Caecum
A shell of Caecum trachea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
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 (Anellum) Carpenter, 1856· accepted, alternate representation
  • Caecum (Bambusum) Olsson & Harbison, 1954· accepted, alternate representation
  • Caecum (Brochina) Gray, 1857· accepted, alternate representation
  • Caecum (Caecum) J. Fleming, 1813· accepted, alternate representation
  • Caecum (Defolinia) Weisbord, 1962
  • Caecum (Elephantulum) Carpenter, 1857· accepted, alternate representation
  • Caecum (Fartulum) Carpenter, 1857· accepted, alternate representation
  • Coecum [sic]
  • Cornuoides T. Brown, 1827
  • Elephantanellum Bartsch, 1920
  • Elephantulum Carpenter, 1857
  • Fartulum Carpenter, 1857
  • Micranellum Bartsch, 1920
  • 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 occurs 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 and can be extremely numerous where they do occur, such as the "beautiful caecum"(Caecum pulchellum), but even they can be easily overlooked as they are so tiny. Many species are considered to be uncommon, but this assessment may be a result of lack of proper sampling.

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 The shell is sealed with a permanent calcareous plug at one end and (when the animal has withdrawn into the shell) with a circular, multispiral, horny operculum at the other end, the shell aperture.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.

Feeding habits

These snails feed on one-celled organisms on sand grains or pebbles.

Species

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

Subgenera brought into synonymy
Species brought into synonymy
Nomina dubia

References

  1. ^ a b c Caecum J. Fleming, 1813. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 6 January 2019.
  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. ^ "Caecum chilense". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Caecum chipolanum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Caecum (Brochina) digitulum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Caecum eburneum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Caecum imperforatum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  9. ^ 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] Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Caecum insularum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 5 February 2011.

External links

Taxon identifiers
Categories