The Nassariidae, Nassa mud snails (US), or dog whelks (UK) are a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda.
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type genus ...
Close
"Dog whelk" also refers to Nucella lapillus.
These snails have rounded shells with a high spire, an oval aperture, and a siphonal notch.
This family of snails is found worldwide.
These snails are found mostly in shallow water, on sandy or muddy substrates, often intertidally, but sometimes in deep water. They can be present in very large numbers in suitable habitat.
Nassariidae are primarily active and lively scavengers.
The family Nassariidae is closely related to the family of the true whelks, Buccinidae, because of their shared characteristics in the anatomy of the species in these families,[2][3][4][5]), i.e. a long proboscis, the loss of glandular dorsal folds, and a smaller gland of Leiblein (a dorsal venom gland in the mid-oesophagus).
According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Nassariidae consists of four subfamilies:
- Nassariinae Iredale, 1916 (1835) - synonyms: Nassinae Swainson, 1835 (inv.); Cyclopsidae Chenu, 1859 (inv.); Cyclonassinae Gill, 1871; Alectrionidae Dall, 1908; Arculariidae Iredale, 1915
- Bullinae Allmon, 1990 (not recognized by Haitao LI et al., 2010 [6])
- Cylleninae L. Bellardi, 1882
- Dorsaninae Cossmann, 1901 - synonym: Duplicatinae Muskhelishvili, 1967
Kantor et al. (2022) used molecular data to revise the classification of the Buccinoidea superfamily, proposing 20 taxa of family rank and 23 subfamilies.[7] This included the description of a new subfamily of Nassariidae:
- Tomliniinae subfam. nov.[7]
Photinae Gray, 1857 was recognized
A new subfamily Anentominae was recognized.
- Anentominae Strong, Galindo & Kantor, 2017[8]
Genera within the family Nassariidae include:[9][10]
- Nassariinae
The operculum is ovate, acute and with an apical nucleus; the margin is entire or serrated.
The eyes in some of the genera are near the base of the tentacles, in others near their middle, and are sometimes
wanting.
The aperture of the shell is either truncate, or with a short recurved siphonal canal, and the inner lip is usually callous and spreading over the body whorl.[11]
- Adinassa Horro, Schönherr & Rolán, 2018 (unassigned in a subfamily)
- † Buccitriton Conrad, 1865
- Caesia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- Demoulia Gray, 1838
- Ilyanassa Stimpson, 1865
- Nassarius Finlay, 1927
- Nassodonta H. Adams, 1867
- Naytia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- Phrontis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- † Psilarius Woodring, 1964
- Reticunassa Iredale, 1936
- Tritia Risso, 1826
List of synonyms in Nassariinae:
- Aciculina A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius (Aciculina) A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Alectrion Montfort, 1810 : synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Alectryon Melvill, 1918: synonym of Alectrion Montfort, 1810: synonym of Nassarius (Alectrion) Montfort, 1810: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Allanassa Iredale, 1929: synonym of Nassarius (Allanassa) Iredale, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Amycla H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Amyclina Iredale, 1918: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Arcularia Link, 1807: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Arculia Jousseaume, 1888: synonym of Arcularia Link, 1807: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Austronassaria C. Laseron & J. Laseron, 1956: synonym of Nassarius (Plicarcularia) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- † Bathynassa Ladd, 1976: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Cencus Gistel, 1848: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- † Chelenassa Shuto, 1969 : synonym of Nassarius (Plicarcularia) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Cyclonassa Swainson, 1840: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Cyclops Montfort, 1810 : synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826; synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Desmoulea Gray, 1847: synonym of Demoulia Gray, 1838
- Desmoulinsia: synonym of Demoulia Gray, 1838
- Eione Risso, 1826: synonym of Nassarius (Plicarcularia) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- † Fackia Nordsieck, 1972 : synonym of Nassarius (Gussonea) Monterosato, 1912: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Glabrinassa Shuto, 1969: synonym of Nassarius (Zeuxis) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Hebra H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Hima Leach in Gray, 1852: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Hinia Leach, 1847: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- † Mirua Marwick, 1931: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Moulinsia Tournouer, 1874: synonym of Demoulia Gray, 1838
- Nana Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Nanina Risso, 1826: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Nassa Lamarck, 1799: synonym of Nassarius (Sphaeronassa) Locard, 1886 ; Nassa Röding, 1798 belongs to the subfamily Rapaninae in the family Muricidae
- Naytiopsis Thiele, 1929: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Neritula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Niotha H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius (Niotha) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Pallacera Woodring, 1964: synonym of Nassarius (Pallacera) Woodring, 1964 : synonym ofNassarius Duméril, 1805
- Panormella O. G. Costa, 1840: synonym of Cyclope Risso, 1826: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Parcanassa Iredale, 1936: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Plicarcularia Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius (Plicarcularia) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Profundinassa Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius (Profundinassa) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Proneritula Thiele, 1929: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Pygmaeonassa Annandale, 1924: synonym of Nassarius (Pygmaeonassa) Annandale, 1924: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Reticarcularia Shuto, 1969: synonym of Nassarius (Plicarcularia) Thiele, 1929: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Scabronassa Peile, 1939: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Sphaeronassa Locard, 1886: synonym of Nassarius (Sphaeronassa) Locard, 1886
- Streptorhega Bronn, 1856: synonym of Demoulia Gray, 1838
- Tarazeuxis Iredale, 1936: synonym of Nassarius (Telasco) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Tavaniotha Iredale, 1936: synonym of Nassarius (Niotha) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Telasco H. & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius (Telasco) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Tritonella A. Adams, 1852: synonym of Nassarius (Hima) Leach in Gray, 1852: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Uzita H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Tritia Risso, 1826
- Varicinassa Habe, 1946: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Venassa Martens, 1881: synonym of Nassarius (Zeuxis) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Zeuxis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius (Zeuxis) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Nassarius Duméril, 1805
- Anentominae
- Buccinanopsinae Galindo, Puillandre, Lozouet & Bouchet, 2016
- Bullinae
- Adinus H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- Bullia Gray, 1833
- † Bulliopsis Conrad, 1862
- Adinus H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Bullia Gray, 1833
- Cereobullia Melvill, 1924: synonym of Bullia Gray, 1833
- Leiodomus Swainson, 1840: synonym of Bullia Gray, 1833
- Pseudostrombus Mörch, 1852: synonym of Bullia Gray, 1833
- Cylleninae
- Cyllene Gray in Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834
- Neoteron Pilsbry & Lowe, 1932[13]
- Radulphus Iredale, 1924: synonym of Cyllene Gray, 1834
- Dorsaninae
- † Cyllenina Bellardi, 1882
- † Desorinassa Nuttall & Cooper, 1973
- Dorsanum Gray, 1847
- † Keepingia Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Lisbonia Palmer, 1937
- † Monoptygma Lea, 1833
- † Pseudocominella Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Thanetinassa Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Whitecliffia Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Colwellia Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973 : synonym of † Keepingia Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Desorinassa Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973 : synonym of † Keepingia Nuttall & J. Cooper, 1973
- † Duplicata Korobkov, 1955 : synonym of Dorsanum Gray, 1847
- Photinae
- Antillophos Woodring, 1928[13]
- † Coraeophos Makiyama, 1936[13]
- † Cymatophos Pilsbry & Olsson, 1941[13]
- Engoniophos Woodring, 1928[13]
- † Europhos Landau, Harzhauser, Islamoglu & Silva, 2014[13]
- † Glyptophos Landau, da Silva & Heitz, 2016[13]
- † Judaphos Jung, 1995[13]
- Metaphos Olsson, 1964[13]
- Northia Gray, 1847[13]
- † Philindophos Shuto, 1969[13]
- Phos Montfort, 1810[13]
- † Rhipophos Woodring, 1964[13]
- Strombinophos Pilsbry & Olsson, 1941[13]
- † Tritiaria Conrad, 1865[13]
- Tomliniinae subfam. nov.[7]
- Nassaria Link, 1807
- Tomlinia Peile, 1937
- Trajana Gardner, 1948
- Benthindsia Iredale, 1936: synonym of Nassaria Link, 1807
- Hindsia A. Adams, 1855: synonym of Nassaria Link, 1807
- Microfusus Dall, 1916: synonym ofNassaria Link, 1807
- Subfamily ?
- Adinopsis Odhner, 1923 : ? synonym of Bullia Gray in Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834
- Adinus H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
- Ambullina Palmer, 1937 [citation needed]
- Soyonassa Okutani, 1964
The origin and evolution of the Neogastropoda.Malacologia. 1973;12(2):295-338.
Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda), Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum, 14, 356 p
Strong, E. E., Galindo, L. A., & Kantor, Y. I. (2017). "Quid est Clea helena? Evidence for a previously unrecognized radiation of assassin snails (Gastropoda: Buccinoidea: Nassariidae)". PeerJ 5: e3638. doi:10.7717/peerj.3638.
