve: synonym of Charonia variegata (Lamarck, 1816)
References
- ^ a b c Charonia Gistel, 1847. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 4 December 2018.
- ^ Charoniidae Powell, 1933. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 4 December 2018.
- ^ Fossilworks
- ^ "Charonia variegata". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Christopher Mah Snails that eat Starfish : Predation in the tropical Indo-Pacific
- Beu A.G. 1998. Indo-West Pacific Ranellidae, Bursidae and Personidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). A monograph of the New Caledonian fauna and revisions of related taxa. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 178: 1-255
External links
- An article on the crown-of-thorns starfish which contains excellent pictures of one being eaten by a triton.